The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-14
BOARD IN ABAD WAY KNEW THEIR PERIL IN
eve Do Not Expect to Leave Mar
Unique Alive = 4
THIS IS WHATmRs. PRHNTIs SAID
The Remark Was Made Inst Year to
Mrs. James Smith OF Min
neapOlts, Il

United States Consul Louis H.sAyne. Of
Guadalupe, who has been dispatched by
the government to Fort de France, Mar
Unique, to look after affairs, has a sister
in-laW in Minneapolis who returned from
his station. Pointe- Pitre, Guadalolpe,
just year ago tomorrow. Mrs. y ames
Smith OF 1706 Ninth avenue Sisis a sister
of Mrs. Ayme. She spentWwo years In the
West Indies and is thoroughly familiar
with all the conditions In Martinique and
the surrounding islands. She made. q care
full study in part to satisfy her own de-
sire for knowledge and partly for the
benefit Of her son, Roy Smith former
Minneapolis newspaper man now ip Chi
cago, who wished by proxy to familiariZe
himself with The West Indies. Since re-
turning to Minneapolis, Mrs. Smith has
had as her guest, Mrs. Ayme, the consul's
wife.
Having completed her visit to her rela-
tives, Mrs. Smith accompanied by Mrs:
Ayme made tMp to the islands south 81
Guadalupe and on to the mainland OF
South America. This journey took them
to the fated town of st. Pierre on Mar
Unique, where they were the guests OF
Consul and Mrs. T. T. Prentis, reported
as among the lost in the disaster Trag:
ically significant now Is one phase OF
their conversation, for in discussing the
place and the conditions of their life Ut
the foot of the volcano, Mrs. Prentis ex-
pressed the strong fear with which they
regarded their situation, saying to her
guests earnestly, II never expect TO get
away from this spot alive" >.
And her fear was OF the volcano: IL
was not based upon vague dread sucn as
a comparative newcomer might feel, put
upon the strongly grounded Delle1 OF hei
husband and Consul Ayme that the west
Indies volcanoes were an active menace
to the inhabitants of the island.
This conclusion was based upon sclen-
tiic knowledge, for ConsuiAyme Is SUI
dent of science and early In his residence
| in Guadalupe made a careful lnVestlga-
| ton of it's formation and physlcal phe-
nomena. More recently he made furtneI
| observations IN company with a MT. Hlll
of the United States Geological survey
Only ten miles from Point-a-Pltre LOOMS
the smoking crater. Of La soutriere, a t"ln
in name and appearance TO lne voicane
There is a popular belief among the nd
tiyes that the two mountains OF the SAM
! name have a direct subterranean COL
nection, and much scientific evldence
noints to some such condition. Americans
familiar with conditions, among Whol
were Consuls Prentis and Ayme, oelisVe.
that disturbances of the; 1nost -. ~,
of these volcanic islands, but Guadeioupe
with it's smoky crater, was enelleSeo ~ "
| in the most immin ent danger.
=, During her stay In the island MRS
Smith visited. the top of La soufriere' pu.
at St. Pierre, as the crater was peitevet
to be wholly inactive, the ascent OF NOUN
Pelee was not thought worth while;
In. Guadeloupe there are almost con
start volcanic disturbances and deaths
owing to earthquakes, are not 1nfrequent
Mrs Smith was asked Why, II peopie
know all about the danger, are no pre-
cautions taken?" To this she Erepned
There is no possible escape except tne
sea. The islands are small and the towns
/ lie on the seahore hemmed In py noun
|tains. The threatened people don't kno Q
but greater danger may lie In any dlrec
ton in which they could flee"
lone might ask" she continued, :Wn'
people stay in such dangerous localities
I suppose it is because they have grow
accustomed to fright and came to dtsre
gard dangers. Then, the fascination o
the place Is such that once there one cal
scarcely tear oneself away. ! felt tina
strongly and prolonged my visit much be
yond the time had set to return. -
Mrs Smith is much affect ed by the new
of the. disaster, as she admired greatl
the Prentis family and knew we'll Cap
tain Muggah of the Roraima and the zof
ficers of the Suchet, which was In port a
Point-a-Pitre frequently, Guadeloupe be
ing a French island. = , : - ,. - - q