The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-05-15
Avalanche Of Fire SwoOped Down
Upon the Doomed City Of
St. Pierre.
ONLY TWENTY SOULS ESCAPED
Ships and Crews in Harbor Were All
Lost-Brief Description of Lo-
cality CT Worlds Latest
Horror
It is now estimated that 10000 per.
sons perished as result Of the vol
eanie eruption in the island Of Mar.
Unique.
Whelmed City Fire-Swept.

"ncimeo SIty EirS-oWSPe.
A cable dispatch from St. Thomas,
D. w. l., under date of May 9, $50
a. m, says: The French cruiser Su-
chet arrived at Point a-Pitre, island CT
Guadalupe, French West Indies, from
Forte de France, island of Martinique,
this morning, bringing several refu-
gees. She confirmed the report that
the town of St. Pierre, Martinique,
was entirely destroyed at s o'clock on
Thursday morning by volcanic erup-
ton. 1t is supposed that most of the
inhabitants of ST. Pierre were killed,
that the neighboring parishes were
laid waste and that the residue of the
population of St. Pierre is without
food or shelter.
The British royal mail steamer Esk,
which arrived at st. Lucia Friday
morning, reports having passed st.
Pierre Thursday night. The steamer
was covered with ashes, though she
was five miles distant from the town,
which was in impenetrable darkness.
A boat was sent in as near as posi-
bic to the shore, but not living soul
was seen ashore, only flames.
The Quebec Steamship Company's
steamer Poraima, was seen to explode
and disappear.
The commander of the Suchet re-
ports that at o'clock on Thursday
the entire town of st. Pierre was wrap
ped in flames. He endeavored to save
about thirty persons, more or less
burned from the vessels in the harbor.
His officers went ashore in small
boats seeking for survivors, but were
unable to penetrate the town. They
saw heaps of bodies upon the wharves
and it is believed that not a single
person resident in St. Pierre at the
moment of the catastrophe escaped.
The governor of the colony and staff
colonel and wife were in st. Pierre,
and probably perished. The extent of
the catastrophe cannot be imagined.
The captain of the British steamer
Roddam was very seriously injured,
and is now in the hospital at st. Lucia.
All of his officers and engineers are
dwead or dying. Nearly ever member
of the crew is dead.
The News In Paris.
The commander of the French cruls-
er Suchet has telegraphed to the min
lister of marine, M. De Lannessan, from
Fort de France, island Of Martinique,
under date of Thursday, May 8. at 10
D. m, as follows:
Have just returned from st. Pierre,
which has been compltely destroyed
by an immense mass of fire, which
fell on the town at about s in the
morning. The entire population (about
q, 900 souls) is supposed to have per-
ished. l have brought back the few
survivors, about thirty. All the ship
ping in the harbor has been destroyed
by fire. The eruption continues
: The colonial minister, NJ. Decrais,
received at 6 O'Clock Friday evening
two cable messages from the secre-
tary general OF the government of Mar
tiniuue. J. E. G. L. Huerre, sent re-
spectively at p. m. and 1O:30 p. m.
Thursday. The earlier cable reported
that the wires were broken between
Fort de France and st. Pierre, but it
was added, in view of the reports that
the eruption of Mont Pelee had wiped
out the town of St. Pierre, all the boats
available ct Fort de France were dis
patched to the assistance OF the inhab-
itants of that place.
Sy Ra: i Fire.
The second dispatch confirmed the
reports of the destruction of st. Pierre
and its environs and shipping by rain
OF FIRE, and said it was supposed that
the whole population had been annlhl-
lated, with the exception of a few in
iured persons rescued by the cruiser
Suchet.
Scene Of Worlds Latest Calamity.
The scene of the worlds attest vol
canic horror, the island of Martinique,