The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-12

Kingston, Island of st. Vincent
British West Indies, Saturday, May
l0-After numerous earthquakes dur
ing the preceding fortnight, accom-
panied by subterranean noises in the
direction of the Soufriere volcano in
the northwestern part of the island
loud explosion from the crater occur
red Monday last, and the water in the
crater lake assembled in a stupendous
cloud of steam and exploded heavily.
The noises grew louder continually
till Wednesday morning, when the old
crater. three miles in circumference
and the new crater formed by the last
eruption belched smoke and stones,
forcing the residents of Wallabou and
Richmond valley, beneath the volcano,
to fee to Chateau Belair for refuge.
The thunderous noises, which we're
continually increasing. were heard in
neighboring islands 200 miles away.
At midday the craters elected enor-
nous columns of steamy vapors, rising
majestically eight miles high and ex-
panding into wonderful shapes, re-
sembling enormous cauliflowers, gigan-
tic wheels and beautiful flower forms,
all strealzed up and down and cross
wise with vivid flashes of lightning.
aweing the beholder and impressing
the mind with fear. The mountain
labored to rid itself of a mass of mol
ten lava, which later flowed over in
six streams down the side of the vol
cano. and the greater noises following
united in one continuous roar all even
ing through the night to Thursday
morning accompanied with black rain,
railing dust and favilla scorial, at
tended with midnight darkness all
Wednesday,, creating feelings of fear
and anxious suspense
On the morning of Friday there was
d 1resh eruption and elections of fiery
matter, more dust covering the island
IN some places two feet deep.
Great Loss of Life Feared.
The crater is still active as this dis
patch is sent, and great loss of life
Is believed to have occurred.
Inc lava has destroyed several dis
ulcts, with their live stock. People
are fleeing to this town, streams are
uIled up, and in many places a food
ana water famine is threatened. The
government is feeding numbers of suf-
1erers from the outbreak.
GREAT physical changes have taken
fIace IN the neighborhood of the Sou
friere.
Several districts have not yet been
heard from. and the scene of the erup-
Hon is unapproachable. Every hour
pHngs sadder news. The nurses and
doctors are oVerWOrked
IS impossible to give full details
at present
AS result of the disaster on this
S.ahd all business has been suspend
ea ior three days. The public mind is
''i,i unsettled, fearing further disaster.
among the deaths are whole families
muse corpses are in several places still
wing unburied The dead will be in
TERED in trenches.
Surpasses All Imagination,
Paris, May 1.-THE Temps to-day,
ptlg.lIhg TO the destruction at st.
Pierre, says:
we believe, from the information
t'gCeIYed here from the island of Mar
-,-I4ue doubtless meaning the official
eiSpd lcheS) that the disaster surpasses
1t mat imagination can conceive The
olole northeastern portion of the ISL
n.l Is laid waste. Three large COM
49, - eNCluslNe OF ST. PIERRE, have
Zen destroyed. The victims comprise
Two candidates for to-dav's balIotage
tof members of the Chamber of Depu-
ulSpatch received here to-day from
we France, Martinique says:
All the hills surrounding LeCar-
ana lie Precheur (near st. Pierre)
h. covered with refugees to the num-
e,,, VI ABOUT 5000 who are being taken
IONS are being conveyed to them.
vi the thirty persons who were orig
Ssialty rescued by the French cruiser
met the majority were fearfully
- ed and nine died while on their
"aE To the hospital.
- me corpses which are heaped in
runs of st. Pierre are not only
r 9i'tiIN naked, but are frightfully