Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-19

ship Gabrielle Sainte was an eye
witness of the tragedy and one of the
few men in the harbor who miracu-
lousy escaped.
NJ Sainte declares that Mont Pelee
was reduced in height at least 800
meters (about 915 feeD by the force
of the explosion.
The ship Gabrielle belongs to the
firm of which Senator knight is the
head, and the vessel was lost in the
whirlwind of fire. Captain Sainte tells
graphic story of the destruction OF
the shipping in the harbor and of his
own escape. His version differs from
all other accounts received here, for
he tells of two explosions of Mont Pc
lee-one at 630s "a. M, which blew off
the top of Mont Pelee, and the second
one an hour and twenty minutes later,
which destroyed st. Pierre.
NJ. Sainte's story also accounts for
the presence of so many dead bodies
on the wharves, and also for the APP
pearance of Governor Moutett and the
party of scientists in the open launch.
According to NJ. Sainte the first eG-
out the city and thousands of persons
rushed to the wharves in hopes of es-
Gaping by boat They were on the
wharves when the final catastrophe
came and We're stricken dead where
they stood. Hundreds of bodies were
washed into the sea by the retiuX OF
the receding waters.
1t is believed that Governor Moutett
and the scientists were making an in
spection of Mont Pelee and the coast
line in order to reassure the people Ii
is known that only the day before the
scientists had declared that the erup-
ton of Mont Pelee, which had then
been in progress for more than week.
was not menace to the city. Their
lives paid forfeit to their confidence
in their own scientific attainments
Captain Sainte tells the following
story of his own escape:
con May at o'clock in the morn
ing the sun was shining brightly. To
the north of the roadstead of ST. Pierre
Mont Pclee was smoking. The wind
was coming from the east and driving
the smoke westwardly The sky in that
direction was completely ohscured
by it.
soon after half past 6 o'clock seven
columns of white smoke burst suddenly
from what was apparently new era
ter and the mountain appeared to be
torn from top to bottom. The whole
top disappeared.
There was a general panic In the
city, and thousands of persons rushed
to the wharves. The steamer Diamant,
which was lying alongside wharf,
pulled out into the roadstead.
eat half-past Z a boat containing
Governor Moutett with members of the
scientific corps was seen moving along
400 yards from the shore, apparently
making an inspection. At 1850 there
ives more terrible roaring and Mont
Pelee disappeared from sight in huge
volume of black smoke. E5
"Then something without shape, with
terrible rapidity, buried all of ST.
Pierre. The ships in the roadstead
rocked to the blast Their masts and
spars were broken, and they We're al
most simultaneously on fire. Three or
the vessels, the Korona, North America
and Roddam, resisted the shock to
certain extent, bat their WOODWORK
caught fire. Only a few aboard the
shipping were saved.
m. Sainte says that his life was saw
ed by miracle. He was thrown into
the water with four others from the
Gabrielle. All were scalded more or less
by hot water. M. Sainte held on to
piece of wreckage and saw scene OF
horror.
There was an incessant rain of lava,
mud, and stone on the town and coun-
try roundabout. The air whistled and
cracked as tho heavy fusillade was
being fired. At o'clock M. Sainte was
able to see that Mont Pelee had been
reduced in height at least 300 meters
and that the crater had widened.
Meanwhile he had been drifting sea-
ward. but the wind shifted and he was
carried towards the shore. He and his
kept afloat on their lmpro-
vised raft for two hours and saw ship
while drifting about. They made sig
nails but they We're not seen.
Meanwhile the volcano continued
forth lava and the rivers over
flowed, carrying everything before
them.
After being adrift two hours the
party saw canoe, and NJ. Sainte swan
to it. He found it full of lava and hot
water. He emptied the craft and he
and his companions got in 1t
Some hours afterwards they We're
discovered by ship which they rec
ognized as the French cruiser Suchet.
They were picked up, after which the
Suchet sent men ashore. who saved a
few men, women, and children. They
we're all badly burned, and some of
them died before reaching the cruiser.
Seven men who We're saved from the
steamer Roraima were taken to Fort de
France by the Suchet with the others
rescued.
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