Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-12
S BEEN ACTIVE SINCE THIRD OF MAY
Expert Commission Examines 1t Then and
Reports There is No Danger,
ULLS PEOPLE INTO FALSE SECURITY
Suddenly Becomes More Active and Over
whelms the Inhabitants.
FRENCH CRUISER MAKES DARING RESCUE
Goes Through Stining smoke Into the
Intense Heat and Rescucs Thirty
survivors at ST.
Pierre.

FORT DE FRANCE, Island OF Martinique,
| May 1--AdviCes received here today from
| the vicinity of ST. Pierre, ten miles from
here, contain further details of the terrible
volcanic uphcaval which resulted in the
utter destruction of that town and the
| death of nearly all its inhabitants,
! The crater of Mont Peloe has been wear
| ing its smoke cap" since May 3. but there
! was nothing until last Monday to indicate
that there was the slightest danger. On
! that day a stream of boiling lava burst
through the top Of the crater into the
valley of the River Blanche, overwhelm-
| ing the Guern sugar works and killing
twenty-three workpeople and the son of
| the proprietor.
! commission was appointed by the gov
| ernor to investigate the outbreak, and 1t
| returned reassuring report on Wednesday
evening, but about s o'clock on Thursday
| morning a shower OF fire rushed down on
st Pierre and the coast, from lie Carbet,
which had population of 5000, to lie
| Precheur, which had population Of 1000,
| burning up everything in its path.
Throughout Thursday the heat in the vi
cinity of ST. Pierre was so intense and
the stream of flowing lava was so un-
remtting that it was impossible to ap-
proach the town during the early part OF
the day. As evening approached the French
cruiser Suchet, after a heroic battle with
the heat, suffocation and sulphur fumes,
succeeded in making a dash toward the
shore, nearing the land close enough to
! enable it to take off thirty survivors Of the
disaster, all of whom we're horribly burned
and mutilated
Town Smoking Waste.
st. Pierre at that time was an absolute
! smoking waste, concealing 900 corpses,
whose rapid decomposition necessitated in
| some cases, instantly completing their Gre
nation, which was only partially accom-
plshed by the lava. The inhabitants of
Fort de France were panic stricken, the
morning of the disaster, when the sky sud
denly blackened until Il was dark as
midnight The sea shrank back thirty
yards and hot rain began TO fall, and gravel
Of large size began to tall onto the town.
This lasted fifteen minutes. About $50 sur
vlvors, who were brought here from the
vicinity Of st. Pierre by Pouyer Guertier.
came from the town of lie Precheur. where.
surrounded on all sides by flowing lava,
they nearly roasted to death and
expected momentarily to be engulfed. The
work of relief is progressing here the
most extensive scale possible, but, in an
ticipaton of disturbances the treasury
building and the warehouses are guarded
by troops.
The latest reports received here showed
that lava continues to pour down the
slopes of the mountain, slowly engulhns
the whole north side of the mountain,
while fresh crevasses are continually open
ing.
Surpnsses Power to Conceive.
PARIS, May 1.-THE Temps today, re-
ferrng to the destruction at st. Pierre,
says: We believe from the information
received here from the island OF Mar
Unique (meanlEg doubtless the official dis
patches) that the disaster surpasses all
( that Imagination can conceive. The whole
I northeastern portion Of the island is laid
waste. Three large communities, exclusive
Of st. Pierre, have been destroyed. The
victims comprise two candidates for today's
| ballotage for members of the Chamber OF
Deputies.
A dispatch received here today from Fort
de France says: All the hills surround
ing lie Carbet and lie Precheur (near ST.
Pierre) are covered with refugees to the
humber of about 5000, who are being taken
away gradually In the meanwhile provi-
sions are being conveyed to them.
Dt the thirty persons who were originally
rescued by the French cruiser Suchet, the
majority we're fearfully burned and nine
died while on their way to the hospital.
I The corpses which are heaped in the
ruins of st. Pierre are not only completely
2 naked, but are frlghtfully mutilated.
The minister OF marine, NJ. De Lanessan,
today received a cable dispatch from the
! commander Of the French cruiser Suchet.
) dated Fort De France, Martinique. saying
that he conducted a search at St. Pierre
; yesterday. The captain reports that the
] town is now a mere heap Of smoking ruins,
under which the victims OF the catastrophe
are buried. Suchet was able to convey
some of the Inhabitants OF lie Precheur to
p Fort De France, but could not reach the
p northern most part Of the island on account
OF the dense rain Of ashes
! The captain OF Suchet further reported
p that the Mont Pelee volcano still had a
I threatening aspect yesterday evening. Sub
- terranean rumblings were still heard and
2 stonas we're thrown out with immense force.
A dispatch received at the colonial ofice
here today from Fort De France says there
2 is no doubt that Governor Mouttet and the
commander Of the troops at St. Pierre.
Colonel Dain, are dead. Other dispatches
confirm the reports that the American and
, British consuls and their families perished.
. The waves Of lava are still reported to
; be flowing northward. They have extended
= even TO lie Carbet.
!, The crater Is still active as this dispatch
. is sent The lava has destroyed several dis
tricts with their live stock. People are
fleeing 10 this town, streams are dried NJ
and ~ many places a food and water famine
Is threatened. The government is feeding
numbers Of sufferers from the outbreak
Great physical changes have taken place IN
the neighborhood Of the Souffriere.
Several districts have not yet been heard
from and the scene Of the eruption is unap-
proachable. Every hour brings sGdder news.
u The nurses and doctors are OyerWorkcd. II
is impossible TO give full details al present.
beautiful as Wei as Terrible.
70 KINGSTON, ST. Vincent b. w l., Sat
r urday, May 10.-After numerous earth
a Quakes during the preceding fortnight ac-
Z companied by subterranean noises in tho
% direction OF the sounriere volcano on the
T northwest part Of the island. loud ex-
plosion from the crater occurred Monday