Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-16
FORT DE- FRANCE
IS THREATENED
Capital OF the Island OF Martia
nique May Be Destroyed
by Volcano.
Explorations OF the Devastated
Districts On St. Vincent and
at St. Pierre.
Ashes to the Depth OF Eighteen
Inches Cover Portions OF
the Islands.

Paris, May 16.-A private telegram
received here via La Guaria, Nenezue
la, says Fort de France is seriously
threatened by volcanic disturbance.
London, May 16.-A dispatch from
the governor of the Windward Islands
dated st. Vincent, received at the col
onial office this morning, says:
.Total number of bodies buried to
date. 1900; in hospital, 100. All imme-
diate wants now supplied. Generous
aid received from neighboring colonies
Nine best sugar estates damaged seri-
o,sly. All vegetation is destroyed
win probably revive after rain. Three
thousand persons on the rellef hst, az
an approximate cost OF 5oo daliS. re
lief must continue for some tine. hiup'
ton seems to be decreasing, put lava
still flowing. All danger not yet over.
Kingstown, st. Vincent, May 10
The correspondent of the Associated
Press has just returned from Vlsia
on horseback to the devastated dis
trict of this island, during which no
travelled fifty miles and penetrated
to within five miles of the soutriere
crater The ash-covered area OF st,
Vincent exceeds that of Martinique,
which the correspondent also explored
The most conservative estimate OF the
death rate here now places the number
AT 1.TO0. About thirteen hundred
bodies are already inferred. The en-
tire northern part of the island ~
covered with ashes to an average
denth Of eighteen inches, varying from
q thin layer at kingstown to TWO teet
or more at Georgetown. Crops ara
ruined and nothing green can be seen
The streets of Georgetown are cum
bered with heaps resembling snow
drifts, Ashes are heaped so heavily
on roofs in several places they nave
fallen in. There will soon be hve
thousand destitute people and persons
in need of assistance from the govern
ment. which is already doing every
thing possible to relieve sullefefs.
There We're 100 injured people IN fhe
hospital at Georgetown. The British
cruiser Indefatigible brought twenty,
five tons of supplies here and returned
to the island of Trinidad today Tor
more.
The governor of Windward Islands,
Sir Robert Llewellyn, is here super
vising the work of the authorities.
The injured persons are terribly
burned by hot grit, which was driven
along with tremendous velocity.
Twenty-six persons who sought
shelter in room ten feet by twelve
were all killed. One person was
Drained With a huge stone nine miles
from the crater. Rough coftins are
being made to receive the remains
Of victims. The hospital here is filled
with dying people. The negroes are
Indifferent to all that is transpiring
and to what has taken place. They
expect to receive government rations'
but there are instances where they
refused to bury their own relatives.
1t is estimated the sea has en-
croached from ten feet to two miles
along the coast near Georgetown and
that section on the north Of the
island has dropped into the sea. This
is apparently verified by the report
of the French cable ship PouyeI
700 fathoms where, before the out
break, there were thirty-six fathoms
of water.
The United States steamer Potomac
now in these waters, has landed what
she can spare of her foodstuffs.
Since midnight, Tuesday, subter-
reanean detonations here have cease,
and Soufriere, Wednesday. relapsed
into perfect repose, nc
smoke rising from crater and the fis-
sures emitting no vapor. The stunteN
vegetation that formerly adorned THO
slopes of the mountain has dsap-
peared, having given place to gray
colored lava, which greets the eye on
every side. The atmosphere is dry, but
somewhat agitated Rain would be
welcome, as there is a great deal OF
dust in the air, which is very disagree
able and irritating to throats and eyes
The inhabitants (meaning the white
population, as ruie) naturally, arc
fearful that the subsistence of Sou
friere is but the lull which usually pre-
cedes greater paroxysmal activity
Some people, anticipating the danger
Of further eruptions, are leaving tho
outlying towns for this city. The ne
yroes who have remained on the es-
tates are half starved, and Carib sur
vivors are leaving their caves and
pillaging abandoned dwelling houses
md shops. A number of arrests have
been made in this connection.
AS the colonial hospital here wa,
found inadequate to accommodate the
sufferers large army tents have been
erected for the use of the patients
who are being constantly brought here
rom other towns on the island, but
wen these hospitals are over.
crowded.
The arrival here of the first detach-
nent of the ambulance corps which
brought sufferers from Georgetown
3aused quite a sensation. This batch
consisted of 100 persons, whose charred
bodies exhaled fetid odors and whose
oathsome faces made even the hos.
pital attendants shudder. 1t is doubt.
sul whether one of the whole party
will recover.
The death rate among the people In ]