Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-05-16

dying, all the plantations were Cnar-
red, the country people We're tiocking
into the towns and famine was fear
ed. The steamer was loaded with
food of all sorts and was sent back
to Martinique at p. m. The captain
of the vessel reported that some thir.
ty persons left st. Pierre by the
o'clock boat Thursday morning for
Fort de France and consequently We're
saved.
All attempts to get to st. Pierre
are barred by fire. The closest OBJ
servation possible showed houses
still blazing and streets slrewn with
charred bodies. 1t is certain that
the whole town and neighboring coun.
Hy f9r Miles is utterly @''stt0yed aud
it is feared here that few, if any, of
the inhabitants escaped.
The volcano of the Island of st. Vim
cent has burst out in sympathetic
eruption A steamer which returned
from there last night reports that
the northern third Of the island was
in flames and cut off from assistance
by continuous stream of burning
lava. ashes falling IN heavy showers.
as far as one hundred and fifty miles
away Kingston, the capital of ST
Vincent. is safe. but the people here
are very anxious as to the fate Of
the rest of that island.
Dominica and St. Lucia have very
active geysers, but they show no de-
parture from normal conditions.
Paris. May 10.-The commander Of
the French cruiser Suchet has tele
graphed to the minister of Marine
NJ. De Lehessan. from Fort de France
Island of Martinique, under date Of
Thursday. May Sth, at 10 p. m. as
follows: Have Just returned from
ST Pierre. which has been completely
destroyed by an immense mass of fire.
which fell on the town at about 8
o'clock in the morning. The entire
popu alton (about $4,000 souls) is sup
posed to have persisted. | have
brought back ,.le few Survivors. about
30. All the shipping in the harbor
has been destroyed by fire. The erup-
ton continues
Washington. May l0.-The following
| cablegram has been received at the
state department
Point Pitre. May 9.-Secretary Of
state. Washington: At o'clock a. N.
on the Sth inst. storm of steam.
mud and fire enveloped the city and
| community. Not more than twenty
persons escaped with their lives.
Eighteen vessels were burned and
sunk with all on board, including four
American vessels and steamer from
Quebec named Roraima The United
States consul and family are
among the victims. A war vessel has
| come to Guadalupe for provisions
and will leave at o'clock tomorrow
(Signed) "Ayme, CONSUL"
The state department has been re.
ceiving dispatches from commercial
| houses in New York asking that a
warship be sent at once to Martinique
to afford relief. The matter is under
consideration.
Fort de France. Martinique. May 10.
Three small cities in addition to
St. Pierre have been overwhelmed by
| the lava from Mount Pelee. They are
lie Carbet. with population of 5000
lie Precheur, with 1000, and lie Mara
with 1000.
The whole northwestern part of the
island from lie Carbet. three miles
south of St. Pierre, to lie Precheur
six miles north, has been ravaged by
the stream of fire, save only the tops
Of the higher hills,
On these hills 5000 refugees are
gathered, as nearly as can be esti
mated. The majority of them must
be horribly burned. Few of them have
had drink of water since the erup
ton began Thursday morning. and
they are without food. Their suffer
ings must be thousand fold more
awful than those of their fellows who
were killed by the fire itself
Every effort is being made to rescue
them. Every available vessel is search
ing the coast, it's sailors peerine
through the dust filled air for signs
of life. Bold men are making incur
sions between the streams of lava tc
seek survivors. They take their lives
in their hands for Noun Pelee is still
throwing yolleys Of great stones over
the whole northern end of the island
and fresh streams of lava are con
tinually issuing from new assures.
The loss of life in ST. Pierre and the
surrounding towns and cities will GER
tainly reach the estimate of 10000
and may be greater. The total popu
| lati6n of St. Pierre, the three smaller
cities and the country districts around
about is between $4,000 and $4,000
If the 5000 men and women thought
| to be on the hilltOps can AL be rescued
the loss of life will still be more than
! 10000.
The, total number of persons brought
| to safety thus far is under 500. The
Suchet brought thirty persons from
the ships in st. Pierre harbor late
Thursday night, but nine Of them have
died of their burns. The $50 persons
brought here yesterday on the cable
repair ship Pouyer Guertier came
| from the town of lie Precheur.
A few other refugees from the same
| place were brought here by the Such
ct. They had been surrounded on all
sides by the flowing lava, and nearly
roasted to death. Until they were
safe on the ship they expected every
moment to be engulfed. Some OF
them are violently insane from their
| sufferings.
Thousands of blacks are flocking in
| to this city, and trouble from them
! is feared. The stores Of provisions
that have been collected have been
| placed under a strong military guard
as has also the treasury building.
At st. Pierre relief parties have
| penetrated the town very short dis
lance only, but not single living be
| ing has been found. There is moth
| ing hut the smoking ruins and heaps
of partly burned bodies.