Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-08
DOOMOF DEATH
HANGS OVER
ISLAND
TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF MAR
UNIQUE FROM VOLCANIC
ERUPTIONS NOW PRoPHE-
SLED BY MEN OF SCIENCE.


NEW YORK. Sept. sit is generally
believed that the island of Martinique is
doomed to total destruction, and the fear
is that when the catastrophe comes, Quad
eloupe will be visited by an all destructive
tidal wave, cables the Point-A-Pitre
Gaudeloupe, correspondent of the Herald.
Business is absolutely at a standstill.
Few shops are open, and If II were not
for the efforts of a small number Of more
valiant souls, hundreds would starve to
death here. because of their fear of more
terrible death.
Details that have been received during
the last two days prove that the eruption
of Mont Pelee of August 30th was far
more violent than any of the earlier ex-
plosions.
As the eruptions continue, the mouth
OF Mont Pelee grows in size 1t is now
of enormous proportions. Morne Bacroix,
one of the peaks that reared skyward
from the side of the Pelee, has fallen
bodily into the crater and has been COM
pletely swallowed. There seams to be
a side pressure In the crater and the burn
ing chasm widens perceptibly every day.
Clouds no more hang about the crest
of Mont Pelee. The terrific heat seems to
orive everything away. The column of
flame and smoke rears directly into the
heavens so that its top is lost TO sight.
In the darkness of the night 1t has the
appearance of a stream of molten iron,
standing fixed between heaven and earth.
From Morne Capote the relief troops
were compelled to make a quick retreat,
although they succeeded in taking out
few wounded. The entire country nearly
TO Fort de France, is buried under a deep
cover of ashes. This has made it almost
impossible to find the bodies of those
who have persisted while fleeing to the sea
coast.
succeeded in escaping from Morne Rouge
after the explosion, found refuge on the
steamer Esk She was with twelve 9TH
ers I'm her house when Pelee gave its first
warning of the disaster which 1t was
about to pour upon the village. She said
that the first explosion destroyed many
houses. She was hurled with great force
against the wall of the room in which
she was sitting. On recovering from the
shock she ran outside, and there saw
three separate tongues of fire sweeping
down from the mouth or the volcano.
The earth shook with so great violence
that she could not retain her feet. She
was blinded by the glare of the flames.
The heat was so terrific that her flesh
was blistered. She awaited the death
which she believed to be inevitable. For
ttInately the fire swept a little to one
side of her and she was saved.
At Grande Anse the tue swept three
hundred feet in shore, destroying many
houses and drowning scores of inhabi-
tants.
Even at Fort de France, the most stout
Of heart have lost courage.
Colonel Lecoeur has reported TO his gov
eminent that IL is his opinion the entire
island of Martinique win have to be
abandoned. He asks for assistance in
transporting the inhabitants to the other
islands of the West Indian group.
Nasna hfAxAT nECTnDEn
ON STRICKEN ISLAND
PARIS. Sept 5.-The colonial minis
ter received a cable dispatch today from
Fort de France, dated September 3, re-
latinR to the funds placed at the disposal
of the governor No mention was made
of a new eruption of Mont Pelee.
The minister has not received news of
any eruption of Mont Pelee sinnce that Of
August 80
The cable dispatch from the Island of
Guadeloupe announces the arrival of the
French cruiser Suchet at Basse Terre,
and says that she reports that calm has
been completely restored in Martinique.
PHENOMENA OF ERUPTION
TERRIBLE IN GRANDEUR
LONDON, Sept. 4.-The correspondent
of the Daily Mail at Castries, st. Lucia
has cabled the following account Of the
phenomena witnessed at the time of the
recent outbreak of Mont Pelee, Martin
ique:
Between and o'clock in the evening
of August 30th, a spectacle of terrible
grandeur was witnessed from here. A
pitch black cloud hung over the island OF
Martinique, through which shot, at inter-
walls, pillars of flame high into the sky,
which broke into fantastic forms of col
ored fire and scattered showers of fiery
sparks. About nightfall sparks were dart
ing about like millions of firefiies, and
above all those large aureoles appeared in
the sky"
The correspondent then proceeds to con-
firm the details of the eruption as already
known, and says:
There were tremendous earth rumb-
lings and explosions. The ground rocked
and nothing could stand on tables or
shelves. Boats for St. Pierre were unable
to reach the town owing to the fall of hot
ashes and a tidal wave destroyed the
whole Of the sea front of LeCarbet. Boats
are now here from Martinique to take
back their families to Fort de France"
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