Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-05-16
THIRTY THOUSAND DEAD
Reported Destruction of St. Pierre Is
Confirmed.
DETAILS OF AWFUL CATASTROPHE
Twelve Survivors Only Remain of
More Than 10000 Dwelicrs In
the III Fnted ToNn-IIcart-
rcnding Sights.

ithuihs7 -hsS'
FORT DE FRANCE. Island of Mar
Unique, May 13.-It now seems to be
generally admitted that about 10000
persons lost their lives as a result of
the outbreak of the Mont Pelee volca-
no at st. Pierre on Thursday last. Care
full investigation by competent govern
ment officials shows that the earlier re-
ports We're accurate.
Briefly put. in ten minutes last Thurs
day morning the city of st. Pierre dis
appeared in Il whirling fire vomited
from Mont Pelee, and 10000 persons
were instantly and horribly killed. and
the volcano, which for more than fifty
years had been Il quiet lake occupying
its ancient crater, in which picnic par
ties bathed. suddenly discharged tor
rents of fiery mud which rolled toward
the sea, sweeping everything before it.
Then the last cable communication
was broken. and the doomed city was
isolated from the world.
The commander of the French cruis-
er SuChet gave the American consul
,
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 trained American
newspaper man. the following facts
were learned regarding the destruction
of st. Pierre:
Thursday morning found the inhab-
itants of that city anXously looking to-
ward the thick clouds shrouding the
Mont pclee crater. All day Wednesday
horrid Getonations 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.
Twelve survivors only are in the mil
itary hospital ut Fort de France, while
10000 corpses are strewn about or bur-
led in the ruins of st. Pierre or else
floating. gnawed by sharks in the sur
rounding seas. Twenty-eight charred
half dead human beings were brought
here. Sixteen of them are already dead
and four others only are expected to
recover.
a steamer chartered in GuadelOupe
reached Martinique at 6:30 Sunday
morning. The lofty hilled island was
hidden behind a huge veil of violet or
leaden colored haze. Enormous guam
titles of the wreckage of large and
Oh Of
Huge trees and too often floating bod
ies, with focks of sea gulls soaring
above and hideous sharks fighting
about them, We're floating 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 wom-
en-, frantic to get away, begged for a
passage on the steamer.
The whole north end of the island
was covered with a silver gray coat
ing 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 near
r. two miles along the water front and
half a mile back to Il cliff at the base of
the volcano. The houses of the richer
French families were built of stone
The ash covered hills were fanked by
the still smoking volcano The ruins
were still burning in many places, and
frightful odors OF burned flesh filled
the air. With great difficulty a landing
was effected. Not one house was left