The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-05-26
MONT PELEE ERUPTION
Graphic Description by Owner
Of Estate Near st. Pierre.
SUN OBsOURED BY VOLCANIC DUST

NJ. Albert, Who Escaped Though Only
Mile Away From the Crater,
Tells How lie Rescued His Family
and Later Saw His Property over
run with Lava.
NJ. Albert. the owner and manager Of
the Lagarrane estate. which lies about
n mi,c northeast of the crater of Mont
Pelee, recently arrived at Port OF Spain,
Trinidad, with his family on the steam
ship Canada from Martinique. He
tells a story OF marvellous escape
from the death that swept ST. Pierre
out Of existence, says the New York
Herald's special correspondent lie
says:
mont Pelee had given warning Of
the destruction that was to come, but
we, who had looked upon the volcano
as harmless, did not believe that II
would do more than spout fire and
steam, as 1t had done on other occa-
sions. 1t was a little before o'clock
on the morning OF May that the end
came. was in one Of the Helds Of
my estate when the ground trembled
under my feet, not as 1t does when the
earth quakes. but as though q terrible
struggle was going on within the noun
tain. A terror came upon me, but
could not explain my fear.
"As stood still Mont Pelee seemed
to shudder and moaning sound Is
sued from it's crater. II was quite
dark, the sun being obscured by ashes
and fine volcanic dust The air was
dead about me, 80 dead that the float
ing dust seemingly was not disturbed
Then there was rending crashing,
grinding noise. which | can only de-
scribe as sounding as though every bit
of machinery I'm the world had sudden
ly broken down. II was deafening.
and the fash OF Hight that accompanied
II was binding. more so than any light
ming | have ever seen.
at was like a terrible hurricane, and
where fraction of n second before
there had been a perfect calm felt
myself drawn into vortex. and l had
to brace myself firmly. 1t was like a
great express train rushing by, and
was drawn by It's force. The mysteri'
Gus force leveled row Of strong trees.
tearing them up by the roots and leav
ing bare n space of ground 10 yards
wide and more than 100 yards long.
"Transfxed. stood. not knowing in
what direction to Zee. looked toward
Mont Pelee, and above its apex formed
a great black cloud which reached high
i'm the air. II literally fell upon the city
of st. Pierre. 1t moved with rapidity
that made 1t impossible for anything &c
escape It, From the cloud came ex
plosions that sounded as though all this
navies of the world were in titanic
combat Lightning played in and ou'
in broad forks, the result being that in
tense darkness was followed by ligh
that seemed to be of magnifying pow
er That ST. Pierre was doomed
knew. but was prevented from seeing
the destruction by Il spur OF the hill
that shut off the view of the city. II II
impossible for me to tell how long
stood there inert. Probably IL was ONLY
a few seconds, but so vivid were IN!
impressions that 1t now seems al
though stood as spectator for man!
minutes. When ! recovered possession
of my senses. ran to my house an'
collected the members OF the family
all of whom were panic stricken.
hurried them to the seashore. where W
boarded u small steamship. in whicl
we made the trip in safety to Fort-de
France.
~ know that there was no flame II
the first wave that was sent down upol
ST. Pierre. 1t was a heavy gas, lik
firedamp. and it must have asphyxiat
ed the inhabitants before they wer
touched by the fire, which quickly 70
lowed. AS we drew out to sea in tn
small steamship Mont Pelee was in tn
throes of terrible convulsiOn. Ney
craters seemed TO be opening all abou
the summit. and lava was flowing 1
broad streams in every direction. NJ
estate was ruined while we were sti
in sight OF IT,
"Many women who have lived In s
Pierre have escaped only to know tina
they are left widowed and childlesl
This is because many of the wealthiC
men sent their wives away while the
remained in st. Pierre TO attend
their business affairs"