The Van Buren press., 1902-05-17
ERUPTION 0F S)(FR|[RE.
The Calamity On the Island Of St.
Vincent Described From
Its Beginning.
WEIRD AND AWE. INSPIRING SCENES.
Then Came the laundering OF the
Bursting Volcano, whose Tre-
mcndOus Declarations Couid DC
Heard Throughout the whole
Caribbean Region.

New York, May IA dispatch
from its correspondent on the island
of St. Vincent, b. w. l., to the Herald,
says:
Admonitory rumbles and earth
quakes in the vicinity of Soufrlere
came two weeks ago.
On Monday, May 5, the lake in the
old crater became greatly disturbed.
On Tuesday, at two o'clock in the
afternoon, the mountain began Sc
ries of volcanic efforts. Serious earth
quakes accompanied these terrible
noises, and detonations succeeded
quickly. At seven o'clock in the even
ing an immense column of steam IS
sued from the crater and lasted until
midnight.
Terrific Explosions Followed.
Terrific explosions followed on
Wednesday morning, and at seven
o'clock there was another sudden yio-
lent escape of steam. This assembled
for three hours, when other material
was elected.
At noon the three cratcrs appeared
TO open and began to vomit lava. SIX
streams at once ran down the sides
of the mountains, making an awful
scene.
The mountain labored heavily for
half an hour after the appearance OF
the lava, and fire flashed around the
edges of the craters, and there were
tremendous detonations in success
sion, rapidly merging into continu-
Gus roar. This lasted through
Wednesday night and until Friday
morning. The thunderings of the vol
cano were heard throughout the
Caribbean sea.
The Actual Eruption Began.
The eruption began Wednesday. A
huge cloud in dark and dense col
umn, charged with volcanic matter,
rose to a height of eight miles from
the mountain top. Darkness like
midnight descended, and the sulphur
Gus air was laden with fine dust
A brief rain followed, rain OF
favilla, incoriae, rocks and stones
There were bright flashes, numerous
and maryclously rapid. These, with
laundering, the mountain shocks, the
earthquake roar, the lava and falling
stones created scene of horror.
Large areas of cultivation have been
buried beneath the volcanic matter
Plantations Totally Destroyed.
On the windward coast seven plan
tations are totally destroyed. Moth.
ing green is visible. Sixteen hun
drcd and twenty deaths are already
reported. There are 1877 cases in the
hospital at Georgetown under treat
ment.
The deaths have been caused chief
~ by suifocation by the sulphurous
gases, lightning and burning lava
masses. Few of the cases in the hos
pital are likely TO recover.
The crew of II. NJ. 5. lndefatigablc
buried 80 peasants found dead on the
Owia estate, north Of Soufricre.
Another Crater Formed.
Another crater is reported formed
on the Richmond estate near the sea-
shore. The country districts on the
windward coasts are Uttered with
dead bodies.
Kingstown, the capital, and the
whole population are safe. There
have been no accidents or deaths.
Clouds of dust are blowing over the
city, however.
Vessels Bearing Succor.
The Royal Mail Steamer Wear is
transporting food and water to the
lecwnrd coasts, sailing vessels havo
proceeded to the wlndwnrd coast on
the same errnnd, Doctors and nurses
have gone TO the scene OF distress,
The majority Of the corpscs being
found are covered with ashes, de.
composed and hardly approachablc.
The dead are being buried in trench
es, 80 in each,
AN OFFICIAL REPORT.