Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-05-12
TIE RoDDAM SURVIVORS
ieii Terrible Taie-The Captain Did
Heroic Work.

merclal capital OF Martinique, is the
mountain which made Il faint show of
eruption 50 years ago.
on May 3, last, it began to throw
dense clouds of smoke. At midnight
the same day fiames accompanied with
rumbling noises, lighted the sky over
an immense area, causing widespread
terror.
May 4. hot ashes covered the whole
city quarter of St Pierre an inch thick
and made Mt. Pelee invisible.
At noon May 5, a stream of burning
lava rushed 400 feet down the noun
tain side, following the dry bed Of a
torrent. and reaching the sea, 5 miles
from the mountain. in minutes.
IN its rush the fiery flood swept from
its path plantations, buildings, factor
les, cattle and human beings over Il
breadth of about half a mile.
At the rear of the mouth Of the ri
Were Blanche stood the large Guerin
sugar factory. one of the finest in the
| island. 1t is now completely cntombed
| in lava. The tall chimney alone is yisi-
| BE. one hundred and fifty persons are
| estimated to have persisted there, in
| Guiding the owners son.
40 lIiI III d ttStlCNl AtAlp ttlt Ottl inc
latter recedcd 300 feet ali along the
west coast, returning with greater
strength. A big wave covered the
| whole sea front at st. Pierre, but did
| little damage ashore or aflOat.
| Terrible dctonations We're heard hun
drcds of mile northWard, followed at
short irregular intervals and continued
at nisnt. IN the intense darkness the
! electric light failed, but the town was
! lit up by lurid flashes Of flame from the
mountain. The terror-stricken inhabi-
| tants rushed for the hills in their night
clothes, screaming, shouting and wall
! ing. mad with terror.
The Plissono family escaped to st.
Lucia in a. small steamer; So persons,
mostly women and children, arrived
! here in the forenoon of May 6 and fur
lished the above details.
The men remained at Martinique. The
same afternoon, later, Geographic com
munication was interrupted with both
the islands Of Martinique and st. Vim
cent.
During the afternoon Of the Sth, the
British steamer R0ddam, which had
left st. Lucia at midnight on the It'll
for Martinique, crawled slowly into
the Castries harbor, unrecOgnizable,
gray with ashes, her rigging disman-
tied and sails ana awnings hanging
about torn and charred.
Capt. Whatter reported that having
just cast anchor off St. Pierre at s \.
NJ. in fine weather, succeeding an aw-
full thunderstorm during the night, he
was talking to the ships agent Joseph
PlissOno, who was in a boat alongside,
when he saw a tremendous cloud Of
smoke and glowing cinders rushing
with terrific rapidity over the town and
port, III an instant, completely envelOp-
ing the former in a sheet Of flame and
raining fire on board.
The agent had just time to climb on
board when his boat disappeared.
Several of the crew of the Roddam
were quickly scorched to death.
BY superhuman efforts having steam
up, the cable was slipped and the
steamer backed away from the shore
and nine hours later managed to reach
Castrios.
Ten of the Roidam's men were lying
dead. contorted and burned out Of hui
man semblance among the black Gin
ders which covered the ships deck to
a depth Of six inches Two more Of the
crew have since died.
The survivors Of the Roddam's crew
We're loud in the praises of the heroic
conduct of her 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 under
way.
| Beyond burns all over his body the
captain is safe, as is also the ships
agent, though he is badly scorchcd.
Mr.. Plissono is believed here to be the
sole survivor of the 10000 inhabitants Of
st. Pierre, who remained there, for the
| town and all the shipping in the port
| have been utterly destroyed.
| The West Indian &, Panama Telegram h
| Cos. repairing steamer Grapler going
! first, then the Quebec liner Roraima
Capt. Muggah OF Cne latter, waving his
| hand farewell to the Roddam as his yes
| sci sank with a terrific explosion.
The British royal mail steamer Esk
which called off Martinique at 10 p NJ
last night, reports standing off shore five
miles sounding her whistle ana sending
up rockets. She received no answer. The
| whole sea front was blazing for miles.
| The Esk sent boats ashore, but it could
not land on account of the terrific heat
WHICH NdS accompanied bN IbUN tNDiD-
sions. Not living soul appeared ashore
after the boat had waited for two hours.
Fire and ashes fell all over the steamer.
In the afternoon French coastins
steamer arrived here from Fort de France
seeking assistance, as all the country Is
burnt up the stock dying. all the plan
tationS Charred. the country people flock
ing into the towns and famine feared.
The steamer was loaded with food OF
all sorts and was sent back to Martinique
at +. Nj. The captain of this vessel re-
ported that some 80 people left St. Pierre
by the o'clock boat, Thursday morn
ing, for Fort de France, and consequent.
~ were saved.
All attempts to get to st. Pierre are
barred by fire. The closest observation.
possible showed ho~ses still blazing ana
streets Strewn with charrcd bodies 1t Is
certain that the whole town and neigh
boring country for miles We're utterly de
stroyed, and it is feared here that few,
If any, of the inhabitants escaped.
The volcano of the island of st. Vim
cent has burst out in sympathetic erup-
ton.
a steamer which returned from there
last night reports that the northern
third Of the island was in flames and
cut off from assistance by a continuous
stream of burning lava. ashes falling III
heavy showers as far as $50 miles away
Kingston, the capital Of St. Vincent.
IS safe, but people here are very anx-
i0us as to the fate of that island.
Dominica and St. Lucia have very ac-
tive geysers, but they show no departure