The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1902-05-15
"A Terrible Calamity.
Volcanic Eruption oVerwheIms a city and
Causes Immense Lose of Life.


Causes Immense Lose of Life.
The city Of ST. Pierre In the i-laad OF
Martinique was overwhelmed by terri.
BILE disaster, May sth.
The following dispatch was received at
the State Department, Washington,
the 9th instant, from Pointe a Pitle:
AT O'Clock, a. m., on the 6th inst,
storm OF steam, mud and fire enveloped
the city and community. Not more than
twenty persons escaped with their lives.
Eighteen vessels were burned and sunk
with all on board, including four Amer
lean vessels and steamer from Quebec
named Roraima. The United States con-
sui aud family are reported among the
victims. A war vessel has come to eau
deloupe for provisions and will leave at
five tomorrow. (Signed)
"Ayme, Consul
The State Department has been re-
ceivlng dispatches from Commercial
houses In New York asking that a war.
ship be sent at once to Martinique 10
afford relief.
The consul at Martinique is Thomas T.
Prentiss of Melrose, Mass. He was born
In Michigan and was appointed from
Massachusetts, as consulate at Seychelles
islands IN 1871 aud later served as consul
at Port Louis Mauritius Rouen, France,
and Batavia. He WAS appointed consul
at Martinique in 1900. The vice consul
at Martinique is Amedee Testart, who
was born and appointed from Louisiana
in 1898.
The latest available figures OF Satur-
day show that the total population of
Martinique is 1890 people, of whom
$4,000 lived in st. Pierre and, accord
ing to Nr. Ayme, have nearly all per-
ished.
Mr.. James c. Hamlen OF the firm Of
j. NJ. Hamlen & Son, Portland, Me-, re-
ceived, Friday evening, the following
cablegram from the firms agent in
Guadeloupe. The despatch is dated Point
Pitre and is as follows: "Horrible
calamity. st. Pierre completely des-
troyed. All the country ruined. All
shipping destroyed. Numerous victims.
Guadeloupe safe. Organizing assist
ance.o
A cable company received a message
from Martinique Saturday saying the
volcanic eruption there continued and
that ships are afraid to approach the is
land.
The latest messages indicate that the
lumber of deaths will be about 10000,
several of the smaller islands near Mar
Unique having also suffered. Between
S in the morning and in the evening of
Thursday, May 8, St. Pierre was mass
Of fire and there was also a volcanic
eruption at St. Vincent. The island Of
ST. Thomas is sending help.
a ship which arrived Friday, May 9,
at the island of Dominica, (B. w. |. T.,
and which was lying off ST. Pierre when
he eruption commenced, reports that
the noise was terrific. A huge cloud of
fire appeared over the town and neigh
bolhood, giving the inhabitants no
chance TO escape.
ST. Pierre was the largest city ana the
Commercial capital of the island of Mar
Unique, the biggest of the French West
Indies, whose greatest elevation is Mt.
Pelee, 1870 feet high, the eruption of
which, after long inactivity, has des-
troyed the town.
The city of st. Pierre was of about
% 600 people, the great majority being
of black or mixed blood. II WAS on the
northwest coast and WAS the only fOrtiti-
ed port on the island. 1t has 10 harbor,
properly speaking. hut an open road
stead, protected except during periodical
hurricanes. ST. Pierre was settled by
the French in 1875, and was we'll built
and prosperous 1t was divided into two
parts, known as the upper and lower
towns. The lower town WAS compact,
with narrow streets aud unhealthy. The
upper town was cleaner, healthier and
handsomely laid out. There was in the
upper town fine botanical garden aud
an old Catholic college, as well as fine
hospital.
Martinique is in the Wndward group.
The island has the same general eharac-
teristies as its nearest neighbors, with
some peculiarities of its own. Its ex-
IRENE length is about forty-fye miles
from northwest to southeast, and the
main part of it is in the shape of an oval
with rough edges, its greatest width be-
ing fifteen miles. At the lower end of
this main port, the old Fort Royal Bay
since the French Revolution called Fort
de France Bay-eUts in so deep as to
come within six miles of meeting the in
lets of lie Robert and lie Francois on the
other side. Fort de France is the politi-
cal capital and a railway runs from this
city TO st. Pierre. The whole area of
the island, nearly four hundred square
miles, is mountainous.