The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-27
Eye Witnesses Tell Of the De-
struction Of St. Pierre.
SHIP THROWN HIGH IN AIR.
Mar Never Be iRshuIlt- Grateful for Sup
plies From America -EpsTls Are STUDY
Ing The Situation

New YORK, May Zb-faSSengers ar
riving here from Martinique bring some
= tails of the Mont Pelee eruption
which were not included In the cable re-
ports. Among those who came on the
Red Line steamship Caracas. which got
in today were the Comte Fitzjames Ba-
ron Fontenilliant and T. Max Smith OF
this city.
The Comte Fitzjames said that he had
been stopping at St Pierre on his way
here from French Guiana. and that he
was waiting for a ship TO bring him
northward. on the day Of the eruption,
he said he and the Baron Fontenilliant
went out fishing in small boat and
were about two miles off shore when the
eruption came.
BURIED IN BLACK MIST.
From the top OF the cone. ne said
there was a burst Of white smoke SINH
lar 10 that at the explosion OF can
mons charge, and this was Immediately
followed by a rapidly outspreading pail
of heavy black smoke. everything a dense
yellowish cloud. which settled rapidly
over st. Pierre.
Almost Immediately the air became
exceedingly hot and stiflng. and soon
of black was inpenetrable TO the eye, and
presently IL brought considerable de-
gree OF darkness. The town was OBJ
scured completely, buried in the black
mist.
Then the black cloud gradually rose.
and as II was dissipa ted the yellowish
mist melted into the atmosphere also.
and as IL vanished there leaped into the
air the flames of st. Pierre burning.
The fire burned four or five hours, and
st. Pierre was no more.
AN AWFUL SPECTACLE.
The count said that IL was quite i'm
possible TO impart the impression the
awful spectacle made upon a witness
OF IL.
ITO see ships in the air." said he.
was TO be stunned at the forces play
ing before ones eyes. l happened to
be looking directly at the cable ship
Grappler when the turmoil reached the
water and | saw her rise clear of the
water. l should say l5 feet and then
come down and sink instantly"
IL became so unbearably hot even
where the count and his companion
were. that they had to pull away as
hard az they could. They landed some
distance TO the southwark. as soon as
they believed they had reached a safe
place. and made their way afoot to Fort
de France.
THE RUINED TOWN.
The next day they went back TO the
ruined town. The count brought with
him here claret glass. fused, twisted
and flattened. with a suggestion of the
irridescence that Is found on some bur
led glasses. He took IL from a shop In
ST. Pierre. where IL had been with others
on one OF n set Of wooden shelves. The
shelves had fallen In the collapse OF the
buildings walls. and while the wood was
not burned In the least, the glassware
was all halffused
Nearby on the floor n little girl had
been playing with her dolls and there
was small toilet set among her toys
Every piece of crockery In the toilet set
was fused, as was the claret glass but
the corpse OF the child wasn't burned.
The count also brought with him three
franc pieces. which had been liter
ally boiling, as the bubbles on them
showed. yet they were not melted and
the lettering on them was not even ef-
faced
These things and others similar fur
nish clear evidence OF the tremendous
and momentary intensity of the heat.
The destruction of St Pierre's popula-
tion was instantaneous, according TO
these indications.
MAY NEVER BE REBUILT.
The count said that st. Pierre would
never be rebuilt IL needed only one
look to show anybody that never again
would a town rise there. IL was the
very destruction OF destruction he said
destruction so complete that II seemed
original and eternal desolaton. He
added that there was no destruction out
side OF the lines running from the top
of Pelee down To Precheur. north OF st
Pierre and TO Carbet, south of IL. The
fall of ashes had not ruined vegetation
elc hs. ol ~
ground was no worse than the thick
dust which covers everything i'm Arizona
after a dust storm.
Mr.. Smith went 10 st Pierre on the
Korona. which got here week before last
with her stories OF the eruption. He
says OF the appearance OF the stream
that came down from the volcano:
Il saw what looked like n great glacier
flowing slowly and steadily down the
side OF the mountain into the sea IL
was more nearly white than gray. and
where II ran into the water the steam
ascended I'm clouds. l don't know
whether IL was lava or mud. There was
no sign Of lava that we could see In the
ruins OF ST. Pierre"
STUDYING THE SITUATION.
Prof. Robert T. I'M the eminent geol-
ogist with his party. has chartered a
steamer. and is carefully studying the
e.
with a large party. is examining the
northern part Of the island.
Mont Pelee was fairly quiet yesterday
although there was a big eruption OF
ashes. which covered the extreme north
OF the island. The new crater is active
Mr. Corwine has investigated the
method employed in the distribution of
supplies and has informed Governor
L'Huerre that he considers II excellent
IL IL expected official notification will
be issued that sufficient supplies have
been received.
Most OF the refugees who entered Fort
De France have deserted the town for
points further south. as terror still pos
sesses all souls. and Fort de France is
believed 10 be doomed. ALI business Is
suspended. as the amount Of supplies
received has killed sales.
SUPPLIES FROM AMERICA
The French delegates. Admiral Zervan
and the citizens are unanimous In ex-
pressions Of gratitude for the genuine
friendship Of the American people. which
has been manifested by the swiftness
with which great quantities Of supplies
have been furnished and forwarded and