The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1902-05-29
The Fate of St. Pierre.

Inc destruction OF st. Pierre by the
fire from volcano has a parallel only
in the destruction of Pompeii. Lis
bon's great disaster was the result of
an earthquake and tidal wave, hence
we can compare the awful desolation of
st. Pierre with that OF st. Pierre alone.
OF course the latter city was the seat of
fine civilization. All the refnements
of art and luxury were to be found there
and with its burial perished a vast ag-
gregation of wealth and rare assort-
ment of magnifcence. It's splendid
palaces, its stately monuments, its
beautiful baths, its handsome streets,
its fine theaters and its lively and pi-
quaint population were all buried deep
beyond possible recovery.
OF course st. Pierre was not Pom
peii, yet it was city of no mean pro-
portions. 1t had a certain West Indian
charm to it which strangers have found
irresistible. Lafcadio Hearn, for in
stance, was deeply enamored of it, and
wrote thus about it, "The quaintest,
queerest and the prettiest withal among
the West Indian cities; all stone-built,
stone-faeged, with very narrow streets,
wooden or zinc awnings and peaked
roofs of red tile, pierced by gabled DOR
mers. Most of the buildings are painted
in clear yellow tone, which contrasts
delightfully."- with the burning blue rib
bon of tropical sky above, and no street
Is absolutely level; nearly all of them
climb hills, descend into hollows, curve,
twist, describe sudden angles. There
is everywhere loud murmur of run
ming water, pouring through the deep
cutters contrived between the paved
thoroughfare and the absurd little side
walks, varying in width from one to
three feet. The architecture is that of
the seventeenth century and reminds
one of the antiquated French quarter OF
New Orleans. All the tints, the forms,
the vistas, would seem to have been
especially selected or designed for
aquarelle studies. The windows are
frameless openings without glass; some
have iron bars; all have heavy wooden
shutters with movable stats, through
T. which ligh and air can enter"
A very different place this from Pom
9 peii, but distinction and Fascination
of its own. Its population was pictur
esquely diversified, being conglomer
9 alton of races animated by a variety o
: passions. There was a luxurious plu
3 tocracy, gay and lazy rabble, ant
y then certain Corsican element whicl
s made Martinique second Isle of Tn
i rest. The people were very fond o
VI amusements, and especially Of the op
/ era, and there were many music hall
e in the place.
Suoh was the city that was destroys
in night, as it were. When we con
a jure up that awful scene, with balls c
o fire rising in the air and the pail {
# darkness, with its millions of tons {
N volcanic dust shutting out the face {
!, the heavens, with it's steady streams
w cinders and ashes blowing over th
land and sea, with the flags of fam
T. whipping the city and its people, wit
: the burning lava pouring over the Ian
i aud destroying all that it touched, an
,e with its mighty detonations surpassin
az the thunders of thousand battleshil
If and startling the farthest CaribbeG
a. shores, we can recall nothing like
4 except those last tragic days Of Pompe
q. -Commercial-Appeal.