The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1902-05-23
AFTER RECENT ERUPT|ONS
ST. VINCENT SETTLERS RETURN
Most Horrid Details Are Revealed
Thousands of Bodies HIVE Been
Buried-Lava Covers Balance OF
Bodies-Lavn Covers an Area l0
Miles Square.

Kingston, St. Vincent, May l9.--In the
absence OF symptoms OF further erupu0ns
of the volcano OF Soufrlere, the Inhabitants
of st. Vincent are gradually becoming set
tied.
Most horrifying details OF the condition
of the Carib country, where thousands oi
cattle and human corpses lay in stat.
of decomposition for several days dur
ing the agitation, are revealed. Although
the number of deaths in the island due
to the disaster is estimated, judging from
the missing inhabitants, at 1000, up to the
night of May 10 only 1918 bodies had been
buried.
The undiscovered bodies are probably
covered with lava. In small shop
which was opened three days after the
eruption, 81 decaying colps5s were dis
covered, and not one of them was rec
ognizable. In the dwelling house of the
manager of one of the estate 30 corpses
were found in similar condition, and
other sickening discoveries have been
made. The district is being rapidly
cleared.
A number of patients have been brought
to this city. Many are suffering from
fractured skulls. caused by stones thrown
from the volcano, and a majority of then
were burned by the lava thrown up witt
the vapor.
Toward evening yesterday there was
slight convulsion, followed by a small
discharge of smoke, but this caused II
alarm. The weather is fine and the eS
citement is abating.
The bed of lava in the Windward dis
trict is still hot. The abyss, 1900 fee
deep and POO feet wide, which existed be
tween Langley Park and Rabaeci.
filled with lava, and the principal feature
of the mountain on either side are appal
emily more beautiful than before the cruz
ton.
A curious circumstance connected wit
the eruption is that the earthquake
were not general, Notwithstanding til
smallness of the island While at Cha
: eau Beair the commissions preceding I'll
: eruptions of May Z were almost continl
l Gus every few hours. in Kingston All
e Georgetown only 60 shocks were felt
I four hours.
+ Although attended with smaller loss
a life the eruption of Ia Soufriere w
S not less violent than that of Mont Pee
in the island of Martinique. The ar,
e covered by lava comprises Is squa
+ miles. The fact that the loss of life a,
d damage to property in st. Vincent we
n smaller than in Martinique is due to Il
. position of La Soufriere and the small
n population of the district, the mounta
n overhanging sugar and arrow root
0 tates and couple of thinly popul It,
villages. whose inhabitants were civ,
S warning of the approaching disaster al
S fled for their lives. All the villagers wi
e remained were killed.
The officials of st. Vincent are bu
2, relieving the suffering and housing t
g sick and homeless. The problem nc
4 facing the government is how to provi
permanently for the natives who l.
Re houses. lands and everything they D,
o. sessed. The peasant settlements NAV
e formed on the estates, the lands of whi
II the government possesses the legal N
is chinery to appropriate, but money
d. needed to assist the settlers to but
er houses thereon, and to provide them wi
n. sustenance during the cultivation of tn
T. lands.