The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-09
MASS 0FFIRE
st. Pierre, Martinique, Over
whelmed hy a Volcano.
200 Persons Reported to
Have Perished.
ONLY THIRTY SAVED.
All the Shipping in the HarbOr
Destroyed.
Eruption Still Continued When
Report Was Sent.
CABLES ARE ALL DOWN
tits Believed That Other Islands
Have Suffered.
Volcano on st. Vincent known
to Have Been Active.
Eruption Still Continued When
Report Was Sent.
CABLES ARE ALL DOWN
1t is Believed That Other Islands
Have Suffered.
Volcano Oh st. Vincent known
to Have Been Active.

st. Thomas. D. w. L, May 9.-The
commander of the Suchet, reports that
at / o'clock on Thursday the entire town
Of St Pierre was wrapped in flames.
He endeavored to save about 80 persons
more or less burned. from the vessels
in the harbor. His officers went ashore
in small boats seeking for survivors but
were unable to penetrate the town. They
saw heaps of bodies upon the wharves
and it is believed that not a single per
son resident in St. Pierre at the moment
OF the catastrophe escaped.
The governor of the colony and his
staff. who were in St. Pierre. probably
perished. The extent of the catastrophe
cannot be imagined. The captain of The
British steamer Roddam was very se--
iously injured and is now IN the hospital
at St. Lucia. All of his officers and en-
gineers were dead or dying. Nearly all
the members of the crew are dead super
cargo Campbell and ten of the crew Of
the Roddam jumped overheard at ST.
Pierre and were lost.
French cruiser suchet has telegraphed
to the minister of marine. NJ De Ian
essan. from Fort de France. island of
Martinique, under date of Thursday,
May 8. at 10 .. 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 in the morning.
The entire population (about z5'OVg
souls) is supposed to have perlsned-
have brought back the few survivors,
about go All the shipping in the har-
Dor has been destroyed by fire. The
eruption continues.
AMERICAN HOUSE INTERESTED.
Portland, Ne, May 9.-NeWs of the
catastrophe at St Pierre, island of Mar
Unique was of deep interest to the
firm Of J. H Hamlen & Co Of this city,
which is said to be the only New Eng
land business house with an office at
St Pierre Besides dealing in northern
lumber. the Hamlens are interested IN
the sugar industry there and hold con-
siderable property. Their loss viii be
heavy.
j. c. Hamlen, the junior member of
the firm. says there We're no New Eng
land people at the island connected with
the business, and he believes that none
but natives were killed. He also is OF
the opinion that no New England or
American vessels were in port, as the
season for shipping lumber, ice and coal
sUCHET REACHES GAUDALOUPE.
st. Thomas, D. W. l.. May g. $3.50 a.
m.-The French cruiser Suchet arrived
at Point-a-Pitrie. Island of GaudalOupe,
French West Indies from Fort De
France this morning. bringing several
refugees She confirmed the report that
the town of St Pierre, Martinique, was
entirely destroyed at 8 O'Clock on Thurs
day morning by the volcanic eruption
1T is supposed that most OF the inhab
1tants of St Pierre We're killed, that the
neighboring parishes We're laid waste
and that the residue Of the population
of St. Pierre is without food or shell
ter.
CUT OFF FROM THE WORLD.
London. May 9. 6:25 p. m--At this
hour London is quite cut off from COM
municatfon with the Island of Martin
ique. The cable is interrupted owing to
the volcanic eruption.
The colonial office is without word
from Martinique. except that grave
disaster the extent of which is not mem
toned has occurred and the receipt of
q repetition of the steel steamer Rod
dams news. The belief now exists
that the British West Indian islands
Of Dominica and St Vincent have also
suffered severely All messages to these
islands are sent at seuders risk and no
cipher dispatches are accepted. 1t is eX-
pected that possibly news viii reach
England tonight through steamers ar
riying at the other West Indian islands.
A former resident of St Pierre now
In this city. says there were about 900
white people among the inha bitants of
the destroyed town
Paris, May 9.-The commander of the
French cruiser Suchets now at Fort de
France, has been ordered to return to
st. Pierre. Martinique with all the
speed possible and to forward details Of
the disaster to the French government
He cannot, however, be heard from for
p hours, as the Suchet has gone to the
island of Guadeloupe to obtain provi-
siOns
1t is feared that NJ. l. Mouttela. gov
ernor Of Martinique has perished. lie
telegraphed May that he was proceed
ing to St. Pierre. Senator Knight is
also supposed to have been at St. Pierre.
The British royal mail steamer Esk,
which arrived a. st. Lucia this morn
ing, reports having passed St. Pierre
last night. The steamer was covered
with ashes, though she was five miles
distant from the town, which was in
impenetrabie darkness. a boat was sent
as near as possible to the shore but not
living soul was seen ashore. only
flames.
The Quebec steamship company's
steamer Roraima was seen TO explode
and disappear.
ALL ISLANDS ISOLATED
Kingston, Jamaica. May 9-Au the
islands in the neighborhood of Mar
Unique are Isolated, apparently, by an
earthquake Gable communication with
st. Vincent Barbados. Grenada, Trini-