The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-06-15

sr~ts os the IRE Ir.m the Noi'
cane Land and Sea Altered he'
ar, NJ the Eruption Its Rotation
TO N~o,rane~s In Central America
In the worlds history there l. scarcely
q record IL a calamity ~ terrihl. Ia 10
consequence a- the recent eruption IN the
West indian islands.
The news Of the eruption ~ non Pc!'e
on Martinique and Of the Soufriere ON -.
Vincent aroused pcopl. all over the globeto
smazem.nt and wonder NJ the forces sud-
denly displayed in those ISLANDS 10 the
tropics. where Thousands and thousands
Of rersons succumicd within - few minutes
And. still. IL IL rcnarkabl" that those force.
which recently burst their chains. which
~ know exist Fellow the earth oru-, do
not more often APPEAR in their stern cruelty
To those who have not given volcanic
conditions much thought. th" causrs Sem
Q mystery. hut tine work 81 the mechanical
force bursting the mountain IN only n null
siple Of that little force ~hi,h II sven N
q plate with hot oatmeal suddenly brought
into contact with cold air 4 thin crust
In formed ON the top. but he steam &C.
Caflllldltr lAilflfflfdNl tHi WHIT WV liF
sure become strong enough an upheayal
takes pllc" IN IA. stifened -urfar- and It
finally bursts
This illustrates what actually takes place
during an eruption. Tn. pressure % vapOr
and gases suddenly h"comcs too strong
for the earth crust. a rise Of vi-cuus lava
takes place. the molten mas In the crater
10 saturated with water u held in the
liquid state by pressure. and charged with
other mineral substances ready to Cash
into gas or 70 oNidige ON contact with Vi"
air.
Negative electricity from he earth joining
the positive ia Ia" air, We have suddenly
an explosion. representing in itself all those
forcrs which the human mind up 10 date has
discovered 20 exist. Only here We - them
In their natural state. produced in the
earth and produced In the air and joining
suddenly in one tremendous outbur-t,
spreading destruction by force ~ the e1-
plosion as we'll as by tongues IL flame.
Undoubtedly the elect ric force plays a
much larger part in volcanic crup,ions
than hi herto thought. That great electric
currents exist in the earth a. well a. IN the
air In well established and their clo-~ con-
ncction with terrr-tial ma gn~,ism gives
electric forces a tremendous grip on the
conditions Of the earth crust.
In 1851 q minor eruption took placr on
Martinique and strrwed ashes all over ~.
Pierr~. II hlanched the roots 81 Mornc
Rouge and all the villages about the city
and spread a gray cloak over the ~n.ishbSr-
ing country. hut that eruption more than
hfty-one years ago hear To a great extent
the responsibility for the great loss Of life
and property in st. Pierre q, the present
eruption, because II inspired CONFIDENCE
in Mon, Pclse
The people learned TO respect IL. bur
did not fear II. believing that the mountain
In 1851 had don" its worst. Undoubtedly
that event was in the minds ~ all tho-e
who hoped for the best and who. believing
this. paid tho penalty with their lives.
Tho eruption in 1851 did not take place
through tn. old crater. but through a
minor one The large cup of the old crater
had been flied by tropical rains, and a lake
existed on the ton 81 Mont Pclec. 100 Yards
In iamntcr
LEtang. or the Pool. ha- never hen
active within human memoir The bot.
tom ot the lake was covered with a yellow
substance. %sulphurr; Of hydrogen.
For centuries the tropical rain a tried
20 MI the cup Ia the brim. while the sun
cent it, vertical hot s~trearners down on ia
surface and KEEP, the wa'"rmark in L'Etang
a. about tho same level This LAX" has
nov disappeared
The angry mountain has torn itself apart
In its vicious determination Ia DESTROY its
surI ouniiugs. and, although the contours
Of the spurs are graceful ~ before. the face
Of he mountain Is altered Deep furious
cut the cone. The mountain has suddenly
grown old looking through tho handiwork
OF its uncomfortable passion.
Already on April % pcople became dis.
Quoted in ~. Ferrc. The mountain looked
angry. and far out at sea vessels noticed
the vapor clouds rising from Martinique.
On MAY :. Just before tho eruption on Mar
Unique. the explosion took place in he
6oufrAire on 81. Vincent
THE ERUPTION
A. : O'Clock in the morning. while most
people In ~. Pierre were beginning their |
days work. Mont Prl@c decided TO strike
tfs fatal blow. 40 that hour anxiety ross |
Into terror. The mountain opened. burst, |
exploded
Hot rocks, tons ia weight. were for an
instant sern leaving a." mountain side.
Then an avalanche - Jet black smoke shot |
In q straight line toward ~. Pierre. Bright |
flashes 81 lightning car"ssei every undula- ,
ton OF the advancing h"nd
Over whelmlng. terrible. was the report
Of the explosion. No cries were heard b.
cause terror eliminates in silenc-. and he.
fore those neare-, the mountain had realized
their danger II was too late.
II was A. II millions Of big steamers had
suddenly opened their safety valves and
bt the steam out. a. the act vity Of the
mountain eliminated IN the explosion.
Those f.rthest away from the mountain
attempted to dee. TO hide. but within n
few minutes not only life bu, the Who'll. CITY
was extinct.
have u not from the mouth ~ any ono
who e~raped-ther- "a mons ~. Pierrr,
'ts overs. its houses. its people. its lovely
yardcns-in . couple OF minut~ all had
a~sssrpearrd. A heap 81 stones and the
ruins Of walls dressed in ashes were all
met the eve.
DEsoiATIoS rS~rARALLkiLKD.
The tow i,self Is situated on the crescent
to the southwest 81 Mont Peles. re-
mindins one az Nanles heloU Mount ke-