Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-11-20
DEVASTATION
IN GUATEMALA.
Refugees From There Tell a Tale
OF Great Horror
FLED FOR THEIR LIVES
Caused by Eruption of III Kosario--
Band. OF Robbers swarm Ia
DesoIaied neglons

San Francisco, Nov, i9,-The hrst OF
the refugees from the devastated lands
Of Gutemala arrived today on the Pa
ciAo Mail steamer city OF Para. They
came from the districts far Inland from
the sea and Travelled over a county
laid waste by sand, ashes and pumlee
before reaching railway station.
From the latter places they made the
Journey by rail TO Champerlco ana
there took the steamer to san Francis
co, They sailed on Nov. Z, and the vol
cano was suIl smoking and rumblngs
of thunder and flashes Of lightning gave
evidence of more eruptIons to come
These people fed from their planta-
tlons in fear for their lives, They es-
capped to the seaside with little more
than the clothing they wore, transpor-
tatIon being so difficult as to preclude
the carrying OF baggage. The refugees
confirm stories Of loss of life. ines
say that the victims are for the most
part Indians. They had not heard OF
any white people being lost. Thousands
Of Indians were asphyXiated or buried
I'm the sand. Miles Of plantations are
under ashes, and absolute ruin Is the
lot of many planters, whose all was
invested I'm the fncas one refugee
comes from within half an hours ride
OF Gen. Barilos and brings iDforma-
ton that the general and his family
are safe. A cablegTam received here
when the first eruption occurred stated
that Gen. Barillos had been asphyX-
lated.
The refugees state that It is not the
crater of Santa Maria that Is In action,
but a similar mountain rising from one
Of the western slopes Of Santa Maria,
called I'll Rosario.
Bands Of Mexican robbers are now
swarmng the desolated regions, rob-
bling and numbering refugees on the
road and looting the abandoned and
desolate plantations.
The people left behind on the plan
tations, It Is said, are In danger Of
death from starvation, for the food
supplies have been cut of and there Is
no way 10 send In supplies to the af-
ficted districts.
Those who came on the City Of Para
were the Bardwell family and Miss
Florissa Nero. The Bardwells consist
of Ferdinand his mother, his sister
Julia and brother Albert. Another
brother, Augustine remained behind 10
save, II possible, some Of the coffee.
The Bardwells owned the Magnolia
plantation near LArgentina. and about
80 miles south of oue2altenango.
frha OF (itu ~ Ipora mot pvi :
dences of the volcanic eruption soon
after leaving Ocos, Great quantities Of
pumice were found floating on the wa
ter, and some OF the pieces were about
the size of mans head The sea was
covered with the stuff. When the YES
sci got up of the coast Of Guatemala
the shore was seen 10 be covered with
a light ash. AZ Champerico there was
about half an inch Of ash over the roofs
OF the houses and the ground was COW
cred as though there had been a snow
storm. Ashes were falling. although
II was then sixteen DAYS after the first
ERUPTION OF the mountain. During the
night Of Nov. s. just few hours be-
fore the city Of Para sailed out of
the port, loud umhlings Of the earth
were heard and heavy reports as of
distant thunder came from the dlrec-
tinn of the volcano.
Word has been received from Maza-
tenango, on the outskirts Of the ruin a
territory. stating that on Friday. Oct
a. az about o'clock In the evening,
Santa Maria opened a crater on the
west side. near its base. and not far
from Helvetia and all that night Il
belched great volumes 81 ashes and
lava over Xolhultz and Costa Cuca. On
Saturday morning II was noticed that
several more craters In the neighhor-
hood NJ the mountain had opened IN,
and they were all pouring volcanic de.
hris over the plantat Ions Of the dis
trlct. These fresh era ters were further
10 the west and for over % hours they
were I'm constant eruption. shaking
down buildings and causing much dec.
triuction from the nuaking. All the
territory about Palmar san Feline. pu.
ehlo Nuevo and Retalhuleu was buried
under ashes.
Many NJ the plantations were bur.
ried under from five % seven feet OF
debris and al hope Of ever reclaim.
Ing them had hoen given IN. The whole
ncishborhood for miles was a burning
Wilderness.
At Maintenance. on the south side Of
the volcano, only ashes had fallen, and
not then 10 such a great depth that
Il was not possible 10 save some Of
the plantation property News from
that town said that hundreds Of refu.
gees were collecting there and many
more were pushing on to places further
away from the volcano. fearing fur
Their destruction from It. Many Of the
refugees were without bread or shelter
and their condl tion was nltlable At
that place most OF the buildings had
been badly dana ged. n not completely
destroyed. by the fierce earthquakes
that ACCOMPANIED the eruptlons OF the
volcano. When the last word came
f..n,I, M "a Tam Il On IL dnAa nftnr tho