The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-05-20
HAS SUBSIDIZED
INHABITANTS FEAR ANOTHER
FLOW OF LAVA.
Tons Of Supplies Landed for the
Thousands Of People Who Need
"a Assistance.

correspondent of the Associated Press
has just returned from a visit on
horseback to the destroyed section Of
the island, where he travelled so miles
and penetrated to within five miles Of
the Soufriere crater. The a~sh-covered
area of St. Vincent exceeds that Of
Martinique, which the correspondent
has also explored. The most conserv-
alive estimate of the dead now places
the number at 100. About 1900
bodies already have been inferred.
The entire north portion of the island
is covered to a depth of IS inches,
varying from a thin layer at Kings
ton to two feet or more at George
town. The corps are ruined; nothing
green can be seen. The streets of
Georgetown are numbered with heaps
of ashes resembling snowdrifts, and
ashes rest so heavily on the roofs
that in several case they have caused
them to fall in. There will oon be
five thousand persons in need Of as
sistance from the government, which
is already doing everything possible
for the sufferers.
Tone of Supplies.
The British cruiser. Indefatigable
brought 25 tons of supplies here and
returned to the island of Trinidad to-
day for more. The governor of the
Windward islands, Robert Baxter
Llewellyn. is here supervising the
work of the authorities.
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 tremendousss veocity.
Twenty-six persons who sought ref
uge in a room ten feet by twelve were
killed. One person was Drained with
a huge stone nine miles from the
crater.
1t is estimated that the sea has
encroached from ten feet to two
miles along the coast neal George
town, and that a section on the north
of the island has been dropped into
the sea. This is apparently verified by
the report of the French cable ship
Pouyer Quetier, that soundings now
show sever fathoms where, before
the outbreak, there were thirty-six
| fathoms of water.
Lieutenant Benjamin NJ. McCor-
mack, commanding the United States
steamship Potomac, o in these wat
ers. has called on Governor Lleyellyn
and offered him the sympathy of the
United States and any a~ssistancke
which it is in his power to render,
The Potomac has already landed what
she can spare of food.
Since midnight Tuesday, the subter.
ranean detonations here have ceased
and the Soufriere Wednesday relapsed
apparently in perfect repose.
Further Eruption Feared.
The Inhabitants (meaning the white
%population) are naturally anxious te
know whether the repose Of the vol
cano is permanent or whether it il
the lull which usually precedes great
er activity. The people, anticipating
danger Of further volcanic eruptions
are leaving the outlying towns fol
this city. The negroes who have re
NAMED on the estates are half-starved
and the Carib survivors are leaving
their caves and pillaging abandoned
dwellings and shops. A number O
arrests have been made in this con
nection.