The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-05-13
THE DEVASTATION
OF THE ISLAND OF MARTINIQUE
COMPLETE.
THE HORROR INCREASES
Wiped Out-A Stream OF Lava Rush.
es with Lightning Rapidity from the
Volcano Everything In its Path
Swept Away-The Loss of Life Now
Placed at Forty Thousand.

Fort de France, Martinique, May TO-
I:46 p. m.-The earthquakes have
ceased, but the volcanic eruptions con-
tinue-
Hopes are raised that more of the
population OF s.. Pierre than indicated
in the earlier dispatches have been
saved. 1t is believed that number of
people were rescued from the stricken
town by steamers running to Fort de
France
The work Of clearing away the de-
bris in the city of St. Pierre will be
commenced as soon as it is possible 10
enter the smoking ruins. Until some
semblance of order has been restored
and the ruins have been cleared away
it has been agreed by the municipal
and other authorities to burn all
corpses found in the streets. The au-
thorities of Fort de France are send
Ing all procurab,e necessities for the
sufferers with medical aid for the in
Iured, the food supplies Of st. Pierre
being all destroyed. The crusier Suchet
is revictualing Martinique from Gaude-
loupe.
Castries. st. Lucia, B. w. l., May 10.
Mont Pelee a volcanic mountain some
ten miles north of St. Pierre, the COM
mercial capital of Martinique, is the
mountain which made faint show OF
eruption fifty years ago. May 3rd last
Is began to throw out dense clouds of
smoke. At midnight the same day
flames, accompanied with rumbling
noises, lighteo the sky over an i'm
mense area, causing widespread terror.
May 4th hot ashes covered the whole
city quarter OF st. Pierre an inch thick
and made Mont Pelee invisible. At
noon, May 5th. a stream of burning
tain side, following the dry bed of a
torrent and reaching the sea, five miles
from the mountain, in three minutes.
In it's rush the fiery flood swept from
Its path plantations, buildings, fac
tories, cattle and human beings over a
breadth of about half mile.
Entombed in Lava.
At the rear of the mouth of the
Rivierre Blanche stood the large
Guerin sugar factory, one of the finest
in the island. 1t is now completely en-
tombed in lava. The tall chimney
alone is visible. One hundred and fifty
persons are estimated to have perished
there, including the owners son.
AS the lava rushed out into the sea
the latter receded 300 feet all along the
west coast. Returning with greater
strength, a big wave covered the
whole sea front of st. Pierre, but do
ing little damage ashore or afloat.
Fearful Explosions.
Terrible detonations, heard hundreds
of miles northward, followed at short,
irregular intervals and continued at
night. In the intense darkness the cleo
trio light failed, but the town was lit
up by lurid flashes of flame from the
mountain. The terror stricken inhabi
tants rushed for the hills in their
night clothes. screaming, shouting and
wailing, mad with terror
The Plissono family escaped to ST.
I
persons, mostly women and children,
| arrived here in the forenoon of the 9Th
and furnished the above details. Ths
men remained at Martinique
The same afternoon, later, te!e-
| graphic communication was interrupt
ed with both the islands of Martinique
and st. Vincent.
During the afteroon, the British
steamer Boddam, which had left for
Martinique, crawlsd slowly into the Cas-
tries harbor, unrecognized, gray with
ashes, her rigging dismantled and sails
! and awnings hanging about torn and
| charred.
Captain Whatter reported that hav-
| ing just cast anchor off st. Pierre at $
| a. m, in fine weather, succeeding en-
| awful thunder storm during the night,
| he was talking to the ships agent,
| Joseph Plissono, who was in a boat
| alongside, when he saw a tremendous
cloud Of smoke and glowing cinders
| rushing with terrific rapidity over the
town and port, completely, in an in
| slant, enveloping the former in shee.
of flame and raining fire on board. The
agent had just time to climb on board
| when his boat disappeared. Several
of the crew Of the Roddam were quick
ly sorched to death. By superhuman
efforts. having steam up, the cable was
| slipped and the steamer backed away
| from the shore and nine hours later,
managed to reach Castries. Ten Of the
Roddam's men were lying dead, comfort
ed and burned out of human semhlance,
among the black einders which covered
| the ships deck to depth of six inches.