New-York tribune., 1902-06-04
SOUFFRIERE'S A WFUL WORK
BELIEF GENERAL THAT VOLCANOES
WRATH Is NOT YET APPEASED-
STORIES OF SURVIVORS

St vincent's volcano. sounriere. exploded before
Pelee The principal eruption occurred May about
o'clock in the afternoon For several days there
had been earthquake shocks Of considerable sever
ity and the inhabitants aroL nd the base OF the
volcano had become thoroughly alarmed The
Carbs who lived at the foot of the north slope Of
the mountain and who often visited the old crater
noticed nearly two weeks before the eruption that
the water in the sulphur lake was bubbling Up and
that jets of steam were periodically rising from
its surface TO considerable heights These abo-
rgines OF the Antilles spread the alarm, and were
finally taken from their dangerous position by the
government. The people of the plantations on all
the slopes had been warned OF their danger and
many had fed to Georgetown and Kingston. Some
the people, however, delayed their intended f,ght
until 1T too late. and others were caught in
the tornado of choking gases at plantations where
they had taken refuge in their flight begun early
that morning. Those to the wndward OF Souffriere
could not believe there great danger until tha
dense cloud of smoke and the falling dust Of
Wednesday morning almost stihed them Tns
earthquakes more numerous and more vfo-
lent that morning. and the sultry air was SO
fraught with choking fumas and the sky was so
omnous that the alarm became general. The plan
tation roads toward Georgetown were thronzed
with people most of whom were, carrying all tbev
could of their household effects. BY noon the heat
great that the fleeing people were forced to
rest by the wayside. The falling ashes were
thicker and breathing had become so difficult tha+
handkerchiefs bits of their apparel The stories
vary greatly to the hour There were no time
pieces among the fleeing hundreds and most ,or
them state that the climax of the volcanoes activity
two hours later than O'Clock. the
time given by the people of Georgetown who wit
messed the eruption from :heir homes and shoos
The broken Windows all on the sides of the
houses away from the volcano. This is explained
by the statement that a strong breeze set in from
the during the eruption-probabIy an inrush of
cold 1ir raI-a avTr.,a oF
The ashes were observable on the fields and hills
for distance of nearly eight miles south Of
Georgetown. North of Georgetown all vegetation
was destroyed. The fields bare as the
desert. and the mountain slopes were denuded OF
their forest growths.
II the terrors of that memorable May vers
beyond description the east side of Sour-
friere, what must have been those OF the western
shore OF the island? Chateau Belair escaped The
Richmond and Wallfbou estates were entirely COW
cred with mud to a depth of fifty feet Their IN
habitants died. died the people Of ST. Pierre the
next morning. None left to tell the tale Mud
flows filed all the valleys to the beach No vege-
tation. no life left by the merciless sweep OF
fire and the rush Of mud All was lost save the
barren outlines of the hills and they were torn
and sundered by a force that passes human
ception into fragments that may hencefOrth receive
names as separate mountains Pelee exceled Souf-
friere only the number OF it's human victims The
monster Of ST. Vincent lacked only the pepulous
city which nestled at the foot of Peiee of gaining
name as great and terrible
To the eastward of Sounriere wound the gorge
OF the Dry River. famed throughout the West In
dies for its scenic beauty At the nearest point TO
GEORGETOWN, perhaps two miles distant this gorge
was fifty feet deep and perhaps FIVE hundred feet
wide Back toward the mountain this marvellous
fssure deepened to four hundred feet and mar
rowed to scarcely fifty. Down this chasm flowed
from the crater OF SouffTiere a stream OF mud
which almost filed It. and spread over the low
--Ir 1-7l l6y
sugar Plantations The valleys OF the Waterloo,
Langley Park and Orange Hill rivers. were also
transformed into mud flows of great depth ana
breadth.
Suddenly there was great explosion. and flames
shot upward from the crater OF Souhrlere cioLl
Of inkv blaekness rose from the volcano SUMMIT
and spread out with incredible rapd1ty Ike an UNI
brelIa Big stones fell The darkness OF IlIHls---
enveloped the earth. Smaller stones and graFel
came down then cfnders and ashes Tnere was q
rush ike that of a tornado and then hash- FIRE
was everywhere. Wet ashes came down s7lt-S
after that and deathly stiffness ensueo, OroNeH
onlv by the cries for water OF those WHO HaU sun