The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-05-19
SCENE Of RUIN
IS DEPLORABLE
Horrible Experience Of Those on
Board Steamer ROddam
FLESH BuRatD OFF CREW
Fine Dust-l ike Cloud of Ashes SET
tied on the Decks, Burning Ev-
erythnu Touched-CaPtain
Gives Description.

New York. May IS.-trhe Norton steam
kr Etona arrived today from the river
Plate by ST. Lucia, where she called 1or
a bunker of coal on May O.
"At St Lucia on May H." says Cap
fein cantell, 'I went on board the BTU
ish steamer Rodden, which had esSlpco
from Ire terrible volcanic eruption at
Martinique three days before. The Rod
dam was covered with mass of fine
blueish-grey dust or ashes Of cement-like
apDcarance. In some parts 1t lay two
feet deep on the decks. This matter mad
fallen i'm redhot state all over the steam
err setting fire to everything 1t struck
that was burnable, and when 1t fell on
the men on board, burned off limbs and
large pieces of flesh. This was shown
by finding portions of human remains
when the decks were cleared of the
debris The rigging ropes, tarpauiins
sails. awnings, etc, were charred or
burned and most of the upper stanchions
and spars had been swept overheard or
destroyed by fire. Skylights were smash
ed and cabins were filled with volcanic
dust. 1ne scene OF rum Was uSPioi @DfS'
Captains Account.
81 visited the captain of the Roddam
in the hospital at st. Lucia where he
gave me an account of his terrible ex-
perience He had just arrived and an
chored at ST. Pierre, Martinique, on the
morning of Thursday, May s. The cap
tain was standing near the accommodation
to he Of the vessel,
who had come on board when he saw
what appeared to be an enormous black
cloud like wall with patches of fire
In it, approaching the sea from the land.
With it came an immense tidal wave of
boiling water accompanied by loud and
terrible noise. He shouted take shelter
to the crew. Immediately the steamer
was caught and tossed over on her side.
almost capsizing. Darkness fell like a
7 / and volumes of red hot matter show
cred down while the air was thick with
sulphurous fumes and dust. The sea was
a confused mass of boiling mud.
Fire soon broke out in different parts
of the ship. Screams, groans and cries
of agony from the injured people min
gled with the terrible noise OF boiling
water and rushing air together with the
falling fire, caused a most horrible con-
fusion and frightfu din.
THE captain of the Roddam, knowing
that his ship had steam up, and instantly
realizing the necessity of escape, rushed
to the engine room annunciator and sig
nailed below to start the engine at full
speed. The anxious moments, increased
by his sufferings from burns and agony
of mind. were relieved by the vibration
of the engines and the reply from below.
Engineers Nearby.
"It happened, fortunately. that al
he had hpe0 running off
from duty at the engines, some of the
engineers were nearby. The terrible tidal
wave which had swept over the Rod
dam and nearly capsized her had parted
the cable and the vessel was adrift.
When the engines started 1t was found
that the steering gear had become dis
abled in some manner, and could not be
worked. For more than an hour the Rod
dams engines were worked, backing and
going ahead with the hope of bringing
her head toward the sea and away from
the land. Once she got dangerously near
TO the steamer Roraimh. Both vessels
were in flames Soile of those aboard
jumped into the boiling water; some fell
dying to the deck. All this time the red
hot matter was falling and the water
was Kissing and steaming dense masses
of vapor. Smoke and dust flled the air
and poisoned fumes spread about.
After some time the Rcddam's steer
Ing SettT U1ONeu u lille anu eIapieQ tEc
captain to head her out to sea, and, with
considerable difficulty, he manged to steer
her iittlc die ance from the land. AS
the AR cleared the scene on board the
Inflated Roddam became all the more
ghastly. The ship steamed through the
hot dust and the screams became more
audible. Some rushed frantically about
with their clothes on fire and large
pieces If flesh burned from their arms;
others in their agony laid writhing in the
red-hot dust
''In about two hours the air became
gradually clear. An investigation of the
casualties on board showed that besides
the captain who was frightfully injured,
only two engineers, two sailors and the
boatswnin were able to do duty.
Rigging in Flames.
Fire was still burning about the ship
and the rigging was in flames. The cap
tain decided to try to reach the island of
St Lucia forty-five miles distant. This he
succeeded in doing by 6 o'clock on the
evening OF May s. The steamer was diff
ficult to handle owing to the partially dis
abled steering gear which could not be
made to work properly. In the time oc-
cupied on this terrible voyage the ex-
perence of the survivors was still worse
than that already gone through The
brave captain and his few men fighting
tle fire, exhausted and scalded strug-
eled and worked trying to do something
to assist their dying shipmates Those
working below strived to keep up
the steam. The captain, suffering the
greatest agony succeeded in navigating
his vessel safely to the port of Castries,
st. Lucia with eighteen dead bodies lying
on the deck and human limbs scattered
about Sailors stood by constantly wiping
the captains injured eyes. / think the
performance of the Roddam's captain
was most wonderful and the more so
when | saw his pitiful condition. / do
not understand how he kept up; yes when
the steamer arrived at St. Lucia and
medical assistance procured this
brave man asked the doctors to attend
to the others first and refused to be
treated until this was done.
MY interview with the captain brought
out this account:
Formation of Island Changed.
1.-The Etona sailed from St Lucia on
-ofA Aot1 ar,d Of o ,ia L. L..