The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-05-14
ST. VINCENT ISLAND
IN IMMINENT DANGER.
earthquakes Accompany St.
Soufriere Eruption.

nique, May 13.-Business here is sus-
pended. The people Of the city have
assembled in the church and at the
cathedra! where services are being
/ held for the st. Pierre dead, has been
thronged since daylight. The United
States government tug Potomac leaves
here tonight for the Island of St.
Vincent where conditions are reported
to be worse. La Soufriere on St.
VINCENT was in full eruption May 10.
| A stream of stone and mud half a mile
| wide was then issuing from the
volcano. Stones two inches in diane
ter fell twelve miles away. At Kings
ton, the capitalsof the island, the
ashes were two inches deep. Seven
hundred dead were reported Sunday,
May II. It is estimated that the total
number of deaths on st. Vincent
reaches 2,O0O. Most of the victims are
Essid to be Carib Indians. Seven
estates on the island have been burned
to ashes, and it is authentically re-
ported that two earthquakes occurred
shere. It is believed the submarine
cables at ST. Vincent have been broken
By the disturbances. The present
volcanic eruption on st. Vincent is the
first since 1912.
Gov. Hunt of Puerto Rico has asked
Louis Il. lAyme, the United States
consul at Guadeloupe, who is now
here, what assistance he could rem
der Gov. Hans's offer was communi-
Gated to the government which will
gladly accept is.
The tug Potomac cruised along the
coast of this island yesterday after
noon. She encountered an inky black
column of smoke which made it neces-
sary for her to go i've miles out of her
course. Words fail to describe the
present situation at st. Pierre. A
small detachment of French troops is
making efforts to bury the dead al
though the government seems to be
strikingly u1lconcerned as to what is
done in this direction.
Strange to relate, in view Of the
number Of Inhabitants of St. Pierre
who wereswsp5 to death by the vol
canic waves from Mont Pelee, on
Thursday last, very few corpses have
been found by those who are engaged
in the work of cremating the dead
bodies. This is due to the fact that
the most popnlous quarters OF the town
are buried under thick layer of Gin
dered lava which apparently entirely
consumed the bodies of the victims.
Public interest centres in the stories
of the survivors and in the efforts be-
ing made to succor the refugees.
A woman named Laurent, who was
employed as u servant at st. Pierre in
the household of NJ. Gabriel, and
who was among those taken to the
hospital in this city, in describing her
experiences, said that on the day of
the terrible disaster she heard a loud
report and thereupon tainted. When
she regained her senses, few hours
later, she was horribly burned, and,
glancing around, she saw two mem
bers of the Gabriel family still alive
but they died before assistance could
reach them. Mile. Laurent; although
she lived for some time after being
taken to the hospital and was con-
scious while under the care of physi-
clans, died without being able to i'm
part any addisi information con-
cerning the catastrophe.
The work OF succoring the refugees
continues necessarily.
Immediately upon the cable repair
ship Pouyer-Quertier, Capt. Thirion,
started on her mission Of mercy she
had to pass through clouds of burning
cinders at the risk of catching fire, in
order to reach the terror-stricken peo-
pie ashore. But she succeeded in
bringing to this port 456 people, main
ly former residents of the village of
LIE Preacheur. This was on Saturday
last. Since the the steamer, as the
result Of ether daring trips, has sue
ceded in bringing many other persons
to Fort de France. On Sunday she
rescued .923 persons, and piloted the
French cruiser Suchet and the Danish
cruiser Valkyrien, who took On board
1900 persons. The Pouyer-Quartier
has distributed to the sufferers large
quantities of biscuits, milk, wine and
cheese.
The specie found in the vaults of the
Bank of Martinique. at St. Pierre,
amounting to two million francs, has
been brought safely here. The specie
in the public treasury at St. Pierre
is still buried under layer Of lava