Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1902-05-17
GREAT DESTITUTION
IN ST. VINCENT ISLE
Ruin From soufriere Is More
Complete Than Pelee's.
DEATH RATE GIVEN AT LOO

Entlfe Nofthern Fart OF Island Is Gov
cred With Ashes to an Average
Depth of Eighteen Inches-Every-
thing Being Done for Sufferers.
Kingstown, Island of ST. Vincent.
Thursday, May 10 (Afternoon) "A
correspondent Of the Associated Press
has just returned here from a visit on
horseback, to the devastated district
Of the island, during which he travelled
80 miles and penetrated to within 5
miles of the Soufriere crater. The
ash-COvered area of ST. Vincent ex-
ceeds that of Martinique, which the
correspondent has also explored. The
most conservative estimate of the
death rate now places the number at
100 About 1900 bodies have already
been inferred The entire northern
part of the island is covered with
ashes to an average depth of IS inch
es, varying fom a thin layer at Kings
town to feet or more at GEORGETOWN.
The crops are ruined nnthina nrnnn
can be seen, tho streets Of Georgetown
are covered with heaps of ashes resem-
bling snowdrifts and ashes rest so
heavily on the roofs that in several
cases they have caused them to fall
in. There will soon be 5000 destitute
persons in need of assistance from
the government, which is already do
ing everything possible to relieve the
sufferers. There are a hundred injur-
ed people in the hospital at George
town. Gangs of men are searching for
the dead or rapidly burying them in
trenches and all that can be done I'M
der the circumstances is being accom-
piished
The British cruiser Indefatigable
brought 25 tons of supplies here and
returned to the island of Trinidad to-
day for more. The governor of the
Windward islands, Sir Robert Llew-
ellyn, is here supervising the work of
the authorities. While the outbreak of
the volcano on the island of Martin
ique killed more people outright, more
territory has been ruined in st. Vim
cent, hence there is greater destitu-
tiOn here.
The injured people were horribly
burned with hot grit, which was driv-
Ell along with tremendous velocity.
Twenty-six persons who sought refuge
in a room 10 feet by - were all killed
One person was Drained with a
huge stone 9 miles from the crater.
Rough collins are being made to re-
ceive the remains of the victims. The
hospital here is filled with dying peo.
pie. Fifty injured persons are lying
on the floor of that building, as there
are no beds for their accommodation,
though cots are being rapidly con-
structed of boards. This and similar
work has been in progress since i'm.
mediately after the disaster. Two
days elapsed however, before there
were any burials, as the negroes re.
fused to dig the necessar ytrenches.
though they were offered three times
ties. The nurses employed are incom.
petent, but they are willing to learn
and are working hard. The negroes
are Indifferent to all that is transpir.
ing and to what has taken place They
expect to receive government rations,
but there have been instances where
they have refused to bury their own
relatives.
1t Is estimated that the sea has en-.
croached from 10 feet to 2 miles along
the coast near Georgetown, and that a
section on the north of the island has
dropped into the sea. This is appar.
emily certified by the report of the
French cableship Pouyer-Quartier that
soundings show fathems where be
fore the outbreak there were SO faith.
ons of water