Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-05-29
GEOEOGTSTS HAZAROOUS THTP
Prof. Hill Returns From lnvestIsa-
ton at ST. Pierre.

Fort de France, May 29.--Professor
Robert L. Hill, United States govern
ment geologist, and head of the eXpedi-
ton sent by the National Geographical
society, has just come in from a daring
and prolonged investigation of the vol
canic activity in Martinique. Professor
Hill chartered q steamer and carefully
examined the coast as far north as
Port de Macouba, the extreme end of
the island, making frequent landings.
After landing at LePrecheur, five miles
north of st, Pierre, he walked through
an area of active volcanism to the lat
ter place and made a minute eXamina-
ton of the various phenomena dis
closed.
Professor Hill is the first and only
man who has set foot in the area of
craters, assures and fumaroles and be-
cause of his high position as scientist
his story is valuable.
In addition to the work of investiga-
aton the professor rescued in his steam
er many poor people of Leprecheur,
who had venturea back after deserving
their homes and found themselves in
awful danger. He REPORTS as follows:
Scientific Story of Eruption.
The zone of the catastrophe in Mar
Unique forms an elongated oval, con-
tanning on land about eight square
miles of destruction. This oval is part
ly over the sea. The land part is
bounded by lines running from lie
Precheur to the peak of Mt. Pelee,
then curving around to Carbet We're
three we'll marked zones. First the cen-
ter of annihilation, in which all life,
vegetable and animal was utterly de-
stroyed. The greater northern part of
st. Pierre was in this zone; second the
zone of smuggling, blisteging flame, which
was also fatal to all life, killing all men
and animals, burning the leaves on the
trees and scorching but not utterly de-
stroying the trees themselves; third
the large outer non-destructive zone Of
ashes Wherein some vegetation was in
jured.
THE focus of annihilation was new
crater midway between the sea and
the peak of Mt. Pelee. where now eX
lists u new area of active volcanoism,
with hundred fumaroles or mina-
ture volcanoes. The new crater is now
Vomiting black, hot mud, which is fall
ing into the sea. Both craters, old and
new, are active. Mushroom shaped
steam explosions constantly ascend
from the old crater, While heavy ash
laden clouds float horizontally from the
new crater. The old crater elects steam,
smoke, mud, pumice and lapilli, but no
molten lava.
The New Crater Destroyed ST. Pierre
THE salient topography of the region
is now unaltered. The destruction of
ST. Pierre was due to the new crater.
The explosion had a great superficial
force acting in radical directions, as is
evidenced by the dismounting and
carrying for yards guns in the battery
ON the hill south of st. Pierre, and the
colonial statue of the Virgin in the
same locality, and also by the condi-
ton of the ruined houses in ST. Pierre.
According to the testimony of some
persons there was accompanying flame.
Others think incandescent cinders, and
the force of their election were suf-
be investigated. | am now following
the nature of this hill -
a Dangerous Trip Ahead.
This is the first positive scientific
statement, based on observed facts.
Professor Ilill has now started on
horseback for the volcano. He will
study the whole affected area and will
TRY to get to both craters. He will
of Mount Pelee. The undertaking is
very hazardous, as explosions may oc-
cur at any moment, as one did May 20.
Professor Hill knows the risk he takes,
but says the only way to discover eX
aetly what has happened is to go to
the crater itself or as near as possible.
He win be gone two days.
Fort de France is nearly deserted.
A new source of fright is the fear that
~ tidal wave may come. A wave eight
feet high would certainly destroy Fort
NOUS loss of life. The weather is low
ering and rainy South winds carry
smoke and ashes from the volcano
aWay from Fort de France