The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1902-05-14
STREETS FULL OF DEAD
Utter Destruction of St. Pierre
and Adjoining Towns.
Impossible to Approach Town For
Hours After Eruption - French
Cruiser by Heroic Effort Rescueo
Some 80 Survivors-Some of Whom
Afterwards Died-Fled to Hills.

Afterwards Died-Fled to Hills.
Fort De France, Martinique, May IL
-Advices received from st. Pierre
contain details of the terrible vol
canic upheayal which resulted in the
utter destruction Of that town and the
death OF nearly all its inhabitants.
The crater of Mont Pelee had been
wearing its smoke cap since the Sd
of May, but there was nothing until
last Monday to indicate that there was
the least danger. On that day a
stream OF boiling lava burst through
the top of the crater plunging into
the valley of the River Blanche, over
whelming the Guerin sugar works and
killing 20 work people and the son of
the proprietor.
A commission was appointed by the
governor to investigate the outbreak
and it returned a reassuring report
on Wednesday evening. But about S
o'clock on Thursday morning shower
of fire rushed down on st. Pierre and
the coast from lie Carbet, which had
population Of 5000, to lie Preoheur,
which had a population of 1000, burn
ing up everything in its path.
Throughout Thursday the heat in
the vicinity Of st. Pierre was so in
tense and the stream of flowing lava
was so unremitting that it was impos-
sible to approach the town during the
early part of the day. AS evening
approached the French cruiser Suchet,
after a heroic battle with the heat,
,Hffocation and sulphur fumes, sue.
ceeded in making a dash toward the
shore, nearing the land close enough
to enable her to take off 80 survivors
of the disaster all of whom were hor-
ribly burned and mutilated.
st. Pierre at that time was an alb
solutely smoking waste, concealing
10000 corpses, whose rapid decom-
position necessitates, in some cases,
instantly completing their cremation
which was only partially accomplished
by the lava.
The inhabitants of Fort De France
were panic stricken, the morning Of
the disaster, when the sky suddenly
backened until it was as dark as at
midnight. The sea shrank back so
yards, hot rain began to fall, while
gravel the size of walnuts poured
down on the town. This lasted about
Is minutes and then the town began
to resume its normal aspect.
The work of relief is progressing
here on the most extensive scale pos
sible. but in anticipation of disturb
ances the treasury building and the
warehouses are guarded by troops.
The latest reports received here
showed that lava continues to pour
down the slopes of the mountain,
slowly engulfing the whole north side
of the island while fresh crevasses
are continually opening.
"All the hills surrounding lie Car
bel and lie Precheur (near st. Pierre),
are covered with refugees, to the
number of about 5000. who are being
taken away gradually. In the mean
while provisions are being conveyed
to them.
"Of the 80 persons who were orig
inally rescued by the French cruiser
Suchet the majority were fearfully
burned and nine died while on their
way to the hospital
THE corpses which are heaped in
the ruins of st. Pierre are not only
completely naked but are frightfully
mutilated."
The minister of marine, M. DeIanes-
san, received a cablegram from the
commander of the French cruiser
Suchet, dated Fort De france, Martin
ique, saying that he conducted d
search at st. Pierre Saturday. The
captain reports that the town is now
a mere heap of smoking ruins under
which the victims of the catastrophe
are buried The Suchet was able to
convey some of the inhabitants of lie
Precheur tc Fort De France, but could
not reach the northernmost part of
the island on account of the dense
rain of ashes which was falling.
The captain of the Suchet further
reported that the Mont Pelee volcano
still had a threatening aspect. Subter.
ranean rumblngs were still heard,
flashes of fame frequently belched
from the volcano and stones were
thrown out with immense force.
A dispatch received at the colonial
office here from Fort De France says
there is no doubt that Governor Mout-
tet and the commander Of the troops
at st. Pierre, Colonel Dain, are dead.
Other dispatches confirm the re-
ports that the American and British
consuls and their families perished.
NJ. Bloch. inspector of finance, and
NJ. La Barthe, the colonial minister's
secretary. who have been dispatched
by the government to Martinique,
sailed from Brest Sunday on board the
French cruiser D'Assas, which carries
money, provisions and other stores for
the relief Of the Martinique sufferers.
A French cable official who went to
81. Pierre reports that the compapys
Office has been burned TO ashes and
that there is no trace of the staff. This
official adds that the cremation of the
bodies Of the victims has begun and
that the cable steamer Pouycr-Quertier
is proceeding to repair the northern
cable.
The waves of lava are still reported
to be flowing northward. They have
extended even to lie Carbet.
The candidates for election TO the
French chamber of deputies who per
ished at st. Pierre were NM. Percin
and lie Clerc.
The colonial minister has organized
a relief distribution committee con-