Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-05-12
CREMAT|NC
THE VICTIMS
Several Vessels Dispatched to St. Pierre From
Fort do France With Fire Wood and
Petroleum for That Purpose.
CABLE FROM CONSUEAYMEE
No Suggests That the Red Cross be Asked TO Send
Provisions for tho Hungry Refugees
Visits Of Warshlps
Valuable

Visits Of Warshlps
Valuable
Fort de France, Island Of Martinique
Sunday, May 11.-Several steamers, in
Guiding the government vessel Rubis
started from here yesterday for st
Pierre. They had on board govern
ment delegate, a number of gendarmes
a detachment of regular infantry ant
several priests. The vessels also car.
ried a quantity of fire wood, petroleum
and quicklime, for use in the cremation
of the bodies. of victims of the terrible
volcanic outbreak on Thursday last
Large quantities of disinfectants and
stocks Of clothing for the refugees were
also shipped to St. Pierre. The refug-
ees had, as a rule, assembled at lie
Carbet and Case Pilote, not far from
st. Pierre, and it is reported that over
1000 of them have died since the fear
full stream of lava poured down from
Mont Pelee. The sea for miles round
sells sunk off st. Pierre, and ashore on
ly few trees, all bent seaward by the
force Of the volcanic shower. were left
standing. When nearing St. Pierre the
Rubis met number of tugs towing
lighters filled with refugees. The heat
from the smoking, lava covered ruins
at st. Pierre is suffocating and the
stencil from the corpse -strewn streets
is awful. Only few walls are stand
ing. On all sides were found portion of
corpses, which were gathered up by the
soldiers and gandarMes and burned on
one of the public squares. Not a drop
of water is procurable ashore Dark
ness, caused by clouds of volcanic dust,
shrouded the town and continuous sub
terranean rumbling added to the horror
of the scene. Huge heaps of smoking
ashes are seen on all Sides At the
landing place, some burned and ruined
walls indicated the spot where the GUS
tom house formerly stood, and traces
Of larger shops could be-seen. Tn that
neighborhood hundreds Of corpses were
lying in all kinds Of attitudes, showing
that the victims met DR. ath as If by
lightning stroke. Every vestige of
clothing was burned away from the
charred bodies, and in many cases the
abdomens were burst open by the in
tense heat. Curiously enough, the fea-
lures Of the dead were generally calm
and reposeful, although in some cases
terrible fright and agony is depleted.
Grim piles of bodies are stacked every
where, showing that death had strick-
en- them while crowds were vainly seek
ing to escape from the fiery deluge. On
one spot a group Of nine children were
found locked in each others arms. The
vaults Of the bank at Martinique were
found intact. 1t contained 100000
granies in specie.
The vaults of the government treas
ury are now being searched in the hope
that large amount Of money and 9TH
er valuables deposited by the principal |
merchants Of the city may be saved !
Nearly 1000 refugees from the vicinity |
OF LIE Precheur, a suburban village to |
the north Of st. Pierre. were rescued by |
the French cruiser Suchet and the cable |
repair ship Pouyer-Quertier and !
brought here.
As result of his inspection, the COM
mander of the suchet, reports that
crevices and valleys are constantly
forming In the northern portion Of the /
island, where the land is In state Of |
perpetual change. Fortunately, that
part. Of the country was evacuated in
good time by the inhabitants who fled
to Fort de France. Lava continues to
stream down the mountain side, accom-
panied by terrific thunder and light
ming. The dearth Of provisions Is be-
ginning to be felt throughout the is
land. Numerous families are complete-
" ruined and even shelterless, while
the means at the disposal Of the au-
thorities are much too inadequate to-
cope with the distress. Communica-
tion is practically cut of from all sur
rounding islands. except by stray ves-
sells, which are seized upon by the in
I1abitants to flee from Martinique.
CONSUL PRENTIs AND FAMILY.
DEAD.
Washington, May H. Secretary Hay
has received the following cablegram.
dated May H. from United States Con-
sui Aymee at Guadeloupe, who went to
Fort de Franc sXarfinin,,a 1,1, i,,s+r,,,