The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-05-13
Two more of the crew have since died.
Seamen.s Heroic Conduct


The survivors of the Roddam's crew
were loud in their praises Of the heroic
conduct of their captain in steering his
vessel out Of danger with his own
hands. which were badly burned by the
rain of fire which kept falling on the
ship for miles after she got underway.
Beyond burns all over his body the
captain is safe, as is also the ships
agent, though he is badly scorched /.
Mr.. Plissono is believed here to be
the sole survivor Of the 10000 inhabi-i
tants Of ST. Pierre who remained there,
for the town and the shipping in the
port have been utterly destroyed, the
West Indiana and Barama Telegraph
Company's repairing steamer Grappler
going first, then the Quebec liner Ror-
alma, Captain Nigga, of the latter,
waving his hand in farewell TO the
Roddam as his vessel sank with a ter
rifle explosion.
The British royal mail steamer Esk,
which called off Martinique at 10
O'Clock p. m. last night reports standing
off shore five miles. sounding her whis-
tie and sending up rockets She receive
ed no answer. The whole sea front was
blazing for miles. The Esk sent boat
ashore, but it could not land on ac-
count of the terrific heat which was ac-
living soul appeared ashore after the
boat had waited for two hours. Fire
and ashes fell all over the steamer.
The Whole Country Burned Up.
In the afternoon a French coasting
steamer arrived here from Fort de
France seeking assistance, as all the
country was burned up, the stock was
dying, all the plantations were charred,
the country people were f1ocking into
| the towns and famine was feared. The
steamer was loaded with food Of all
sorts and was sent back to Martinique
at O'Clock p. m. The captain of this
vessel reported that some thirty per-
sons left st. Pierre by the 6 o'clock
boat Thursday morning for Fort de
France and, consequently, were saved.
All attempts to get to st. Pierre are
barred by fire. The closest observation
| possible showed houses still blazing and
streets strewn with charred bodies. 1t
| is certain that the whole town and
neighboring country for miles were ut
| terly destroyed and it is feared here
| that few, if any of the inhabitants es
| capped.
Volcano on ST. Vincent.
The volcano on the island of ST. Vim
cent has burst out in sympathetic erup-
ton. A steamer which returned from
| there last night reports that the north
ern third of the island was in flames
and cut off from assistance because a
| continuous stream of burning lava,
| ashes falling in heavy showers as far as
| $50 miles away. Kingston, the capital
of st. Vincent, is safe, but people here
| are very anxious as to the fate of that
| island.
Dominica and ST. Lucia have very &C
tive geysers, but they show no departure
from normal conditions, as heretofore.
| Foodstuffs of all kinds are urgently
| wanted.
| London, May 1.-THE following cable
gram was received this morning at the
| colonial Office fl IN Governor Sir Fred
| erick Mitchell Hodgson, of Barbados:
1.-THE Soufriere volcano on ST. Vincent
B. w. l., erupted violently yesterday
Loud reports, resembling artillery fire
| were heard at Barbados at o'clock il
| the afternoon. At o'clock there came
darkness and thunder, accompanied by
| a strong dowpour of dust which contin-
ued until night. The Barbados is GOV.
cred several inches deep with dust this
| morning.
Governor Llewellyn, Of the Windward
islands cables to the colonial Office from
st. Lucia, as follows: Leaving al
once for st. Vincent. Eruption con.
tinues. Break in cable continues
Again urge sending warships.'
Private dispatches received late thi:
afternoon from the West Indies say the
| worse.
The French cable company received
cablegrams this morning announcins
that the eruption at Martinique con.
tinues and that ships are afraid to gC
near the island.
number of deaths will be about 5000
several of the smaller islands neal
Martinique having also suffered. Be
tween s o'clock in the morning and
o'clock in the evening of Thursday Ma!
Sth st. Pierre was a mass of fire an.
there was also a volcanic eruption a
st. Vincent The island of ST. Thoma,
is sending help.
ship which arrived Friday May ct!
at the island Of Dominica, B. w. l., ant
which was lying off st. Pierre when tn.
eruption commenced reports that tn.
noise was terrific. A huge cloud of fir,
appeared over the town and neighbor
hood giving the inhabitants no chanc.
to escape.
Paris, May 10.-Minister of Marine n
de Lanessan has received the following
from Fort de France Island of Marti
4 nirne r,udar date Nov 1n@t, - -,