The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-13


1t now seems to be generally believed
that about $4,000 persons lost their lives
as a result of the outbreak of the Mont
Pelce volcano at ST. Pierre Thursday last.
Careful investigation by competent gov
eminent oficials shows that the carly
reports of the Associated Press were ac-
curate. -.
Briefly put last Thursday morning the
city of ST. Pierre disappeared Hithin ten
minutes within a whirling fire vomitcd
from Mount Pelee; thirty thousands per-
sens were instantly and horribly killed
nd Inc volcano which had for thirty
5as's ben occupied by lake became
-orrent of hot mud which rolled toward
c SCI engulfing everything before It..
thcp ne last cable communication was
ol.cn and the doomed city was isolated
,rr m IRE world.
ras american consul at Guadcloupe.
- is Il. Aymee, has reached the desc
&c not where st. Pierre stood land
confirms the awful story in all its essen
tial details.
From an interview with Colonel Aniyee,
who is a trained American newspaper
man, correspondent of the Associated
Press learned the following facts:
Terrific Detonations.
Thursday morning the Inhabitants OF
the city awoke to find heavy clouds
shrouding the Mont Pelee crater. All
day Wednesday loud detonations had
been heard. These were echoed from st.
Thomas on the north to Barbados on
the south. The canonading ceased on
Wednesday night and fine ashes fell like
rain on st. Pierre.
The inhabitants were alarmed, but
Governor Mouttet, who arrived at st.
Pierre the evening before, did everything
possible to allay the panic. IN
The British steamer Roraima reached
St. Pierre on Thursday with ten passen-
gers. among whom were Mrs. Stikes and
her. three children aud Mrs. IL. J. 1nce,
They were watching the rain Of ashes
when, with frightful roar and terrific
electric discharges. cyclone of fire. MUD
and steam swept down from the orator
over the town and bay, sweeping all be-
fore it and destroying the feet of vessels
at anchor off the shore. Here the ac-
counts Of the catastrophe so far obtain
able cease.
Thirty thousand corpses are strewil
about, buried in the ruins Of St. Pierre.
or else floating, gnawed by sharks. in the
surrounding seas. Twenty-eight chsrred'
half dead human beings were brought
here. Sixteen of them arc already dead
and only of the whohe number four are
expected to recover.
Quantities of Wreckage.
The Associated Press steamer. charter
ed In Guadeloupe. neared Martinique at
$50 Sunday morning. The island With
its lofty hills was hidden behind huge
veil of violet or leaden colored haze.
Enormous quantities of the wreckage OF
large ana small ships and houses strewed
the surface of the sea.
Huge trees and too often bodies. with
focks of sea gulls soaring above, and
hideous sharks lighting about them. were
foa ting 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 with men and women.
frantic to get away, begged for passage
oil the steamer,
The whole north end of the island was
covered with a silver-gray coating OF
ashes resembling dirty snow. Furious
blasts of fire. ashes and mud swept over
the steamer, but finally ST. Pierre was
reached.
The city of St. Pierre stretched nearly
two miles along the water front and half
a mile back to cliff at the base OIL tne
1nIcano. The houses Of the richer
French families were built of stone.
The still smoking volcano lowered
above the ash-covered hills. The ruins
we're burning in many places and frish'-
ful odors OF burned flesh filled the air
With great difficulty a landing was
effected. Not one house was left intact.
Vivid heaps Of mud ashes and volcanic
stones were seen on every side Inc
streets could hardly be traced. Here
and there. amid the ruins we're heaps OF
corpscs.
Almost all of the faces were down
ward.
Twenty-Five Bodies Together.
In ore corner twenty-five bodies of men,
wCneE and children W3re mingled in one
awful mass. arms and legs protruding as