Morris tribune., 1902-06-21
WEST INDIES HORROR,
Thrilling Stories Related by St.
Pierre Survivors.
ESCAPE OF CAPTAIN FREEMAN.

Destruction Of the City, Describes
the Awful Scenes In the Harbor
Graphic Narrative of First Officer
Scott of the Roraima-
Lying in ths hospital at st. Lucia
British West Indies, Captain Freeman
of the British steamer Roddam told
the following story, which is copy
righted by William R. Hearst, Of the
destruction of the city of St Pierre to
a correspondent Of the New York
American and Journal on May IL:
The steamer Roddam, Of which I am
captain, left St. Lucia at midnight OF
May I and was off st. Pierre, MART.
nique, at o'clock on the morning OF
the 9Th. 1 noticed that the volcano,
Mont PeIee, was smoking and crept
slowly in toward the bay, finding there,
among others, the steamer Roraima,
the telegraph repairing steamer Crap
pier and four sailing vessels.
went to anchorage between Z and
8 and had hardly moored when the
side Of the volcano opened out with a
terrible explosion. A wall of fire swept
over the town and the bay. The Rod
dam was struck broadside by the burn
ing mass. The shock to the ship was
terrible, nearly capsizing her.
Hearing the awful report of the ex-
plosion and seeing the great wall Of
flames approaching the steamer, those
on deck sought shelter wherever it was
possible, jumping into the cabin, the
forecastle and even into the hold.
was in the chartroom, but the burning
embers were borne by so swift move
ment of the air that they were swept
In through the door and portfolios, suf-
locating and scorching me badly.
was terribly burned by these en-
bers about the face and hands, but
managed to reach the deck. AS soon
as it was possible when there l mus
tered the few survivors who seemed
able to move, ordered them to slip the
anchor, leaped for the bridge and rang
the engineer for full speed astern.
But the men on deck could not work
the steering gear because it was JAM
med by the debris from the volcano.
We accordingly went ahead and astern
until the gear was free, but in this run
ming backward and forward it was
two hours after the first shock before
we were clear of the bay.
One of the most terrifying conditions
was that, the atmosphere being charg-
ed with ashes, it was totally dark
The sun was completely obscured, and
the air was only Illuminated from the
flames of the volcano and those Of the
burning town and shipping.
AS we backed out we passed close to
the Roraima, which was one mass Of
7ames. The steam was rushing from
he engine room, and the screams Of
hose on board were terrible to hear.
The cries for help were all in vain, for
We could do nothing but save my own
ship. When I last saw the Roraima. |
'he was settling down by the stern. |
That was about 10 o'clock in the morn |
ng.
When the Roddam was safely out Of |
he harbor of st. Pierre and its des-
latiOn and horrors, | made for st.
lucia. Arriving here, and when the
hip was safe, mustered the survivors
S we'll as l was able and searched for
be dead and injured. Some l found
4 the saloon, where they had vainly
ought for safety, but cabins were full
burning embers that had blown in
trough the portfolios.
Through these the fire swept as
trough tunnels and burned the vic
ms where they lay or stood, leaving
circular imprint of scorched and
urned flesh. l brought ten on deck
no were thus burned Two of them
ere dead. The others survived. al
lough in a dreadful state of torture
ON their burns Their screams of
gony were heartrending.
Out Of a total of twenty-three on
oard the Roddam, which includes the
lptain and the crew. ten are dead and
.veral are in the hospital.
The ship was covered from stem to
ern with tons Of powdered lava, {
hich retained it's heat for hours after
had fallen. In many cases it was
'actically incandescent, and to move
bout the deck in this burning mass
as not only difficult, but absolutely {
.rilous. [
l am only now able to begin thor |
Ighly to clear and search the ship for {
~ damage done by this volcanic rain y
I'd to see if there are any corpses in '
it of the way places. For instance, b
is morning | found one body in the ,
ak of the forecastle. The body was c
rribly burned, and the sailor had evil a
ntly crept in there in his agony to o
e. u q
On the arrival Of the Roddam at st. J
lcia the ship presented an appalling
pearance. Dead and calcined bodies
= about the deck. which was also
DIVIDED with injured helpless and
ffering people. Prompt assistance
is rendered to the injured by the au-
critics. and my poor, tortured men
IRE taken to the hospital. The dead
ere buried, and I had omitted to men,
m that ont of twentv-ona black Ia