Gloucester County Democrat., 1902-05-29
MORE VOLCANO VICTIMS
NORTH END oFIsLAND DESERTED

People of Morne Rouge Made Wild
Race For Life. and 1t Is Thought
Few Escaped the Awful Rain of
Fire, Mud and Stones.
Fort De France, May 29-The north
end of Martinique is now deserted. The
last eruption of Mont Pelee created
panic, and the inhabitants Of Grand
Riviere and Basse Pointe and the coast
east of Mont Pelee were brought here
yesterday.
AS result of the eruption of Mon
day few who remained at Morne
Rouge escaped
Again has Mont Pelee spoken, and
again has death visited the fated
island. On Monday party started for
the vicinity of the volcano, taking with
them several native guides. Tney went
on horseback. Mont Pelee had been
silent for several hours, and there was
little reason to believe that danger was
near.
They arrived at Morne Rouge, two
miles from Mont Pelee, MONDAY after
noon and intended to start for the cra
ter on Tuesday morning. They were
invited to dine with the priests of the
church, and were seated at table, when,
without warning, Mont Pelee broke
loose 1t was the worst eruption since
the one that destroyed st. Pierre. The
noise was tremendous. There was a
rain of fire, stones, mud and lava, and
an electric display which was fearful.
Again the people were panic-stricken.
They ran here and there, shrieking and
screaming. Fifty went into the church
with the priests. Their fate is uncer-
tain. 1t is possible that not one es-
capped. Others ran for miles. One
walked part Of the way mere, covering
nearly 40 miles, and has just arrived
Immense quantities of molten lava
were thrown to the southwest A new
crater, about half way up the side of
the mountain, is active, and there is
great fear here for the fate of the
island.
So many people have left Fort De
France that the town is almost empty.
A tremendous explosion of very
black smoke from Mont Pelee at a
quarter before nine O'Clock yesterday
morning accentuated the fear enter
tanned for the safety of George Ken
nan, the American author, who, with
land party, has been examining the
northern part of the island Fernand
Clerc, wealthy landed proprietor of
Martinique, arrived here and an
nounced that Mr.. Kennan and his par
ty were safe on plantation at the
north end of the island.
Professor Robert T. Hill, United
States government geologist and head
of the expedition sent to Martinique
by the National Geographical Society,
who left Fort De France Monday on
here Tuesday. Speaking personally of
his expedition to Mont Pelee, Profes-
sor Hill said: "My attempt to examine
the Greater of Mont Pelee has been fu-
tile. At o'clock Monday night wit
messed, from point near the ruins of
st. Pierre, a frightful explosion from
Mont Pelee and noted the accompany
ing phenomena While these erup-
tions continue no sane man should at
tempt to ascend to the crater of the
volcano, Following the salvos of de-
donations from the mountain, gigantic
mushroom shaped columns of smoke
and cinders ascended into the clear
star-lit sky and then spread, in a vast
black sheet to the south and directly
over my head. Through this sheet,
which extended a distance of ten miles
from the crater, vivid and awful light
ning-like bolts flashed with alarming
frequency. They followed distinct
paths of ignition, but were different
from lightning, in that the bolts were
horizontal and not perpendicular. This
is indisputable evidence of the explo-
sive oxidation of the gases after they
left the crater. This is a most i'm
portant observation, and explains in
part the awful catastrophe. This phe-
nomenon is entirely new in volcanic
history.
Nearly all the phenomena of these
volcanic outbreaks are new to science,
and many of them have not yet been
explained. The volcano is still in
tensely active, and / cannot make any
predictions as to what it will do."