The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-16
1T LOOKS LIKE POMPEII
whnt. a Visitor Mt st. Pierre Finds
50 MOrne Rouge Mans Story.

what q Visitor Mt 81. f1erre flHus-
- Morne Rouge Mans Story.
Neu Yark s.s,, Special Service
Fort de France, May 16.-St. Pierre is
q mass of indescribable ruins which bear a
striking resemblance to those Of Pompell.
In the lower part Of the town, called the
Mouillage the outlines of the streets can
be made out and in places here and there.
are stretches Of walls OF houses several
Yards long which are still erect, but bat
tered and crushed in at the top.
Thus far 1000 bodies have been found
and disentangled from the ruins OF these
B92 have been buried On the ground floor
room Of the hospital there is a mass of
twisted iron beds to be seen but no trace
OF fire.
It is supposed that an enormous puff of
gas produced great atmospheric pres
cure.
The formation of sulphuretted-hydro
gen gas doubtless caused thousands to die
OF suffocation before the fire itself reached
them. This would explain the condition of
the bodies which are covered with super
fetal swellings and superficial burns
caused by the great cloud Of fire which
followed the first gust of gas from the
volcano.
After this there came a shower OF
stones, some as large as apples. Certain
bodies have the marks of wounds pro-
duced by this awful hail of rocks.
An inhabitant of Morne Rouge, a town
Of 800 inhabitants, seven kilometres from
st. Pierre, who was watching the volcano
at the moment Of. the catastrophe says
that there we're seven luminous points on
the volcanoes side Just before it burst.
He says that all about him when the
explosion came there was terrible sue
tion of air which seemed to be dragging
him irresistibly toward the mountain in
spite OF all his resistance. The volcano
then emitted sheet of flame which swept
down toward ST. Pierre. There was nc
sharp, distinct roar Of explosion as when
a great cannon is fired, but only awful
EARRING rumblings. He thinks that the
entire outburst that did all the work Of
havoc did not last more than thirty Sec
onds. ~. -. ,s. =! d. .,. lid
Then there was complete darkness fol
ten minutes, caused by the dense volumes
of sulphurous smoke and clouds of dus1
and shattered rocks. b. ~.
The entire country all about st. Pierre
was turned into chaotic waste. All the
trees are either torn up by the roots OIL
snapped off and lie level with the ground.
few trunks of trees still standing
show that the wave of fire stopped abou
200 metres from the suburb Of Carbet. Thu
houses are almost all destroyed in tina
place. ..-. -. .s ,.~
On the Cluse estate, near St. Pierre,
few buildings are untouched. Those VIII
were in them, however, were all foun'
dead. They had been suffocated, but wer
rot disfigured and the identity Of each on
Of them was easily made out.
The body Of an old man was found lyin
by carriage, to which pair of dea
horses were harnessed. The old man wa
still holding the reins in his hands a
though about to get In the carriage whe1
stricken down. A. boy lay dead by hi
side. The features OF both were calm. In
side the house and behind ,parlor doc
was the body OF young girl. Her hal
was down and terror was stamped upo
her features.
During the greater part of the day o.
May 10 Mont Pelee was for some time fire
from smoke Not trace apparently wa
left, on the slope. Of the mountain towar
ST. Pierre of the. avalanche Of fire tina
had swept down It..
On the, other, hand on the slope toWar
Basses Point the aspect was terrifyin
and threatening. A great mass of smok
hung over the mountain for several days
y f. q u = + ~