The Forrest City times., 1902-05-16
ERUPTION OF S)|JFR|ERE.
The Calamity On the Island of St. Vincent Described From
 Its Beginning.
WEED AND AWe-IHSpIRISG SCENES.
rA~ Game the Thundering of the Rsrsting Volcano. Whose Tre- n~udou~ Detonations Could be Heard Throughout the Whole Caribbean Region.

New York. May 15.-A dispatch from it's correspondent on the island e1 St. Vincent, B. W. l., to the Herald, says:
 Admonitory rumbles and earth gEakes in the vicinity of Soufriere came two weeks ago.
 0n Monday, May l. the lake in the eid crater became greatly disturbed. nn Tuesday, at two o'clock ln the afternoon, the mountain began se- rses of volcanic efforts. Serious earth guakes 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 ascended flor three hours. when other material was eiected.
 At noon the three craters appeared 7o open and began 10 vomit lava. Six streams at once ran down the sides <f the mountains, making an awful scene.
 The mountain labored heavily for half an hour after th appearance of ahe lava, and fire flashed around the edges of the craters, ana there were tremendous detonations in success sion. rapidly merging into q eontinu- oas roar. This lasted through Wednesday night and until Friday morning. The thunderings of the vol rano were heard throughout the Caribbean sea.
 The Actual Eruption Began. The ernption began Wednesday. \ huge cloud in a dark and dense col umn. charged with volcanic matter, rose to height of eight miles from fhe mountain top. Darkness like midnight descended, and the sulphur GUS air was laden with tine dust.
 A brief rain followed, rain of fa,ilia, incoriae, rocks and stones. There were bright flashes. numerous and marveIously rapid. These, with laundering, the mountain shocks, the earthquake roar, the lava and falling stones created q scene of horror. Large areas of cultivation have been buried beneath the volcanic matter.
 Plantations Totally Destroyed.
 On the windward coast seven plan sations are totally destroyed. Moth &nr green is visible. Sixteen hum dred and twenty deaths are already reported. There are 167 cases in the hospital at Georgetown under treat ment.
 The deaths have been caused chief 1y lay sutfocation 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. s. lndefatigable hurried 30 peasants found dead on the O@ia estate, north of Soufriere.
 Another Crater Formed.
 Another crater is reported formed cn the Richmond estate near the sea. shore The country districts on the windward coasts are Uttered with dead bodies.
 hingstown, the capital. and thc whole population are safe. There 1nse been no accidents or deaths Clouds of dust are blowing over the city, however.
 Vessels Rearing Succor
 The Royal Mail Steamer Wear is 1ransporting food and water to the aeeward coasts, sailing vessels have proceeded 10 the windward coast on 1he same errand. Doctors and nurses Have gone to the scene of distress. Ahe majority of the corpses being Wound are covered with ashes, de- composed and hardly approachable The dead are being buried in trench es, % m each.