The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-05-16
A VISIT TO THE SCENE.

lhe island with it's lofty hills was
hid behind huge veil of violet
or leaden colored haze. Enormous
quantities Of the wreckage of large
and small ships and houses strewod
the surface Of the sea. Huge trees
and too often bodies with focks OF
sea gulls soaring above and hideous
sharks fighting about them, were
floating here and there. From be
hind the volcanic veil came blasts OF
hot wind, mingled with others ice
cold.
AT Le Precheur, five miles north
IF st. Pierre, Canoes with men and
women, frantic to get away, begged
for IL passage on the steamer.
The whole north end Of the island
was covered with silver gray coat.
ing of ashes resembling dirty snow
Furious blasts of fire, ashes and mud
swept over the steamer but finally
St. Pierre was reached.
The city of st. Pierre stretched
nearly two miles along the water
front and half mile back to the
cliff at the base Of the volcano. The
houses Of the richer French families
were built Of stone.
The still smoking volcano lowered
above the ash covered hills. The
ruins were burning in many places
and frighting oders of burned flesh
filled the air.
With great difficulty n landing
WAS effected Not one house was
left intact, Viscid heaps of mud, of
brighter ashes or piles of ovloano
stones, were seen on every side. The
streets could hardly be traced. Here
and there amid the ruins we're heaps
of corpses. Alitost all the faces
were downward
In one corner % bodies of men
women and children were min
gled with in one awful mass, arms
and legs protrudlng as tho haplesr
ing fell in the last struggles OF
deaths agony.
Through the middle of the old
Place Bertin ran tiny stream, the
remains of the river Gayave. Great
trees with roots upward and scorched
with fire, were strewn in every di-
rection. Huge blocks and still hot
stones were scattered about. From
under one large stone the arm of a
white woman protruded. Most no
table WAS the utter silence and the
awful, overpowering stencil from
the thousands Of dead.
DEATH FROM sUFFoCATIoN.
Careful inspection showed that the
fiery stream which 80 completely de
stroyed st. Pierre must have been
composed of poisonous gases, which
instantly suifocates every one who in
hales them, and of other gases burn.
Ing fnriously, for nearly all the vic,
TINS had their hands covering theil
mouth hs or were in some other atti
tude, showing that they had sough,
relief from suIfocation. All the bod.
les are carbonized or roasted.
A. 6. Austen, the manager OF the
Colonial Bank Of Burbouoes, landed
at ST. Pierre with party from the
British royal mail steamer Solent
He found the bank clock stopped al
some minutes before 8 o'clock. A
horse and n buggy and a policeman
we're in dead group at the door.
CONGRESS- AppnorRIATEs 100000 Fo1
RELIEF OF DESTITUTE president
NAMED $o00,000.
Washington, May l2.--The house
today passed by an overwhelming
vote a bill granting $50O,O00 for the
relief Of the sufferers in the grea,
calamity in the West Indies, The
bill WAS n substitute to the relie1
measure passed by the senate, which
carried 100000, the increase hav
ing followed the receipt of message
from tho president setting forth the
magnitude of the calamity and ure
ing an appropriation of $500,OOO
A special NEE ing of the appropria
ton committee was held to facilitate
action on the bill aud it was re-
ported to the house within short
time after the receipt Of the Presi