The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-06-05
EycWitneSSeS Tell of the
Volcanic E upton.
SUFFERING Oil ST. VINCENT
Hearts of the People Filled With De-
spondency and the Bright Hopes of
Thousands Dashed by the Visitation
of FiTe-AmeTican Relief Timely.
Special Correspondence


JAMESTOWN. St Vincent May %.
Death, destruction. and desoIation have
marked the terrific work Of the volcano
La SOufriere IN this beautiful little ISL
and. Although the actual loss Of life
has not been so appaHingly large as in
the Island Of Martinique, the distress
among the living is far greater; the
eruption OF La Soufriere falling upon
the colony as a dire calamity, filling
many hearts with dependency and ruin
ing thousands whose brightest hopes
seemed about TO be realized Just
emerging, IS ii was. from the desOla-
lion caused by the hurricane which de-
vastated the island in 1898, the more Sc
rious calamity Of this month viii cause
untold misery and dependency among
the people OF St Vincent.
The admonitory warnings of La Sou
friere did not extend over 50 great a
period of time Immediately prior to the
main eruption as was the case Of Pelee,
in Martinique but even so the inhabi-
tants of the island took more heed Of
the premoRitory symptoms. and thou
sands who lived in close proximity to
the volcano left To- places Of safety
On Monday, the 9Th Of May, at $40
p m, with a noise like the monster
guns Of the worlds navy in perpetual
action, SoufTiere began its volcanic eff
forts. But It was not until Wednesday,
May :, that the eruption reached its
climax. This was one day prior TO the
eruption of PeIee in Martinique. At 10
O'Clock in the morning Of this fateful
day there was e violent escape OF steam
which continued ascending high above
the mountain top for two hours. By
noon it was apparent that three craters
were vomiting mud and ashes. No lava
hG5 come from SOufTie-e.
Fresh Crater Opened
Eyewitnesses, and there are many.
Of the breaking forth On this day say
the resurrection of the two old fiery
furnaces, with the addition OF a fresh
crater, was an awful sight The noun
tain groaned and spoke with Numbering
roars as it labored in its endeavor TO
relieve the pressure exeTted all over
the bottom of the Caribbean basin
With a prelude OF lightning and thun-
der the curtain was raised at 80 D. n
on the tragedy OF St Vincent Tremea-
dOUs decorations followed one upon the
other so close as 10 make one ccntinu-
Gus roar. For thousands Of feet & huge
column Of smoke and steam assembled.
assuming at one time the shape OF d
balloon OF unusual size and then that OF
a gigantic caulifower on its stalk, light
ed at its base by The lUrid glow OF mol
ten rock from below in the crater and
streaked above by continuous, scintiI!at-
ing, and sinuOus flashes CT lightning
Suddenly darkness as dense as the
darkest night fell over the northern end
OF St Vincent The volume Of steam
from the mountain changed to q dense
black smoke rising rapidly, tumbIing and
rolling upward in beautiful effiorescent
masses to a prodigiOus height.
TIE lower portion now diIated like q
balloon and became wrapped in a beauti-
ful snow white wreath OF YapOr. which
seemed to encircIe the column for q
time and then 70 become a mass Of in
5er-ningled black cloud and white vapor.
The roar Of the volcano was increased
by loud bursts O. thunder and the
ne-ghborh00d vas nomentariIy iIumi-
mated by Eashes of foTked lightning fol-
loving one another so rapidly as to ap-
pear as permanent, visible. ever
changing ribbon Of fire. Probably such
an exhibition Of volcanic pyrotechnics
has never been Witnessed in the history
o. the world The ra1guifcence and IN
told horror Of the scene Is difficult 10
realize. This, however. is the descrip-
ten o. Ia SCulEIe-- given by capable
eyewit-eEsCE
Tie Less Of Lie.
The IoSs OF life in St. Vincent Is con
scrya-ively estimated at from SEQ 10
2.6CG. When Seufriere began its terrific
work On Nay the people who had re
NAMED G. nearby plantations attempted
10 escape BY land and water to Kings
town. a distance Of twenty-five miles.
Sir T y. Mcdonald. Of Vale pIauta-
ticu. Eea- SoGfriere's base tells in a
graphic manner Of the eruption. He.
W-Jh ten others attempted to make his
escape II 4 small boat
a huge, reddish, purplish curtain
be said. advanced toward Us. cnYcIop-
inZ everything in its thick feds Some
enc shouted TO make for the shore and
Ne did so. Hundreds Of people we're
Geeicg along the shore but ! was fcrtu-
rate enough 70 secure q horse and
Ielchcd Kingstown in safety. Many Of
~ I&rty were seriously burned. but all
a1e Still alive
Inc eruption OF La Soufriere coutfn-
rcd until the morning OF the 9Th Tn
Like Pciee, which, wfth one grand burst.
dealt death and destruction to every
thing within a certain radius, the vol
cslo Of St Vincent was continuous for
many hours. II St. Vincent had had
city situated with reference 10 Sou
friere as ST. Pierre was 10 Pelee the
destruction would certainly have been
As complete and fFiRhtful.
! have Just returned from drive of
twenty-five miles to Georgetown a lit
tie village situated on the windward
side OF the island and well within the
circle Of influence Of Soufriere- Six
miles from KingtOWn the road first
she wed signs OF the work Of the vol
caro-.
the ground is covered with 4 fine gray
dust. giving everything a dull and dead
appearance Sixteen miles out every
yostige OF green has disappeared. the
road, fields. and cnce tropical trees are
now covered with ashes. cinders. and
DUST which nils the eyes and nostriIs,
and even How brings on feeling Of SUI
location TO both man and beast.
Picture Of DesoIatioD.
The countryside is picture OF desc |
Iation. Refugees are everywhere. still