The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1902-05-16
10000 PEOPLE PERISHED'
BURNING LAVA COVERED ALL.

--S i
sfartiniaue, Entirely Wiped Away I
very Few saved-Fisry Metal
Half Miie wias-Tadal Wavs.
Castries, 81. Lucia, 2. ". = Nay A-.
Mount Pelee, 2 volcanic monntain
some 10 miles north Of St Pierre. the
capital Of Martinique, II |
the mountain which made faint show |
Of eruption so years ago. On May 3
last 1t began to throw out dense clouds |
81 smoke. Al midnight the same day |
flames. accompanied by rumbling
noises. lighted the sky over an Inn
mense area. causing widespread terror.
Nav hot ashes covered the whole
c,tv quarter OF ST, Pierre an inch thick
and made Mount Pelee invisible. At
noon May s q stream Of burning lava
rushed 44oo feet down the mountain
side. following the dry bed OF q tor
rent and reaching the sea, Ave miles
from the mountain. In three minutes.
IN its rush the fiery food swept from
it's path plantations, buildings. factor
Ies. cattle and human beings over .
breadth az about half mile.
Al the rear OF the mouth Of the
Riviere Blanche stood the large Guerin
sugar factory. one Of the finest In the
ia,and II "a now completely entombed
Il lava. The tall chimney alone IL
via,hle. One hundred and fifty per-
sons are estimated to have perished
there. including the owners SON.
| A the lava rushed into the sea the
latter receded 400 feet all along the
west coast, returning with greater
strength. 4 big wave covering the
whole sea front Of st. Pierre, but doing
i tttle damage ashore or afioat.
i Terrible detonations, heard humid
reds Of miles northward, followed 1t
short irregular intervals. and contin-
( ned AZ night. In the intense darkness
the electric lights failed, but the town
was III up BY lurid flashes OF flame
from the mountain. The terror strick-
on inhabitants rushed for the hills in
tnedral. All appeared to have been
their night clothes, shouting and wall
ling mad with terror.
The sPlissono family escaped to St
Lucia IN q small steamer. Thirty-hve
nersons mostly women and children
arrived here In the forenoon of the
9Th and furnished the above details
The men remained in Martinique. The
same afternoon, later, telegraphie
!. communication was interrupted with
J both the islands OF Martinique anu %
2 vincent 49,. -. - ~
~. n'soAo - - - nnn ,rhah
.ne sole SUI. s.a 49,. 80 a., the shirn,ns
I .'an.s y .A1 .o"a ...ta.,., dastrnvod
a ~ 'nu p . 49,. Ta,avrant
tne "es. 1 .-. 1900, - ro,rs trut
9 company spa 80 - po..1rna Con
s .hen .no 49,. 80 ,.4+or xr.voa ~,
.ain muesan - - ~ pnddam a,
: manu- - 80. ...,. ts,..,ao avn,oe
nis sosee. 'A
!. 'on. rh ao..+,r,
~ .ne e-s -S,..as 49, ,ror, Fort a
: s.eaMe' 49,, s,...nao as al ~
! rrance seems .-s 80 ~. stoc,,, wa
9 county ~as 49, ,ss+s.,.ns "a, ~ ware 'cha,
..s.r., ,,aor,o ,vara Aoct,n
rev. lug @ | sa,.,,,a -ves soarof
IN. atoo,ror woe loadod with food a
al, .orts and was sent back to Ma,
+. tinique at Z .. m. The captain of thi
:. vessel reported that some 80 person
y left st. Pierre by tie s o'clock bos
4 Thursday marning for Fort de Franc
le and consequently were saved.
,e x.,.. p...,h,. n.v
'.
vi bordeau4, rrance, way 0.
,e Few replies nave Deen receiseu ~ no
1T sages OF inquiry .loM : noss :. y y,
ID deaux mercnanes navins pu1ln1Ss -
a nections IN 81 ree. = snan ~.
ID Der OF messages cnronlcie eno sas1.
,h OF private lami.ies anu inuisluua,
but most OF the aispa.cnes are noi :
re announcements .nae uls business
ds tabhsnments nave Deen ",pou vu..
he It has Oeen deveiopeu tnae .ne :
W. tastropne n MarAnique oscul,ou
the worst possio,e uay' namoy' :.
day OF the arrivai ol Tue r.su'n :. :.
the departure oI tne nnsI,su ms