The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-05-15
IT RAINED FIRE.
Terrific Volcanic Eruption
In Martinique.
THIRTY THOUSAND DEAD
Reported Destruction of st. Pierre Is
Confirmed.
)ETAILS OF AWFUL CATASTROPHE
Twelve Survivors only Remain of
More Than 10000 DwelIcrs In
the III Fated Town-Henrt-
rcuding Sights.

FORT DE FRANCE, Island of Mar
Unique, May 13.-N now seems to be
generally admitted that about 10000
persons lost their lives as a result of
the outbreak of the Mont Pelee volca-
no at st. Pierre on Thursday last. Care
ful investigation by competent govern
ment officials shows that the earlier re-
ports were accurate.
Briefly put. in ten minutes last Thurs
day morning the city of st. Pierre dis
appeared in whirling fire vomited
from Mont Pelee. and 10000 persons
We're instantly and horribly killed, and
the volcano, which for more than fifty
years had been a quiet lake occupying
its ancient crater, in which picnic par
ties bathed. suddenly discharged tor
rents of fiery mud which rolled toward
the sea, sweeping everything before it.
Then the last cable communication
was broken, and the doomed city was
isolated from the world.
The commander of the French cruis-
er Suchet gave the American consul
at Guadeloupe, Louis ii. Ayme, the
hrst news of the appalling disaster the
day after it occurred. Mr.. Ayme has
reached the desolate spot where st.
Pierre stood and confirms the awful
story in all its essential features.
Twelve survivors only are in the mil
ltary hospital at Fort de France, while
10000 corpses are strewn about or bur-
led in the ruins of st. Pierre or else
floating, gnawed by sharks, in the sur
TxryAt ,tt.. ,fsrl,t pl,n .rnI
half dead human beings were brought
here. Sixteen of them are already dead,
and four others only are expected to
recover.
A steamer chartered in Guadeloupe
reached Martinique at $3.50 Sunday
morning The lofty hilled island was
hidden behind huge veil of violet or
leaden colored haze. Enormous guam
titles of the wreckage of large and
small ships and houses were met with.
Huge trees and too often floating bod
les, with fiocks of sea gulls soaring
above and hideous sharks fighting
about them, We're floating here and
there. From behind the volcanic veil
came blasts of hot wind mingled with
others ice cold.
At lie Precheur, five miles north Of
BIT. Pierre, canoes with men and wom-
sn frantic to get away, begged for a
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 near
" two miles along the water front and
half mile back to cliff at the base of
the volcano. The houses of the richer
French families were built of stone.
The ash covered hills were 1anked by
the still smoking volcano. The ruins
were still burning in many places, and
frightful Odors Of burned flesh filled
the air. With great difficulty landing
was effected. Not one house was left
intact. Everywhere were viscid heaps
of mud, of brighter ashes or piles of
volcanic stones.
The streets could hardly be traced
Here and there amid the ruins were
heaps Of corpses. Almost all the faces
were downward In one corner twenty
two men, women and children were
mingled in one awful mass, arms and
legs protruding as the hapless beings
fell in the last struggle of deaths
agony.
Through the middle of the old Place
Bertin ran tiny stream, the remains
of the river Goyave. Great trees, witt
roots upward and scorched by fire
were strewn in every direction. Hug,
blocks and still hot stones were scat
tered about. From under one larg,
stone the arm of white woman pro
truded. Most notable was the utte
silence and the awful, overpowerin,
stencil from the thousands of dead.
Careful inspection showed that th
fiery stream which so completely de
stroyed st. Pierre must have been com
posed of poisonous gases, which in
stantly suffocated every one who in
hailed them, and of other gases burnin,
furiously, for nearly all the victims ha,
their hands covering their mouths O
were in some other attitude showin
that they had sought relief from suffC
cation. All the bodies were carbonize
or roasted.
ST. VINCENTS DEATH LIST.
The United States government tu
Potomac will Sail for ST. Vincent
where conditions are reported to b
worse. La Soufriere. on st. Vincen
was in full eruption May 10. A strear
Of stene and mud half a mile wide wa
then issuing from the volcano, Stone
two inches in diameter fell twelv
miles away. At Kingstown the capita
of the island, the ashes were two incl
es deep. Seven hundred dead We're r.
ported Sunday, May IL. 1t is estimate
that the total number of deaths on s