The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-05-16
Later Details,

SC' IhomaS, ID. w. l., May l2.-It
is now estimated that 10000 persons
perished as result of the volcanic
eruption in the Island of Martinique.
The British schooner Ocean Traveller
arrived at the Island of Dominica, b.
w. l., at 3 O'Clock in the afternoon.
She was obliged to flee from the Island
of st. Vincent, B. W. l., during the
afternoon of Wednesday, May Z, in
consequence of heavy fall of sand
from volcano which was erupting
there.
The schooner arrived opposite st.
Pierre, Ma Unique, Thursday morning,
May s. While about a mile off the
volcano of Mount Pelee exploded, and
fire from it swept the whole town of
st. Pierre, destroying the town and the
shipping there, including the cable re-
pair ship Grabbler, which was engaged
in repairing the cable near the Guerrin
factory, and four American vessels.
The Ocean Traveller, while on her way
to Dominica, encountered a quantity
of wreckage.
The French cruiser Suchet has ar
rived at Point-a-Pitre, Island of Quad
eloupe, from Fort de France, bringing
several refugees. She confirmed the
report that the town of st. Pierre was
destroyed at s O'Clock Thur sday morn
ing by volcanic eruption. 1t is sup
posed that most of the inhabitants of
st. Pierre were killed, that the neigh
boring parishes were laid waste, and
that the residue Of the population oil
st. Pierre is without food OF shelter.
The commander of the Suchet reports
that at o'clock Thursday the entire
town of st. Pierre was wrapped in
flames. He endeavored TO save about
80 persons, more or less burned, from
the vessels in the harbor. His officers
went ashore in small boats, seeking for
survivors, but were unable TO penetrate
the town. They saw heaps of bodies
upon the wharves, and it is believed
that not single person resident of st.
Pierre at the moment OF the catastrophe
escaped.
The governor of the colony, his wife
snd staff were in st. Pierre, and prob
ably perished. The extent of the catas-
trophe cannot be imagined. The cap
tain of the British steamer Roddam is
seriously injured, and is now in the
hospital at st. Lucia. All of his Off
GERS and engineers were killed or are
dying. Nearly every member of the
crew is dead Surgeon Campbell and
10 of the crew of the Roddam jumped
overheard at st. Pierre and were lost.
From dozen different sources comes
confirmation of the swful extent of the
catastrophe and added details of the
horror, and it seems vain to suppose
that many escaped from the terrible
shower of fire, lava and rock that fell
upon the city and scattered ashes which
fell one hundred miles away.
st. Pierre, the commercial center of
the Island of Martinique, had popu-
lation of about 25, 900. II was on the
west coast of the island, about 12
miles northwest of Fort de France. 1t
was the largest town in the French
West Indies, and was divided into two
quarters by rivulet, over which a
number of handsome bridges had been
built. The lower quarter of the town
was close and unhealthy, while for the
most part the town was we'll ventilated
and pleasant. 1t had numerous public
buildings and s,hools, a handsome
theater and botanic garden. Its road
stead was defended by several forts.
The empress Josephine was born there
in 1868.
The eruption of Mount Pelee began
early last week, and was followed by a
fall Of ashes over the northern part Of
the island, several inches covering the
streets of st. Pierre. Saturday the flow
of lava commenced, and the entire pop
ulstion was thrown into CONSERVATION.
It was rumored then that 500 inhabit-
ants of st. Pierre were killed. That
was the last word received from Mar
Unique, as the submarine earthquakes
interrupted cable communication, un-
til the arrival Of the Roddam at st.
| Lucia.