Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-11-20
Mail Advices from the Scene OF
the Volcanic Disturbances
Received
A STORY OF DEATH AND RUIN
Thousands of Indians Were Asphyxiat-
ed or Buried in the Sand-MiIes of
Plantations Are Under Ashes and
Planters Have Lost Everythng-Ref-
ueees Arrive at San Francisco.
ueees Arrive at San

San Francisco, Nov. 20.-The Pacific
mail steamer City of Para, from Cham
perico, Guatemala, to San Francisco,
has arrived here with the first of the
refugees from the devastated lands of
Guatemala. They tell terrible story
of death and ruin resulting from the
recent volcanic eruption. Thousands of
Indians We're asphyxiated or buried in
the sand. Miles of plantations are un-
der ashes, and absolute ruin is the lot
of most of the planters who had invest
ed everything in the stricken regions.
The refugees came from the districts
near the inland sea and Travelled over
a country laid waste by sand, ashes
and pumice, before reaching a railway
station. From the latter place they
travelled by rail to Champerico on the
coast, where they boarded the steamer
for this city. They escaped from their
plantations with little more than the
clothing they wore, transportation be-
ing so difficult as to preclude conveying
baggage. When they sailed from Cham
perico on Nov. z the volcano was still
smoking and the rumbling of thunder
and flashes of lightning gave evidence
of more eruptions to come.
One refugee comes from within half
an hours ride of General Barillos, and
brings information that the general and
his family are safe. A cablegram re-
ceived here when the first eruption oc-
CURED stated that General Barillos had
been asphyXiated.
The refugees state that it is not the
crater of Santa Maria that is in action.
but a smaller mountain rising from one
of the western slopes of Santa Maria.
called Ell Rosario. Bands of robbers are
now swarming the desolated sections
robbing and numbering refugees on the
road and looting the abandoned and
deselate plantations. The people left
behind on the plantations, it is said, are
in danger of death from starvation, for
the food supply has been cut off, and
there is no way to send in supplies to
the afflicted districts
Those who came on the City of Para
were the Bardwell family and Miss
Florissa Nero. The Bardwell family
consists of Ferdinand, his mother, his
sister Julia, and brother Albert. An
other brother, Augustine, remained be-
hind to save, if possible, some of the
coffee. The Bardwells owned the Mag
nolia plantation near L'Argentine
about thirty miles south of Quezalte-
mango.
The steamer City of Para met evil
Gences of the volcanic eruption soon
after leaving Ocos. Great quantities of
pumice We're found floating on the wa
ter and some of the pieces We're about
the size of mans head. The sea was
covered with it.
When the vessel got up off the coast
Of Guatemala the shore was seen to be
covered with light ash. AT Champer-
leo there was about half an inch of ash
es over the roofs of the housese and the
ground was covered as tho there had
been a snoWstorm. Ashes were then
falling, altho it was sixteen days after
the first eruption of the mountain Dur
ing the night of Nov. 6, just a few hours
before the City of Para sailed out of
the port, loud rumblings of the earth
We're heard and heavy reports, as of
distant thunder, came from the direc-
ton of the volcano.
Word had been received from Maza-
tenango, on the outskirts of the ruined
territory, stating that on Friday, Oct.
"a, at about o'clock in the evening,
Santa Maria opened a crater on the
west side near its base, and not far from
Helvetia, and all that night it belched
forth volumes of ashes and lava over
Polhu. On Saturday morning it was
noted that several more craters in the
neighborhood of the mountain had
opened up, and they were all spouting
volcanic debris over the plantations sof
the district. These fresh craters were
farther to the west, and for over twen-
ty-four hours they were in constant
eruption.
The earth was in a continual commo-
ton, shaking down buildings and
causing much destruction from the
ouaking. All the territory about Palm
talhuleu was buried under from five to
seven feet of debris, and all hope of ever
reclaiming them had been given up.
The whole neighborhood for miles was
a burning wilderness.
At MaZatenango, on the south side of
the volcano, only ashes had fallen, and
not to such a. great depth that it was
not possible to save some of the planta-
ton property. News from that town
said that hundreds of refugees were
collecting there, and many more We're
pushing on to places farther away from
the volcano. fearing further destruction
from it. Many of the refugees were
without bread or shelter and their con-
dition was pitiful.
At that place most of the buildings
had been badly damaged. If not COM
pletely destroyed, by the fierce earth
quakes that accompanied the eruptions
of the valcano. When the last word
came from Mazatenango, fifteen days
after the first eruption of Santa Maria,
the earth had been in constant trem-
bling.
At Champerico a modest estimate of
the loss to the coffee crop places 1t at
100000 quintals.
OFFICERS SALARIES RAISED.