New-York tribune., 1902-06-08
FEW EYEWII.NESSES ALIVE.

Aside from the evidence in the ruins of the city
and shipping and the sundered mountain Itself all
that is known of what happened on May IS to
be gathered from less than half a dozen persons
rescued from vessels and from priest who saw the
eruption from considerable distance The stories
agree except in unimportant details. so well thar
there is in no instance to doubt their truth
One man saw the eruption and the destruction OF
St Pierre at distance Of about ten kilometres
from the crater and five kilometres Qess than three
rniIes) from the city His description of what hap
pened is graphic. and is perhaps more accurate
than any other account
This witness was Jean AItroche. a priest at
Morne Vert an elevation Of about fourteen hun
dred feet south OF the crater and southeast OF ST.
Pierre. Father AltrOche said the mountain was
yelled in smoke several days before the explosion
He had decided two days before the morning CT
May TO flee with his parishionerS. He had read
Mr. Landes's article in the st. Pierre newspapers.
however asserting that there was no danger ana
concluded TO remain at Morns Vert. On the nisar
of May the mountain seemed less active than 1or
several days before. and the priest slept We'll ne
said he arose early and. after carefully studying
the mountain. felt reassured. Suddenly a great
column of white smoke arose from the crater ana
settled slowly down the sides of the volcano
When il had descended into the valleys this cloud
spread with such rapidity that it seemed trans
formed into tornado. A circle of fire ran AROUND
the edge of the cloud and there was a loud eX-
pIosion. A second time the seething cloud wls en-
circled by fire and heavy defamation followed
Flames or lightning then shot through the cload
mass in every direction. and were followed by
fash that enveloped the whole city in hurricans
OF fire.
The priest turned and ran downhili. but he had
gone only a little distance when the concussiOn Of
the final burst of fame shook the earth and pros
trated him There was hot fash that enveloped
him and he fell forward on the ground As he re-
covered his senses and looked again toward the
volcano he saw rocks and flames shooting cut OF
the crater TO a great height The noise was dear
ening and the heat and gaseous odorS were almost
unbearable In a few moments light breeze from
the south lifted the smoke and dust little. ana
the Drfest saw ST Pierre in flames. None OF the
priest's household were killed and severely in
tured The party fed from Morne Vert to Fort de
France that day.
Father Altrochs said there was earthquake
and that the Jars felt were only those due 10 the
internal explosions Of the volcano and the eXpod-
ing gases in the city The gas was sckenins ana
choked him and all others whom IL covered ae
Morne Vert. Father Altroche was the only person.
so far as could be learned. who witnessed the Ge-
structiou OF St. Pierre from advantageous point
of view on land. The high hills between "o-
structed the view from Fort de France
John G. Norris. OF Brooklyn. the fourth engineer
of the Roraima. and Charles c. Evans. the second
engineer of the ship. seen in the Military
hospital at Fort de France and told substantially
Continued ON fourteenth paSes