Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-05-15

PORT DE FRANCE, Island of Mar
Unique, Sunday, May 11.-Several
steamers. including the government
vessel Rubis, started from here for st.
Pierre: They had on board a govern
ment delegate, a. number of gendarmes,
a detachment of regular infantry and
several priests. The vessels also car
ried quantity of fire wood, petroleum
and quick lime. for use in the cremation
Of the bodies of the victims of the ter
rible volcanic outbreak of Thursday
last.
Large quantities of disinfectants and
stocks of clothing for the refugees were
also shipped to st. Pierre.
The refugees had, as rule, assem-
bled at LeCarbet and Sasa Pilote. not
far from st. Pierre. and, it is reported
over a thousand of them have died since
the fearful stream of lava poured down
Mont Pelee.
The sea for miles around was cover
ed with the wreckage of the vessels
sunk off St. Pierre at the time of the
disaster, and ashore only a few trees,
all bent seward by the force of the vol
canic showed, were left standing.
When nearing st. Pierre the Rubis
met a number of tugs towing lighters
filed with refugees. The heat from the
smoking lava covered ruins at St.
Pierre was suffocating and the stencil
from the corpse strewn streets was aw-
full.
only few walls were standing.
The Fatal Hour Indicated.
The report. that the hospital clock
was found intact, with its hands stop
ped at 1850, was confirmed, as was
the statement that the offices of the
cable company had entirely disap-
peared.
On. all sides were found portions of
corpses, which were gathered up by
the soldiers and gendarmes and burn
ed on one OF the public squares.
Not a drop of water was procurable
ashore. The darkness caused by the
clouds of volcanic dust shrouded the
town and continuous subterranean rum
blings added to the horror of the scene.
The fort and central quarter of the
town were RACED to the ground and
were replaced by beds OF hot cinders.
The iron grille works gate Of the gov
eminent offices were alone standing.
There was no trace of the streets.
Huge heaps of smoking ashes were to
be seen on all sides.
At the landing place some burned and
ruined walls indicated the spot whore
the custom house formerly stood, and
traces OF the larger shops could be seen.
Grewsome Street Scenes.
In the neighborhood, hundreds of
corpses were found lying in all kinds
of attitudes. showing that the victims
had met death as If by a lightning
stroke. Every vestige of clothing was
burned away from the charred bodies
and in many cases the abdomens had
been burst open by the intense heat.
Curiously enough, the features of dead
were generally calm and reposeful, al
though in some cases terrible fright and
agony were depicted. Grim piles of
bodies were stacked everywhere. show
ing that death had stricken them while
the crowds were vainly seeking escape
from the fiery deluge.
On one spot a group of nine children
were found locked in each others arms.
The vaults of the Bank of Martin
ique, at the head Of what had been the
Rue de Hospital, were found intact.
They contained two million francs in
specie.
Government Money Safe.
The vaults of the government treas
ury are now being searched in the hope
that large amount of money and 9TH
er valuables deposited by the principal
merchants of the city may be saved.
Nearly 1000 Of the refugees from the
vicinity of the village of LePrecheur, a
suburban village to the north of st.
Pierre, were rescued by the French
cruiser Suchet and the cable repair
ship Pouyer- and were
brought here.
AS a result of this inspection, the
commander of the Suchet reports that
crevices and valleys are constantly
forming in the northern portion of the
island where the land is in a perpetual
state of change. Fortunately, that part
of the country was evacuated in good
time by the inhabitants, who fed to
Port de France. Lava continues to
stream down the mountain side, accom-
panied by terrific thunder and lightning.
The dearth of provisions is beginning
to be felt throughout the island. Nu-
merous families are completely ruined
and even shelterless, while the means
at the disposal of tn authorities are
much too inadequate to cope with the
distress.
Communication is practically cut off
from all the surrounding islands. except
by stray vessels. which are seized up
on by the inhabitants to flee from Mar
tiniuue