The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-05-13
The Darkness and the laundering Volcano
Added Horror to the Scene.
PEOPLE HAD VAINLY SOUGHT TO ESCAPE
FROM THE FIERY DELUGE.
They Were Found Lying in all Kinds of Attitudes,
Showing that Instant Death Had Come,
If by Lightning Stroke.

volcano. The houses Of the richer French
families were built Of stone
The still smoking volcano lowered above
the ash-covcrcd hills. The ruins were burn
Ing in many places and frightful odors OF
burning flesh filled the air.
with great difficulty landing was eff
fected. Not one house was left standing,
vscid heaps Of mud, ashes and volcanic
stone were seen on every side. The streets
could hardly be traced. Here and there
amid the ruins were heaps OF corpses, Al
most all the faces were downward,
In one corner twenty two bodies Of men
women and children were mingled in one
awful mass, arms and legs protruding as
the hapless beings fell in the last struggles
of DEATHS agony,
Through the middle Of the old Place Ber-
tin ran tiny stream, the remains of the
river Gayavc Great trees, with roots up.
ward and scorched by nRA were strewn
in every direction, Huge blocks aud stones,
| still hot, were scattered about. From un
der one large stone the arm OF u white
woman protruded. Most notable was the
utter silence ana the awful ovcrpowerlns
stencil from the thousands Of dead.
| Careful inspection showed that the hery
stream, which so completely destroyed st
Pierre, must have been composed of poison
Gus gases which instantly suffocated every.
Que who inhaled them, and OF other gases
burning furiously, for nearly all the victims
had their hands covering their mouths OF
were in some other attitude, showing that
they had sought relief from su1ocation,
All the bodies were carhonizcd or roasted
A g. Austin, the manager of the Colonin
bank Of Barbados, landed at ST. Pierre
with a party from the British royal mai
steamer Solcnt. He found the bank clocl
stopped at some minutes before o'clock
horse ana buggy and policeman were
In n dead group at the door.
At the request Of s. A McAllster. the
United states consul at Barbadoes Captain
Davis and the Solent were placed Mt hi,
disposal by the Barbados government Tn,
Socnt arrived at about the same time a,
the Associated Press steamer and brouFh
to St Pierre the colonial secretary. tw,
civ! doctors, two military officers and II
W. II, AughinbauGh OF Washington, "a
wei, as corporal and four hospital order
liet three trained nurses and full fell
, hospital outfit. The Barbados government
also sent 7O0 barrels OF provisions one to-
Of ice and n full supply Of medicine. Thes
were useful, but the dead only needed quito
burial.
Al G. c. Evans OF Montreal and John q
=, Mcrri. Of New York, who arc now at tn
military hospital at Fort de France. IA
y the steamer Roraima arrived VI 6. AS eIgh
f bells were struck n frlghtful explosion wa
-. hourG up the mountain cloud of Mr.
topping and roaring, swept with lightnln
d speed down the mountain side and over tn
e tcwr and bay The Roralma was nearl
& SUM- and caught Gre at once.
Il never can forget the horrd, fer
~ choking whirlwlnd which cnyelopcd me
e said Mr. Evans ''Mr Norris and | rushC
e below. We are not very badly burnc
ID not so had as most Of them. when the a
came We were going to our posts 1--WE a
cugincersl 10 weigh anchor and get gu
" When We came up We found tho ship an
a. and fought It forward untl o'cloc
IN then the suchct came 10 our rescue. v
were then building q raft"
Ben Benson, carpenter q the Roralm
80 said 81 was on deck pmidships when
es hoard an explosion. The captain order
Of me TO up anchor. ! got to the windlass b
!. when the fire came ! went into the fol
castle and got ms 'duds. When ! eur
out ! tnlked with Captain Muggab, n
" scott. the first officer and others IN
IL had been on the bridge. The captain W
he horribly burned. He had inhaled fam