The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-05-21
THE WRECK M
RUIN COMPLETE.
The Is1ard of st. Vincent May
Sink Into the Sea.

A correspondent of the Associated
Press has made a visit on horseback to
the devastated district of the island of
st. Vincent, during which he Travelled
fifty miles aud penetrated to within
five miles of Soufriere crater, and writes
as follows of the situation {:
The asli-covered area of ST. Vincent
exceeds that of Martinique which the
correspondent has also explored. The
most conservative estimate OF the death
1900 bodies have already been in
tered.
The entire northern part of the is
land is covered with ashes to an aver
age depth of Is inches, varying from
a thin layer at K~ingstown'to two feet
or more at Georgetown. The crops
are ruined, nothing green can be seen,
the streets of Georgetown are cumber-
ed drifts, and ashes rest 80 heavily on
the roofs that in several cases they
have caused them to fall in.
There will soon be 5000 destitute
persons IN need of assistance from the
| government which is already doing
everything possible to relieve the suf-
lCICIos AhOlO arc q huhutCo ihJuICo
people in the hospital at Georgetown.
Gangs of men are searching for the
dead or rapidly burying them in
trenches, and all that can be done
under the circumstances is being &C
complished.
While the outbreak of the volcano
on the island of Martinique killed more
people outright, more territory has
been ruined in st. Vincent, and hence
there is greater restitution. The in.
! jured people were horribly burned by
the hot grit which was driven along
with tremendous velocity. Twenty
six persons who sought refuge in a
room ten feet by twelve were all killed.
Oae person was Drained with a huge
stone nine miles from the rater
Rough collins are being made to re-
ceive the remains of the victims. The
hospital Is filled with dying people.
Fifty injured persons are lying on the
floor of that building, as there are no
beds for their accommodation, though
cots are being rapidly constructed of
boards. This and similar work has
been In progress since Immediately
after the disaster. Two days elapsed,
however, before there were any burlals,
as the negroes refused to dig the neces-
sary trenches, though they were Of
fered three times the usual wages by
the local authorities. The nurses en-
ployed are incompetent, but they are
willing to learn and are working hard.
The negroes are Indifferent to all that
10 transporting and to what has taken
| nlann Thnu nvnorf 10 raoo;,a o,,o.
ment rations, but there have been IN
stances whore they have refused to
bury their relatives.
1t is estimated that the sea has en-
crOached from ten feet to two miles
along the coast near Georgetown, and
that a section on the north of the is-
land has dropped into the sea. This
is apparently certified by the report of
the French cableshlp Pouyer. QUARTER,
that sOundings now show seven fathoms
where before the outbreak there was
81 fathoms of water.
Lieutenant Benjamin Mccormick,
commanding the United States steamer
Potomac, now in these waters, has
called on Governor Llewellyn and of
fered him the sympathy of the United
States and any assistance which il was
in his power to render. The Potomac
has also landed what she can spare of
her food stuffs. The government ex-
pressed thanks and added that there
was no immediate need of help. The
Potomac carried Official dispatches to
the island of st. Lucia.
The inhabitants (meaning the white
population as o rule) naturally are an.
xious to know whether the repose of
the volcano is permanent or whether
1T is the lull, which usually precedes
a greater paroxysmal activity. Some
people, anticipating that there is danger
of further volcanic eruptions, are leav-
ing the outlying towns for Kingston.
The negroes who have remained OIL
the estates are half we'd, and the
Carib survivors are leaving the caves
and pillaging abandoned dwelling
houses and shops. A number of ar
rests have been made In this connec.
ton. Much importance Is attached
locally to the loss which the colony has
sustained in the injury to the peasant
property, a scheme for the develop.
ment of which was lately inaugurated
by the imp rial government.
Advices received from Fort de
France say that footing and robbery
are on the increase at st. Pierre and
elsewhere. Local political quarrels at
st. Pierre are interfering with practi-
cal harmonious action. There a,e
5000 refugees at Fort de France and
Is feared there. Business at
st. Pierre has been stopped and money
is scarce.
AS the colonial hospital was found
inadequate TO accommodate the suf-
%ferers, large army tents have been
erected for the use of the patients who
are being constantly brought from
other towns on the Island, but even
those annex hospitals are over Gro yd.
ed. The LEGAL doctors have been REIN
forced by q doctor who arrived here
from the island of Grenada, one of the
British windward islands. He brought
with him q number of packages of
medical supplies. The death rate
among the people in the hospitals is
still very high. On all sides are heard
grateful appreciation OF the prompt aid
fnrnlshed by the United States. in
sending the Potomac with provisions
and other things for the destitute peo.
Pile of ST. Vincent.
The report that the volcanic lake
which 0hcunjed Tho Ton ~ Az