The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-27
WHOLE COUNTRY
LEFT DESOLATE
Volcano of Santa Maria still in
Violent Eruption.
QUEZALTENANe0 is IN RUINS
IMPOSSIBLE TO ESTIMATE THE
NUMBER OF LIVES LOST.
QUEzALTENANG0 is IN RUINS

GAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 26.-The vol
y cano Of Santa Maria was in VIC
lent eruption when the Pacific Mail
steamer City of Panama left there Tor
this port nine days ago.
The City of Panama arrived from Pa
mama and way ports. today bringing
late news from the devastated region,
While the steamer lay at Champerico
the mountain far away was spouting
ashes, smoke and punice stone, the
flakes falling in showers all over the
country.
The city of Quezaltenango, it is re-
ported, has been visited by ruin. Que
zaitenango is located at the base of
Santa Maria, on the eastern slope. and
no fears have heretofore been enter
tanned for the towns safety. All the
damage reported has been on the west
ern side, stretching from the mountains
70 the sea shore. nearly forty miles
away That the damage has extended
across the mountain is evidence of the
terrific activity of the volcano.
Many Refugees.
Refugees are making their way to the
seaside, travelling either to Ocas or
Champerieo, and from these ports pro-
ceeding south by steamer.
From the officers of the City of Pa
mama 1t was learned that some of the
planters are of the opinion that the
ashes may be beneficial to the soil and
the damage may be only temporary
Volcanic matter, it is argued, is often
good fertilizer, and the rain of ashes
may be a blessing in disguise. Abso-
lutte ruin stares many of them in the
race, and the livelihood of thousands Of
natives for many months to come has
Deen shut off by the destructive work
OF the volcano. The work of rehabil-
itating the hncas VIII proba bly, be that
or other hands than the present own
ers. for so great has been the damage
that the majority of planters may
never recover from their losses.
NJ. E. Otis of New York was a mas
senger on the City of Panama, having
come through from New York Mr.
Otis gives a vivid description of the
appearance of land and sea in the
neighborhood of the spouting noun
tain.
las far as the eye can reach from
Champerico," said he, there is MOTH
ing to be seen but ashes and pumice
stone. We sailed for miles through a
sea of ashes. From the sea to Santa
Maria the country looked like a huge
caldron. At short intervals the vol
cano vomited smoke and ashes. At
times the discharge would be carried IN
a short distance into the air, when it
would spread out like an umbrella and
1all TO the earth, covering trees, bushes
and hills with a white shroud.
At other times the discharge would
seem to leap high into the air as il
propelled by some gigantic force. Each
explosion was accompanied by a shock
that could be felt all the way to Cham
peTico. Earthquakes were frequent and
the people felt that their country rested
on a very uncertain foundation. The
people in Champerico seem unable to
form any estimate. of the number Of
lives lost, but they all agree that the
work of devastation, as far as the cof-
Zee plantations are concerned. is com
plete. Without being familiar with
the country, 1 should say that this
statement was not at all exaggerated -