The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-23
HAVOC IN GUATEMALA
TROUs VOLCANIC OUTBREAK.
Every yestsge OF Life Destroyed for
Thirty Miles About Santa Maria
Mountain.
OVER 1000 NATIVES KILLED
COFFEE PLANTATIONS BURIED UN-
DER TEN FEET OF DEBRIS.
About 10000 People at Quezaltenango
Starving and Residents of the
Capital Short OF Food.

NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 22.-The Picayune
this morning prints letters from Point Bar
rows. Guatemala, dated Nov. 16. which say
In parc: Refugees who have arrived here
this week from western Guatemala report
terrible state of affairs as a result of the
eruption of the Santa Maria volcano. The
country for a radius of over thirty miles
has been made desolate waste, and every
vestige of life destroyed. The loss of life
is estimated at over 1000, the great ma
jority of the victims being Indians. Ten
Indian villages. each with population OF
from fifty 10 5000 inhabitants. were wiped
out. the rude huts being buried beneath
tons OF volcanic debris. All Of the coffee
plantations in the volcanic zone are ruined.
The government has been making the
most strenuous efforts TO conceal the facts
concerning the catastrophe, hoping to pre-
vent Guatemaas credit from being dam
aged abroad. The greatest distress prevails
throughout the central and western por-
tons OF the republic. and even on the east
ern coast the effects are felt in the scarcity
OF money and the rise in exchange. A fam
Inc prevails at Quezaltenango, and 10000
people are starving. Even in Guatemala
City. the capital. the inhabitants are suf-
fering for food. The government is utterly
unable 10 relieve the distress and suffering,
ana the people are OH the verge OF reVolu-
ton. The only thing neeedd TO start for
midable uprising is the appearance Of
leader.
"Perferio Herrera, who owned a valuable
coffee plantation seven miles from the San
"a Maria volcano, was among the refugees
Who arrived here to-day and sailed for
Nicaragua Senior Herrera, in an inter-
view, describing the situation, said: i was
IN Guatemala City looking after my bust
ness interests when this terrible eruption
or Nov occurred. The shocks from the
explosions of the volcano were plainly felt
IN the capital, causing great excitement
among the people. The next day the news
Of the frightful havoc wrought by Santa
Maria reached the city and / started at
once for my plantation. / reached a point
Tour miles from my home on Nov. s, but I
was unable 10 go any further on account or
the Suhing fumes and gases from the vol
cano, which was still active and emitting
huge columns Of fire and ashes. The erup-
Ton ceased on the morning of Nov. 9, when
Nentured to my plantation and found IL
buried beneath ten feet of ashes, mud and
sand hurled from the volcano. Everything
on the place was in ruins My. residence
was destroyed, and out OF 112 laborers en-
pioyed on the plantation all except seven
perlshed. The seven who escaped happened
70 be visiting a farm eight miles further
from the volcano that day, and when they
saw the danger took refuge with lot OF
others in a cave. My family was in Guate-
tlala City. and therefore, escaped the ter
TiDle fate which befall those left at home.
ON the trip to my plantation / passed a
number Of other coffee plantations which
mao shared the same fate as my own. The
scene along the route was frightful The
Gead bodies OF Indians and animals who
mad been suffocated by the deadly fumes
were visible everywhere and the stencil
was awful. l passed through one Indian
village where over $50 had persisted. All OF
the bodies had their hands to their nostrils,
showing plainly what caused death. The
damage 10 the country is beyond repair.
Two new craters had been formed in the
mountain side and were in eruption at last
accounts"