Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-05-14
Sketch Of Martinique.

rises 10 an altitude OF $500 feet in the
northwest extremity Of the island.
Along the main axis Of the range
are other craters, with intervening
layas and scoriae terminating in a
peak in the south 1850 feet high. The
three-crested Mount Carbel, midway
between the northern extremity and
the capital, rivals Mount Pelee in
height.
The island is divided almost into
sections by inlets. The intervening
isthmus is scarcely six miles wide.
The southern section of the island is
less elevated than the northern. The
capital, Fort de France, is the mill
tary center OF the French Antilles.
II was half ruined by an earthquake
in 1889, when 700 people were killed
and practically the whole island ruin
ed. st. Pierre, which was in the
northwest extremity, not far from the
foot of Mount Pelee. was the CONNER
cial capital.
Though generally quiescent, Mount
Pelee was the scene of an eruption
in 1851.
The total population of the island
is reckoned at 175.OOO of whom 1O.-
900 are whites, $1,000 of Asiatic or
igin and 10000 blacks. of all shades
from ebony to light octoroon.
Martinique has two interesting
claims to distinction In that Empress
Josephine was born there. as was
Nine. de Maintenon, the latter pass
ing her girlhood on the island as
FRANCHISE d'Audigne.
At Fort de France. there is a mar
BILE statue of the Empress Josephine.
Boiling Mud and Fire.
Pointe-a-Pitre, May 10, Guadalupe.
Saturday morning.-The first mate of
the Roraima thus describes the dis
aster at st. Pierre:
Between $3.50 and o'clock in the
morning of Thursday, without warn
ing, there came a sort of whirlwind
of steam, boiling mud and fire. which
suddenly swept the city and road
stead. There were some eighteen ves-
sells anchored In the harbor. including
the Roraima, the French sailing ship
Tamaya, four large sailing ships and
others.
"All the vessels Immediately can't
ed over and began to burn. The Tam
aya was a bark from Nantes, Captain
Maurice. and was on her way to
Point.a-Pitre. All the boats except
the Roraima sank instantly and at
the same moment.
every house ashore was utterly
destroyed and apparently buried un-
der the ashes and burning lava. An
officer who was sent ashore penetrat-
ed but a short distance into the city.
He found only few walls standing,
and the streets literally paved with
corpses.
THE governor of the island, who
had arrived only few hours before
the catastrophe. was killed. Both Eng
lish and American consuls with their
families were reported to have per-
ished. It is certain that no more than
forty out of the $4,000 could have es.
capped"
To suecor the Starving.
The cruiser Suchet was here yes
terday. buying provisions for the sur
vlvors in the outlying districts. She
sailed for Fort de France last night
with large quantity of stores, which
we're Immediately put under military
guard. Negroes are focking in vast
numbers into Fort de France from
the surrounding country, demanding
food.
A telegram from Fort de France
says that hot mud and cinders have
been falling all night throughout the
island and still continue. doing great
damage, and that when the final re-
ports are received 1t will be found
that many people have been killed or
injured in other parts of Martinique.
The Quebec line steamship Korona
arrived at the island Of Dominica
yesterday. bringing a number of sur.
vivors from her sister ship, the Ror-
alma. The captain Of the Korona
says that the eruption at st. Pierre
was apparently from a new crater,
and that accompanying the eruption
there seemed to be tidal wave which
overwhelmed the shipping.
500 Perished on st. Vincent
st. Thomas. ID. w. l., May l1.-Ad
vices received here from the island oi
Dominica, today, say that boats ar
rived there report that many persons
were drowned while crossing Dominica
from the island OF Martinique. where
some of the outpasses had been inun'
dated. The eruption of Mount Pelee
(Martinique) continues. the lava pro
crossing northward.
The whole northern region is now
a rocky waste denuded Of vegetation
Reports from the island OF st. Vincent
say that up to the afternoon OF Friday
last over 90 deaths had occurred
there, owing to the volcanic outbreak
in that island. Definite news, how
ever, is lacking. Many estates werc
destroyed and steam and ashes were
a - - L. Aa