Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-11-27

Guatemala, the section Of Central
America just south Of Mexico and ex-
tending from sea TO sea. was the scene
o. volcanic eruptions on Friday and
Saturday. Oct "A and 25. which accord
ing 10 reports. killed 5000 natives and
laid waste a large tract Of country de-
voted TO coffee raising.
The region devastated Is in the western
part of Guatemala in the mountainous
regions bordering the Pacific ocean, and
from 20 20 rs miles distant from the
latter.
Ferdinand Bardwell. who reached
San Francisco in q steamer, from the
Guatenala coast In telling his story Of
the eruption. and the experience OF him
self and his relatives said;
a great column of smoke and fire
rose seemingly 70 the peak Of Santa
Maria on the night Of October "a. All
that night the earth shook in almost
constant vibration and the next morn
ing the sky was enveloped in a thick
cloud Of smoke. Ashes like coarse sand
fell In a heavy shower that continued
for several hours. and then the ashes
became lighter and drifted about in
clouds Of light dust Breathing was
difficult, and the atmosphere was so hot
that il seemed as though the skin would
he pealed from a persons body. For
three days we were in almost total
darkness On the fourth day. with a
light breeze from the south. the smoke
clouds We're rolled back toward the
mountains and nc times streaks OF light
would break through. We were on the
side of the volcano least exposed. 10 the
fairy Of the eruption aud 30 miles away
from the mountain, yet our place is
ruined beyond nj hope OF recovery.
II l. covered with deep volcanic ash
We were Obliged TO abandon all our
horses and all the goods we did not need
for our personal comfort at the banks Of
q river. There the gorge was 50 deep
aud the current 50 swift we could not
get the the horses across. and We werr
obliged 10 20 across the stream sitting
in sling suspended from rope stretch
"a across the tops of the high banks
At Champerieo we met Gulf planters
from the vicinity Of Costa Cuca. Palma.
Ref0rma and xolhults. where the de
strucfion was much more severe than
0n the side of the mountain where our
plantation IN situated
They said that the destruction to
their property was complete aud that
from ), 90 10 4 600 OF the natives and
employees Of the planters had perished.
One "a these refugees from the ruined
district said that ON his way out over
oue u the roads leading from Aolhults
be counted 70 natives lying half bnried
under stones aud ashes from the vol
ean0. and every one was lying beside a
PACK of his household goods They had
tried 10 escape from the fury Of the
mountain when IL FIRST broke out. The
coantry about these ruined plantations
was thickly settled, andan some OF the
more densely populated districts there
we're villages tn which thousands OF ma
tiFes lived. Most of these villages are
covered with stones aud ashes %
aHIt1 ui tfoAu i've W nrfeh icct ~
frail houses wege unable % stand the
teFrilale downponr Of the volcanic debris
and people henrMth the roofs were
bari~d. after being stunned by the
awfnl hail Of ston~s
Many refugees who were fleeing
from the scene of destruction have been
allied by the robbers who latest every
trait Those who have been murdered
were HnrinR from the ruined district
with what provisions aud little money
they had saved from the deluge Of ashes
and stones The food they carried is
wamt particularly excited the eupiditY
0f tine r0bhera the houses deserted ~
ths first break of th1 volcano, and q
watch the owners had few days later
returned. were looted by these robbers
Everything that was Of value Was
carried aEay. and articles that could
not he carried away were destroyed