Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-05-13

charred half-dead, human beings were
brought here. Sixteen OF them are
already dead and only four OF the
whole number are expected to recover.
The Associated Press steamer
chartered In Guadeloupe, neared Mar
Unique at $3.50 Sunday morning The
island, with its lofty hills, was hidden
behind a huge veil Of violet-colored
haze. Enormous quantities OF the
wreckage of large and small ships and
houses strewed the surface OF the sea.
SHARKS FIGHT FOR BODIES.
Huge trees and too often bodies,
with fiocks OF sea-gulls soaring above
aud hldeous sharks fighting about
them, were floating here and there.
From behind the volcanic veil came
blasts OF hot wind mingled with 9TH
ers ice cold,
At lie Precheur, five miles north OF
st. Pierre, canoes with men and
women, frantic to get away, begged for
q passage on the steamer. The whole
north end OF the island was covered
with q 81 lver-gray coating OF ashes re-
sembling dirty snow.
Furious blasts OF fire. ashes and mud
swept over the steamer, but finally St.
Pierre was reached. The city Of 81.
Pierre stretched nearly two miles
along the water front and half a mile
back to a cliff at the base OF the vol
cano. The houses of the richer French
families were built Of stone.
The still smoking volcano lowered
above the ash-ooyered hills. The ruins
were burning in many places and
g.t. -
the air With great difficulty u land.
Ing was effected, Not one houe was
left intact. Viscid heaps of mud Of
brighter ashes, or piles Of volcanic
stones We're seen on every side.
The streets could hardly be traced.
Here and there amid the ruins were
heaps of corDses. Almost all the faces
were downward. In one corner ~
bodies Of men, women and children
were mingled in one awful mass, arms
and legs protrudng as the helpless be-
ings fell in the last struggles OF
deaths agony.
AWFUL SILENCE
Through the middle Of the old Place
Berth ran tiny stream. the remains
Of the river. Great trees, with roots
upward and scorched by fire, were
strewn In every direction. Huge books
and still hot stones were scattered
about From under one large stone
the arm Of white woman protruded.
Most notable was the utter silence and
the awful overpowering stencil from
the thousands of dead.
Careful inspection showed that the
fiery stream which so completely dcs-
troyed ST, Pierre must have been COM
posed of poisonous gases, which in
stantly suffocated every one who in
hailed them, and Of other gases burn
ing furiously, for nearly all the vic
Tins had their hands covering their
mouths or were In some other attitude
showing that they had sought relief
from suffocation All the bodies were
carbonized or roasted
STORIES OF SURVIVORS.
The stories OF the survivors added to
the awful details OF the particularly
narrowing account Of the loss OF the
British steamer Roraima. c, G. Evans
Of Montreal, and John c. Morris OF
New York, who are now at the military
hospital of Fort de France say the
vessel arrived at o'clock. As eight
bells was struck a frlghtful explosion
was heard up the mountain. The cloud
of fire, topping and roaring swept
with lightning speed down the noun
tain and over the town and bay. The
Roralma was nearly sunk and caught
fire at once.
II never can forget the horrid. fiery.
choking whrlwind which enveloped
me-" said Mr. Evans "Mr. Morris and
rushed below. We are not'veTy badly
burned, not so bad as most of them.
When the fire came we were going 10
our posts 1--WE are engineers) to weigh