West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1902-06-02
SCALED PELEE'S PEAK.
DARING FEAT OF A PENNSYL
VANlAN.
Most Of Time Prof. Hei!prin Was In
Fearful Danger-Made VAL
uaoie Discoveries.

Fort De France, Island of Martin
ique, June 2.-The National Geo.
graphical society has scored great
triumph through it's representative
here, Prof. Angelo Heilprin, who, Sat-
urday morning, with three guides, as
cended to the top of the crater on the
summit of Mont Pelee. Prof. He'll
prin is also president Of the Philadel-
phia Geographical society.
Prof. Heilprin had gone to ,the plan
tation Viye, which is near the crater,
in company with Fernand Clerc and
Mr.. Reid, landed proprietors of Mar
Unique. This expedition had been es-
pecially organized by United States
Consul Ayme and Prof. Heilprfn, and
was led by the latter.
The expedition left Fort de France
last Thursday, May 20, at noon. Fri
day was spent in studying the newly
formed craters on the north flank OF
the mountain. Saturday morning
Prof. Heilprin determined to attempt
the ascent to the top of the crater,
and with this purpose in view he set
out at 5 o'clock.
Volcano Was Vrey Active.
The volcano was very active, but
amid thousand dangers Prof. He'll
Drin reached the summit and looked
down into the huge crater. Here he
spent some time in taking careful OBJ
serv2tiOns. He saw a huge cinder
cone in the center of the crater. The
opening CT the crater itself is a vast
crevice 500 feet long and $50 feet
wide
While Prof Heilprin was ON the
summit Of the volcano several violent
explosions of steam and cinder laden
vapor took place, and again and
again his life was in danger. Ashes
fell about him in such quantities at
times as to completely obscure his
vision. One particularly violent ex.
| plCsion Of mud covered the professor
from head to foot with the hideous,
viscid and semi-sOlid matter He still
persisted in his study and observa.
tons, however, and twice more was
| showered with mud. He learned, as
had been suspected, that there were
three separate vents through which
steam issued. Full details of the pro.
fessor'S observations cannot be had
until he returns to Fort de France.
Prof. Heilprin's journey down the
side Of the mountain was fully as
perilous as the ascent. Mont Pelee
seemed to resent the intrusion of a
puny human being into her most aw-
full precincts, and belched out huge
volumes of steam, ashes and boiling
hot mud.
Made an Important Discovery.
The professor made the important
discovery that the crater at the head
Of the river Fallaise has synchronous
eruptions with the crater at the sum-
nit Of the volcano, and that it elects
precisely the same matter at such
times. The river Fallaise crater and
the crater at the summit showed dur
ing Prof. Heilprin's visit a new pha-
nomenon. Mud was thrown up In
high columns. Heretofore the mud
has bubbled or boiled cut and flowed
downward in huge streams. In the
course Of one eruption of the river
Fallaise crater an enormous mass OF
intensely hot mud was elected. This
flow reached the rum distillery on
the Vive plantation and extinguished
all the fires there. This torrent Of
mud may invade the entire plantation.
and, as Viye is the center Of one Of
the richest districts Of the island. it
Is feared the damage may be great.
George KEENAN, and his party, who
went to Morne Rouge, found on their
return trip that bridge across the
road had Deen carried away by a tor
rent OF hot mud. Negroes managed
to get the party across the obstruc-
ton. They took the carriages to
pieces and carried them and the mem
bers Of the party to the other side Of
the river Of mud, which was still hot.
All the members OF Mr.. Ken1an's
party are well.