The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-06-24

plosIon before the Roddam cleared the
harbor.
"On shore an was aHame The city
burned with a terrible roar. We re-
allied that the inhabitants had all died,
ss not one was to be seen making an
attempt TO escape. Not cry was heard
save from the ships that were IN the
harbor. Our own condition was des.
prratc In the extreme. The heat was
Intense. We were able 20 keep our
faces above the surface OF the water for
second at time at the most. We
would take a uouthful Of air and then
sink into the water 20 stay there until
forced 10 come 10 the surface again
This only lasted about three minutes.
After that we were able to dOat by the
side OF the boat. dipping only occasion.
ally. When we could sustaiA the heat
that hlIed the air. we clambered back
into the boat and rowed back 20 Carbet.
At Carbet We found the village abso-
lutcly deserted
1T Is impossible 10 describe even IN
the most faint manner the horrors of
ST. Pierre. There were some things
that can be- explained and many more
that cannot be explained by anything
known to modern reason.
1T happened that one OF the first
bodies found by the party with which
we entered St Pierre on Monday. May
= was that of A pretty little girl about
four years old. She sat in lifellke po.
sition by the side u box containing
her toys But how explain the fact
that the house ln which it was found
was In absolute ruins. and, instead OF
being under the debris the body was
on top OF II alll II was as though the
little girl and her box ot toys had been
lifted into the air and. after the build.
Ing had fallen into ruins. been dropped
back to earth. So II was in the streets.
The explosion happened just before s
O'Clock. 10 was a feast day Mass was
called for 5 O'Clock. aud many were
on their way 20 the cathedral All OF
these had been lifted into the air. and
after the ruins had fallen the bodies
dropped back.
when melinlte explodes In the hands
Of man. it is always the case that his
clothes are blown from his body. SO Il
was at St Pierre All OF the bodies
were naked, sac FOR the shoes. More
over. the clothing had not been burned
OF, as has been 80 often reported. The
only bodies touched by hrc were those
that remained where the houses buru.
ed after the explosion
I'VE saw great stones that seemed
to he marycls OF strength. but wheu
touched by the toe OF boot they
crumbled into impalpable dusts ! pick
ed up bar Of iron. II was about an
inch and a half thick and three feet
long. II had been manufactured square
and then twisted so as TO give IL great
er strength. The tire that came down
from Mont Pelee had taken from the
iron all OF It's strength and had left II
so that when twisted It II fell into
nlaments, like so much broom straw.
Back Of the cathedral was the sa-
wanna. Great trees had been torn up
by the roots leaving hole twenty
feet deep ana thirty or forty feet
across. Then this hole had been filed
by the ashes that poured down from
the volcano Trees were cut OF as
though by "A mighty knife in the hands
OF giant reaper. Everywhere were
banks Of cinders and ashes An about
us were bodies ON few faces was TO
be seen that peace which | have seen
mentioned by others. | believe that al
most an had time 10 realize what was
upon them, but they did not have time
to suffer. Their arms were outstretch
ed. The hands were open and the fin
gers were spread II was a common
gesture aud believe that II was an
act of men aud women who threw up
their arms 20 ward on a blow which
they knew was descending upon them
There was another fact which has
not been remarked upon as IL deserves
I know that the explosion of Mont Pc
lee was not accompanied by anything
like an earthquake for the reason that
when we entered ST. Pierre we found
the fountains flowing, just as though
nothing had happened, They contin-
ued 20 dow and are flowing still unless
destroyed by the later explosions
There was no dow OF lava. II was
all ashes, dust gas and mud. Therein
lies another fact that must be consid-
cred. II should be remembered when
discussing this catastrophe that the
crater that sent disaster upon st. Pierre
was not AT the crest OF the volcano.
The old crater was at the top, and II
was filled with water forming a pret-
ty lake. The first eruption, which sent
destruction upon Precheur. was from
n crater far down the side OF the noun.
tain. The destruction then was worked
| by mud.
"Now. the water in that lake dlsap'
peared a little before the eruption OF
May 3. There had been constant and
heavy rains. Then a small peak OF the
mountain fell in and covered the crater,
from which the hot mud had been
pouring. am convinced that that fal
of earth. stones and water closed w