The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-05-16

Fort de- France. Island of Martinique.
May 13.-Business here is suspended.
The people Of the city have assembled
IN the churcnes and the cathedral.
where special services are being held
for the ST. Pierre dead.
The United States government tug
Potomac leaves here tonight for the
Island Of st. Vincent where conditions
are reported to be worse La Soufrierre.
on 81. Vincent was in full eruption May
10Th A stream of stone and mud half
mile wide was then issuing from the
volcano. Stones two inches in diameter
fell tvelve miles away. At Kingston
the capital of the island, the ashes
were two inches deep Several hundred
dead were reported Sunday, May 18th.
1t is estimated that the total number of
deaths on st. Vincent reaches 1000.
Most OF the victims are said to be
Carib Indians. Seven estates on the
island have been burned to ashes, and
II is automatically reported that two
earthquakes occurred there. 1t is be-
Geved the submarine cables in st. Vim
sent have been broken by the disturb
ances. The present volcanic eruption
on st. Vincent is the first since 1872.
Governor Hunt, Of Porto Rico, has
asked Louis H. Ayme, the United States
consul at Guadeloupe, who is now here
what assistance he could render. Gov
ernor Hunts offer has been communi-
Gated to the government which will
gladly accept It.
The tug Potomac cIuiSeG along the
coast Of this island yesterday afternoon.
She encountered an inkv black cloud OF
smoke which made 1T necessary for her
to go five miles out of her course.
dc foil t, orir h., +eit
dation at st. Pierre. A small detach-
nent of French troops is making eff
forts to inter the dead although the
government seems to be strIkingly un-
concerned as to what Is done in this di-
rectioR.
LOOtinS the Dead.
The 1ooting of the dead has begun
already. While coming to Fort de
France, the Potomac picked up a boat
containing five colored and one white
man whose pockets were filled with
eoin and jewelry, the latter evidently
from the fingers of the dead.
Few COrpses Found.
Strange to relate, In view o. the num-
ber of inhabitants OF St. Pierre who
were swept to death by the volcano
waves from Mount Pelee, on Thursday
last, very few corpses nave been found
by those who are engaged in the work
OF cremating the dead bodies. This is
due to the fact that the most populous
quarters of the towI. are buried under
a thick layer Of lava, which apparently
entirely consumed the bodies of the
victims.
Public interest centers in the stories
Of the survivors and II the efforts being
made to snccor the refugees.
A woman named Laurent, who was
employed as a servant at 81. Pierre, in
the household Of NJ. Gabriel. and who
was among those taken to the hospital
in this city, describing her experiences,
said that on the day of the terrible dis
aster she heard loud report and there
upon tainted. When she regained her
senses, a few hours later, she was horri-
bly, burned, and glancing around, she
saw two members of the G2briel fam
iiy still alive, but they died before as
sistance could reach them. Mile Lau-
rent, although she lived for some time
after being taken to the hospital, and
was conscious while under care OF the
physicians, died without being able to
mpart any additional information con-
sSrning the catastrophe.
Dangers in Rescuing the Survivors.
The work of succoring the refugees
continues necessarily. When the cable
repair ship Pouyer-Quertier. Captain
Thiron, started on her mission of mercy,
she had to pass through clouds OF
burning cinders at the risk of catching
fire. in order to reach the terror str1k-
en people ashore, but she succeeded In
bringing to this port $50 people, mainly
former residents of the village of le-
Precpeur This was on Saturday last.
Since then the steamer, as the result OF
other daring trips, mas succeeded In
bringing many other persons to Fort de
France On Sunday she rescued SZs
persons and piloted the French cruiser
Suchet and the Danish cruiser Valkyren
who took on board 1.5G0 persons. The
Pouyer-Quertier has distributed to the
sufferers large quantities of biscuits,
milk. wine and cheese
The specie Iounu Ia the vaults of the
Bank of Martinique at st. Pierre
amounting to 100000 francs. has been
public treasury at ST. Pierre is still
buried under a layer of lava about SIX
to eight metres thick.
The path of the volcanic torrent
which swept over St Pierre Is marked
cut In a strange manner Inc Viclnlty
~ tbe shore where vessels anchored,
was swept by a whirlwind of volcanic
gas. which ripped, tore and shattered
rigging in its passage, but le1t !e"
traces OF cinderS behind. On the otner
hand, the fort. the center and adJoin-
ing parts Of St. Pierre are buried unoer
a thick bed OF cinders which consumed
everything beneath it.
Lendon, May ia dispatch to the
Reater Telegram Company from Fort
de France Island of Martinique. says
that access to the town Of st. Pierre Is
beeoming easier, but that today the ac-
tiyity of the volcano seems to be in
sreasing.
The scenes within the dead city are
strange and gruesOme, says the dis
r,etch In the section Of the city known
As the MouilIege no sign Of fire is visi-
bla but everything seems to have been
re1t and scattered as though by tor