The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1902-05-14
WORST NEWS CONFIRMED.
American Consul at Guadeloupe Tells
OF Horrible Desolatoh.

| orally admitted that about 10000 per
sons lest their lives as a result of the
outbreak Of the Mont Pelee volcano at
st. Pierre, on Thursday last. Careful
investigation by competent govern.
ment officials show that the earlier re,
! ports of the press were accurate.
Briefly put, last Thursday morning,
the city of St Pierre disappeared with.
in 10 minutes i'll whilring cyclone of
fire vented from Mont Pelee; 10000
persons were instantly and horribly
| killed and the volcano, whose ancient
crater had been occupied by a quiet
lake in which picnic parties bathed,
suddenly discharged a torrent of fiery
mud, which rolled towards the sea,
engulfng everything before it. Then
the last of cable communication was
broken and the doomed city was isolat-
ed from the world
The commander of the French cruis,
er Suchet gave the American consul
at Guadeloupe, Louis H. Ayme, the
first news of the appalling disaster the
day after it occurred Mr.. Ayme has
reached the desolate spot where St
Pierre stood and confirms the awful
story in all its essential features.
From an interview with Colonel
Ayme, who is a trained American
newspaper man, the following facts
are learned regarding the destruction
of st. Pierre:
Thursday morning found the inhabi,
tants of that city anxiously looking
towards the thick clouds shroudng the
Mont Pelee crater. All day Wednes-
day horrid detonations had been heard.
These had been echoed from st. Thorn
as on the north to Barbados on the
south. During the night of Wednes.
| day these had ceased, and only fine
ashes. like rain, fell on St Pierre.
| As this continued the governor, NJ,
Mouttet. who was then at Fort De
France, tried to stop the panic which
the volcanic disturbance caused. He
declared the danger would not in
crease, sent a detachment of soldiers
to prevent a general exodus of the
inhabitants and later went to st.
Pierre himself with his wife.
Cyclone of Fire, Mud and Steam.
The British steamer Roraima ar.
rived at st. Pierre some time after.
wards with 10 passengers among
whom was Mrs. Stokes and her three
children and Mrs. Janice. They were
all watching the rain of ashes, when,
with a frightful roar and terrific elec.
trio discharges, a cyclone of fire, mud
and steam swept down from the crater
over the town and bay, destroying a
fleet of vessels at anchor off the shore.
There the stories stop.
Twelve survivors only are in the
military hospital at Fort De France
while 10000 corpses are strewn about
or buried in the ruins of st. Pierre. or
else floating, gnawed by sharks, in the
surrounding seas.
Twenty.cieht charred, half dead hu.
man beings were brought here. Six,
teen of them are already dead and four
others only are expected to recover
The press steamer chartered IN
Guadeloupe. reached Martinique at
$3.50 Sunday morning. The lofty hilled
island was hidden behind a huge veil
of violet or leaden colored haze Enor-
nous quantities Of the wreckage of
large and small ships and houses were
met with. Huge trees and floating
bodies, with flocks of seagulls soaring
al nd hf1nnng ch Gr1a In
about them, were found here and
there. From behind the volcanic veil
came blasts Of hot wind. mingled with
others ice cold.
At lie Precheur five miles north Of
st. Pierre. canoes filed with men and
women. frantic to get away. were
found.
The city Of st. Pierre stretched
nearly two miles along the water front
and half a mile back to a cliff at the
base of the volcano. The houses Of
The richer French families were built
Of stone. The ash-covered hills were
lanlied by the still smoking volcano.
Frightful doors Of Burned Flesh.
The ruins were still burning in many
places and frightful odors of burned
flesh filed the air. With great diff
Guilty a landing was effected. Not one
house was left intact. Everywhere
were viscid heaps of mud, of brighter
ashes or piles Of volcanic stones. The
streets could hardly be traced.
Here and there amid the ruins were
heaps of corpses, almost all the faces
turned downwards. In one corner %
men, women and children were min
gled in one awful mass, arms and legs
protrUding as the haplesg beings fell
in the last struggles of death agony.
Through the middle Of the old Place
Bertin ran az ~ stream, the remains
Of the River Utisve. Great trees With
roots upward and scorched by fire
were strewn in every direction.
Huge blocks and still hot stones |
were scattered about From under one
large stone the arm Of white woman
protruded Most notable was the mt |
ter silence and the awful, oyerpower. |
ing stencil from the thousands OF |
dead.
A. G. Austen, the manager Of the |
Colonial bank Of Barbados. landed If |
st. Pierre with a party from the Brit.
ish royal mail steamer Solent He |
found the bank clock stopped at some .
minutes before o'clock. A horse and .
buggy and policeman were in a group |
of dead at the door.