The age-herald., 1902-05-14
SPECIAL SERVICES HELD FOR
 VICTIMS OF MONT PELEE'S WRATH
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 (Continued from First Page) go far toward providing for the immed- late necessities of the people. The Fonta- bell will take also quantities of stores from private firms who have interests In Martinique.
 Activity of Volcano Increasing.
 London, May 13.-A dispatch to the Reuter- Telegram Company from Fort de France Island of Martinique, says that access to the town of St. Pierre Is be- coming easier but that today the activ- ity of the volcano seems to be increas- ing The scenes within the dead city are strange and gruesome, says the dis- patch. In the section of the city known as the Moullege, no sign of fire Is visible, but everything seems to have been rent and scattered as though by tornado. The iron bedsteds in the hospital are twisted but there are no marks of heat. The bed clothes and all textiles In the hospital simply vanished.
 About 200 corpses have been found in the streets of St. Pierre most of them lying face downward. The central quar- ter of the town and the fort are buried several yards under cinders. In the neighborhood of the Creek several houses were found intact but their inhabitants were all dead and appeared to have been killed by lightning. Here the bodies were lying, sitting and reclining in curious lifelike attitudes.
 All possible sanitary precautions have been taken at St. Pierre, concludes the dispatch, but the stench there is awful.
 May Endaneer Navigation.
 Washington, May 13.-Captain Souther- land chief of the Photographic office. has been deeply interested in the vast physi- cal changes reported to have taken place | in the Antilles as the result of the earth l auakes and volcanic outbreaks. and he Is planning to undertake, with the approval 1 of the administration. a series Of invesd- | gations. The current reports as to the | tremendous subsistence of the sea bottom | near the Antilles, If accurate, will create | great danger to navigation through the | fact that unseen obstacles will be un- charted.
 Red Cross Appeals for Aid.
 Washington, May 13-Hon. John Will son, the first vice president of the Ameri- can National Red Cross Association, at the direction of the executive committee of the association today issued a public appeal for the aid of the sufferers from the Martinique disaster.
 Money and supplies may be sent to the Hon. Cornelius N. Bliss of New York city, or money may be sent direct to w. J. F1ather, the treasurer of the American National Red Cross Association, at Riggs Bank, Washington.
 Situation Is Awful.
 Fort de France, May 13.-The United States government tug Potomac which came to Martinique from San Juan. P. R., cruised along the coast of this island yes terday afternoon. She encountered an inky black column of smoke, which made it necessary for her to go few miles out of her course.
 Words fail to describe the present situ- ation at St. Pierre. A small detachment of French troops Is making efforts to in- ter the dead, although the government seems to be strilSingly unconcerned as to what is done in this direction. Looting of the dead has already begun. While coming to Fort de France the Potomac picked up a boat containing five colored and one white man, whose pockets were filled with coin and Jewelry. the latter evidently stripped from the dead. Lieu. B. B. Mccormick, the commander of the Potomac, arrested these men and turned them over to the commander of the French cruiser Suchet for punishment. The Potomac also brought ton of sup plies to Martinique consisting of codfsh and flour.
 A famine here is imminent.
 Access Made Easier.
 Fort de France, May IS, via Paris-As a result of the measures taken by the au- thorities, access to St. Pierre Is now easier The ruins of the town have ceased smoking. Two thousand corpses have been found in a carbonized condi- ticn. It has been learned that the rain of fire ceased at a distance of 200 yards from the village of Le Carpet Talk with survivors of the disaster confirms pre- vious statements as to the awful sudden ness of the catastrophe It Is thought that an enormous quantity of gas was liberated. producing great atmospheric pressure, which overwhelmed everything before 1t. The gases absorbed by the bodies of the victims caused them to burst, and the fire coming afterwards carbonized them.
 Roosevelt Approves Bill.
 Washington, May 1S-President Roose- welt late this evening approved the bill passed by Congress appropriating S2OO- GOO for the relief of the citizens of the French West Indies