The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-16
GREAT DRIFTS
OF ASHES
Two Feet of Cinders Cover
All Vegetation at George
town, St. Vincent.
The Weight Causes Roofs to
Fall Ll-Great Destitu-
ton Will Result.


of the Associated Press has just returned
here from visit on horseback to the
devastated district of this island, during
which he travelled fifty miles and pene-
trated to within five miles of the Soufriere
crater. The ash area of St. Vim
cent exceeds that of Martinique, which the
correspondent has also explored. The most
conservative estimate of the death rate
here now places the number at 1,700
About 1,S0O bodies have already been in
TERED.
The entire northern part Of the
. island is covered with ashes to an
average depth of eighteen inches,
varying from a thin layer at King
ton to two feet or more Mt George
town. The crops are ruined, Moth
ing green can be seen, the streets of
Georgetown are numbered with
heaps of ashes resembling snow
drifts and ashes rest so heavily on
the roofs that in several cases they
have caused them to fall in. 80
! There will soon be 5000 destitute per-
| sens In need of assistance from the gov
el uneul tWulCH is dlreaQY QOlQS every
| thing possible to relieve the sufferers.
There sre hundred injured people in the
hospital at Georgetown, gangs Of men are
| searching for the dead or rapidly burying
| them in trenches and all that can be done
| under the circumstances is being accom-
| plished. .-. +.
| The British cruiser Indefatigable
brought twenty five tons Of supplies here
| and returned to the island of Trinidad to-
day for more. - -
The governor Of the Windward islands,
Sir Robert Llewelyn is here, supervising
the work of the authorities. e-."..
While the outbreak of the volcano on
the island of Martinique killed more people
| outright, more territory has been ruined
in St. Vincent, hence there is greater
restitution here.
The injured persons were horribly
| burned by the hot grit, which was driven
along with tremendous velocity. Twenty
six persons who sought refuge in room
ten feet by twelve, were all killed. One
person was Drained with huge stone
nine miles from the crater. {
/ Rough collins are being made to re-
ceive the remains of the victims. Tb e
hospital here is filed with dying people.
| Fifty injured persons are lying on the
floor of that building, as there are no
beds for their accomm cdation, though
cots are being rapidly constructed of
boards. This and similar work has been
in progress since Immediately after the
disaster. Two days elapsed, however, be-
fore there were any burials, as the ne
groes refused to dig the necessary
trenches, though they were offered three
| times the usual wages by the local au-
thorities. The nurses employed are in
| competent. but they are willing to learn
and are working hard. The negroes are
Indifferent to all that is occurring and to
what has taken place. They expect to re-
oapf h1,f ha
been instances where they have refused
to bury their own relatives.
Sea Bottom Drops Out.
1t is estimated that the sea has en-
croached from ten feet to two miles along
the coast near Georgetown and that sec
ton on the north of the island has dropped
into the sea. This is apparently verified
by the report of the French cable ship
Pouyer Quertier, that soundings now show
seven fathoms where before the outbreak
there were thirty-six fathoms Of water.
Lieutenant Benjamin B. Mccormick
commanding the United States steamer
Potomac, now in these waters, has called
on Governor Llewellyn and offered hin
the sympathy of the United States anc
any assistance in his power to render. The
Potomac has also landed what she cal
, spare of her food stuffs. The governor
, expressed his thanks and added that Their,
was no immediate need of help. The Pc
tomac carried official dispatches to thu
island of St. Lucia. .. ~- ........ =
The Volcano Is Quiet Again.
, Since midnight, Tuesday, the subter
ranean detonations here have ceased an
the Soufriere, Wednesday, relapsed, ap
parently, into perfect repose, no smok
rising from the Greater and the assure
emitting no vapor. 49,.
The stunted vegetation that former1
adorned the, slopes of the mountain ha
disappeared, having given. place to gray
colored lava, which greets> the eye o.
5 every side. The atmosphere is dry, bu
somewhat agitated. Rain would be wei
S come, as there is great deal of dust II
: the air which is very Irritating to throat
and eyes, and is causing the merchant
y to put all their goods under cover. TIL
, inhabitants (meaning the white popula
e ton, as rule) are anxious to kno1
/ whether the repose of the volcano is. per
0 manent or whether it is the lull whic
e usually precedes greater. paroxysmal &C
S tivity Some people, anticipating tina
S there is danger Of further volcanic erup
a tons. are leaving the outlying regions fc
< this city. The negroes who have RENAME
L on the estates are half starved, and til
y Carib survivors are leaving their cave
: and pillagng abandoned dwelling house
L and shops. A number of arrests have bee
n made in this connect ion sFSE -