The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-06-03
TALKS OF THE
GREAT ACCIDENT
DESCRIBES HOW THE CITY WAS
BLoTTED oUT-sAYs THE AT
MosPHERE WAS FULL WITH
FLAME.
THRILLING EXPERIENCE AND
MARVELLOUS ESCAPE OF TWO
FRENCH TRAVELLERS IN A
SMALL BOAT.

Comto de Fitz-James, who. with
Baron Foptenilliat, witnessed the de
struction of st. Pierre, Martinique, es-
Gaping destruction in a most marvellous
manner and by the display Of great
fortitude and presence Of mind, de
scribed his impressions the other day
to a reporter for the New York Herald.
Both these French travellers realize
now how favored they have been by
fortune, and each shows-fn his appear
ance the hardships he endured. They
arrived in New York on the Red ID
line steamship Caracas from San Juan.
Comte dc Fitz-James says:
From It boat in the roadstead in
front Of ST. Pierre Baron Fontenilliat
and l witnessed the cataclysm that
came upon the city We saw The ship
ping destroyed by a breath of fire We
saw the cable ship Grappler keel over
under the whirlwind and sink as though
drawn down into the waters of the
harbor by some force from below The
Roraima was overcome and burned al
anchor The Roddam, a trifle more for
tunate, was able to escape like a strick.
en- moth which crawls from a fame
that has hGrned its wings and left IT &
cripple to suffer until death relieves
"Our own danger was great, aud had
It not been fof the bravery and the
courage OF the baron / would have per
ished | was stunned, unable 70 liit n
hand 10 assist myself. Baron de Fon
teniliat dragged me from the boat into
the water, where he supported me un-
til was so far recovered as to be able
TO care for myself.
III you win permit me to relate the
remarkable circumstances that took
us TO Martinique and to St Pierre in
time TO be witnesses Of this great Uag
cry. will give as best / can the pie.
tnra which will never leave my mem.
cry. Baron dc Fonfenilliat and | lad
been ID French Guiana on a business
trip relating to some mining property
IN which we are Interested We learned
upon our arrival at Carbet that an
eruption Of Mont Pelce had destroyed
q part Of the village OF Precbour, on
the other side Of the harbor That was
the eruption Of May 3 We made im
mediate arrangements to visit the
scene Of the disaster Two negro
boatnieu were employed to take US
across lie bay and it was the fact
that we made an early start the next
morning that saved our lives.
las we made our way across the wa.
Ter we more than bali faced Mont Pc.
Ice. which was throwing off a heavy
cloud Of smoke, steam ana ashes No
flames were to be seen. On shore the
inhabitants could be seen making their
way about the water front The city
was TO our right should have said
that the calm Of the morning was al
most abnormal Not ripple was TO
be seen on the face of the sea.
THE rumblings from the bowels Of
the mountain were majestic in tone.
l cannot tell you just how they sound
ed but perhaps you can imagine a
mighty hand playing upon the strings
of a harp greater than all the world
The notes produced were deep and full
of threatenings. There was a jarring
sensation, and every now and then
there was Il commotion Of the waters
that caused a swell without making
the surface break.
while we were talking there came
an explosion that was beyond any that
ever before happened. l can only liken
it to a shot from a mammoth cannon.
The breath Of fire swept down upon
tie city and water front with all Of
the force that could have been given
to it by such a cannon.
-.The explosion was without warn
ing, and the effect was instantaneous.
Cinders were shot into our faces with
singing effect. The air was filled with
fame. Involuntarily we raised our
hands to protect our faces. When the
explosion came, our two bo1tmen were
either thrown from the boat Or, with
a quick impulse, they sprang over
board. 1t was the one thing to have
done to save their lives; but, unfortu-
nately for them. they lost their pres
ence Of mind and instead Of staying
by the side of the boat they swan
away in the direction of Precheur
which we were approaching when the
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