The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-05-15

The volcanic disaster in the Lesser
| Antilles OF the West Indies, appears to
| have been one of the most terrible in
the worlds history as TO the loss of
life According TO the latest informa-
ton it is estimated that 10000 people
perished on the Island of Martinique.
This awful destruction of life is COM
parable only with Pompeii.
All the islands in the neighborhood of
Martinique are more or less isolated, ap-
parently by earthquake or volcanic dis
| turbances.
Gable communication with ST. Vincent,
Barbados. Grenada, Trinidad, Deme-
rara and St. Lucia is interrupted.
Grave fears are felt for the people on
the Island OF St. Vincent The captain
of schooner which arrived at Dominica
reports that he was compelled to sail
from St. Vincent Wednesday afternoon
because of the showers of sand from the
volcano on the island.
The commander OF the French cruiser
Suchet. the only ship that appears to
have gotten away safely from Martin
ique. has reported to his government that
the town OF ST. Pierre was destroyed by
an eruption of Mount Pelee that they
saved about 80 persons more or less
burned from the ships in the harbor that
were destroyed. The crews of small
boats sent ashore were unable to pene-
trate the blazing town. Heaps of bodies
were seen upon the wharves. A former
resident of St. Pierre says there were
about 900 white people in the town.
The following cablegram received at
the State Department at Washington
tells in few words the magnitude of
the fearful disaster.
"Pointe-a-P Pitre, May Q, 1902.
Secretary of State. Washington:
AT 7 o'clock A. NJ on the Sth inst. a
storm of steam mud and fire enveloped
the city and community. Not more than
20 persons escaped with their lives.
Eighteen vessels were burned and sunk
with all on board, including four Ameri-
can vessels and a steamer from Quebec
named Roraima The United States con-
sui and family are reported among the
victims A war vessel has come to Gua-
deloupe for provisions, and will leave at
5 tomorrow.
(Signed.) "AYME, Consul
The State Department received dis
patches from commercial houses in New
York asking that warships be sent at
once to Martinique to afford relief.
The American consul at Martinique is
/ Thomas I. Prentis. He was born i'll
Michigan and was appointed from Mas
sacfusetts as consul at Seychelles Isl
andS in 1871, and later served as consul
at Port Louis, Mauritius, Rouen, France,
and Batavia. He was appointed consul
at Martinique in 1900 The vice-consul
at Martinique is Amedee Testart who
was born and appointed from Louisiana
in 1893.
Latest available figures show that the
total population of the Island of Mar
I Unique is $4,000 people, of whom $4,000
I lived in ST. Pierre, and, according to Mr..
/ Aymc, have nearly all perished.
The cable repair ship Grappler, of the
l West India and Panama Telegraph Com
pany, is reported to have been destroyed.
The Western Union Telegraph Com
pany has sent out the following notice ::
The West India and Panama Tele-
graph Company has advised the Western
/ Union Telegraph Companys Central Ca
Bile Office that two steamers which took
cable messages for Martinique after the
! interruption of the cable are reported de-
/ stroyed, and they are unable TO ascertain
if the messages were previously deliv-
cred The cable messages forwarded by
cable steamer were carried on beyond
their destination, the ship being unable
to approach Martinique
A dispatch from Bridgetown, Island of
Barbados. British West Indies, says
/ that volcanic dust due from the eruption
/ in the Island of St. Vincent is still falling
there, and that the roads and houses are
/ covered an inch thick.
The Island of Barbados is over 100
/ miles from the Island of St. Vincent.