The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-21
FLAMES SHOT OUT
A French Captain Reports Hear
ing an Explosion
And Seeing Fire While Passing
Near MOntserrat.
STORY OF A SURVIVOR.
Two of ROraimer Crew Reach
New York on the KOrOna.
Inhabitants Of Fort De France
Get a Bad Fright.

New York, May 2l-captain Magras
of the French sloop Iscellina, in from St.
Bartholomew, reports, says Herald
dispatch from st. kits. b w l.. that
when passing Montserrat, a small vol
eanic island lying northwest of Guade-
loupe ne heard an explosion and saw
flames burst from the side of one of the
mountains.
A SURVIVORS STORY.
New York, May 1.-THE steamer Ko-
roma has arrived from Fort de France.
Martinique. having on board two sur
vivOrs of the steamer Roraima. lost
in the st. Pierre disaster These are
Ellery Scott, chief officer, and Charles
Thompson, (colored) assistant pursuer.
"On the way up said Captain John
W. Carey of the Korona, "Scott told me
the story of their terrible experience.
He said the Roraima got into the harbOr
about $50 a. m. on the 3th and about
a terrible explosion came from the
mountain. In an instant it began to
rain fire and mud over the harbOr.
great river of burning lava rushed down
the mountain side and plunged into the
bay. Ii showed the water out of the
harbOr and simply hurled the shop over
on her side. Capt. Muggah was on the
bridge at the time.
with the rush of water the ships
decks were swept clean. All her sup
erstructure, masts, funnel boats and
upper works We're torn away and went
| overheard. Scott, seeing Capt. Muggah
1 swept away with the wreck of the
bridge leaped from the forecastle head
and tried 10 run aft through the steer
age. The crew, panic-stricken, dashed
| him to the deck and trampled him un-
der their feet in their mad fight. and
I DllT the action of the steer
| age passengers, -cOlOred men from St.
4 kits, he would have perished with the
1 others, who were burned to death by the
| lava which poured in on the vessels
! decks. These men seized him and drag
/ ged him into the steerage where he
/ stayed with them and by wrapping
| their heads in blankets they succeeded
/ in preventing serious injury
Meanwhile Thompson, the assistant
| purser, who was on deck when the first
4 outburst came, succeeded in reaching his
| room and closing the door. where he stay
ed until the worst of the first shock was
4 over. An open yent'lator let the flames
about the neck and lost one ear. When
the first shock had passed he managed to
Joined Scott and the two St. Kits men
in saving the passengers and members of
gathered these in the steerage and all
I who were able joined them in fighting
tne Iianles JACK ana tldhageo 70 Keep
/ the vessel until the French cruiser Su-
chet came along and took them off"
PANIC AT FORT DE FRANCT.
Fort De France, May 21.-At half past
( 5 clock yesterday a thick. heavy cloud
! lit up by flashes of lightning rose iron:
/ Mont Pelee. Inc people OF Fort De
I France at once became panic stricken and
/ in seant attire rushed excicedly through
/ the streets of the town. Stones from
in the streets Many of the inhabitants
hurridly embarked on the vessels in the
harbor and it was with difficulty that
they We're eventually TeaSSured. At
/ o'clock, however, the excitment was over
and the people became calm.
The phenomenon, was similar to the
eruption Of Thursday, May 8, but not so
Governor L'Huerre will leave here on
the French cruiser Suchet to inform him
self of the situation at St Pierre.
LOUD NOISES HEARD.
St Thomas, D. w. l. May 21-It has
been reported from st. Kits in the Lee
| ward islands, that on Monday night and
Tuesday morning noises similar to those
heard May were again audible, but
louder and with greater distinctness
Some of the houses there were slightly
shaken by the conclusion.
From the British island of Antigua
and the French island of Guadeloupe,
loud decorations from the southeast
are reported.
Another report which has reached here
from the British island of Dominica is
to the effect that at half past o'clock
Tuesday morning a curious, awe
feecy, white cap, resembling highly
polished silver. was seen from Rozeau
Con the west coast of Dominica in the
southeast. This phenomenon caused
alarm in Dominica. especially as light
ming followed in its wake.
COVERED WITH ASHES.
Castries, St. Lucia, May 2L-Reports
received here today confirm the dis
/ patches announcing that a panic pre-
vailed at Fort de France, Martinique.
The cd 1xrifI 7,
ashes stones were falling and a tidal
wave added to the terror of the popula-
ton, which was fleeing to the hills.
Three hundred refugees have Just arriv-
ed here and thousands have embarked
for the neighboring islands.
FIRE FELL At LIE CARBET.
Paris. May Ex-Governor L'Huerre OF
! the Island OF Martinique in a cable dis
pa tch from Fort de France, dated Tues
day, May 20, confirms the Associated
Press dispatches saying that at sis
o'clock yesterday morning the same
phenomena appeared as on the morning
: of May S-a rain of stones. flashes OF
l light and sounds of explosions in the
direction of Mont Pelee. The population
of Fort de France was panic stricken
and later dispatches say that fire was
falling at LIE Carbet and that the in
) habiIants and troops had evacuated the
place. No further fatalities had occurr-
ed.
3 The dispatches received here also re-
fer TO the departure of Gov. L'Huerrre
accompanied by Senator Knight, presi-
dent OF the legislature of Martinique
/ yesterday morning on the French crui
ser Suchet. to reconnoiter in the direc,
2 | ton of the volcano.
The officials of the ministry Of tn,
colonies were much disturbed by this
mornings dispatches from Fort d.
- France They thought the worst waa
= over but the cable messages seem Il
/ indicate that another catastrophe is i'm
$ pending.
No Confirmation had been received