The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1902-05-16
100000 PEOPLE Persisted
BURNING LAVA COVERED ALL
City of st. Pierre, the Capital Of
Martinique, Entirely Wiped Away
Very Few saNed-Fiery Metnl
Half Vile Wide-TfdnI Wave.

Mount Pelee, a volcanic mountain
some 10 miles north of st. Pierre, the
commercial capital of Martinique, is
the mountain which made faint show
of eruption so years ago. On May
last it began to throw out dense clouds
of smoke. At midnight the same day
flames, accompanied by rumbling
noises, lighted the sky over an i'm
mense area, causing widespread terror.
May hot ashes covered the whole
city quarter of st. Pierre an inch thick
and made Mount Pelee invisible. At
noon May a stream of burning lava
rushed 4400 feet down the mountain
side, following the dry bed of tor
rent and reaching the sea, five miles
from the mountain, in three minutes.
In it's rush the fiery food swept from
it's path plantations, buildings, factor
les, cattle and human beings over
breadth of about half a mile.
At the rear of the mouth of the
Riviere Blanche stood the large Guerin
sugar factory. one of the finest in the
island 1t is now completely entombed
in lava. The tall chimney alone is
visible One hundred and fifty per
sons are estimated to have persisted
there, including the owners son.
AS the lava rushed into the sea the
latter receded 400 feet all along the
west coast, returning with greater
strength, a big wave covering the
whole sea front of St Pierre, but doing
little damage ashore or afioat.
Terrible detonations, heard humid
reds of miles northward, followed at
short, irregular intervals, and contin-
ued at night. In the intense darkness
the electric lights failed but the town
was lit up by lurid flashes of flame
from the mountain. The terror strick-
en- inhabitants rushed for the hills in
thedral. All appeared to have been
their night clothes, shouting and wall
ing, mad with terror.
The Plissono family escaped to st.
Lucia in a small steamer. Thirty-fve
persons, mostly women and children,
arrived here in the forenoon of the
9th and furnished the above details.
The men remained in Martinique. The
same afternoon later, telegraphic
communication was interrupted with
both the islands of Martinique and ST.
Vincent.
M. Plissono is believed here to be
the sole survivor of the 10000 inhab-
itants of the town and all the shipping
in the port has been utterly destroyed,
the West Indian & Panama Telegraph
company's repairing vessel going first.
then the Quebec liner Roraima Cap
tain Muggah of the latter waved his
hand in farewell to the Roddam as
his vessel sank with a terrific eXplos-
ion.
In the afternoon a French cOasting
steamer arrived here from Fort de
France seeking assistance. as all the
country was burned up, the stock was
dying, all the plantations were char
red, the country people were fiocking
into the towns and famine was feared
The steamer was loaded with food of
all sorts and was sent back to Mar
Unique at p. m. The captain of this
vessel reported that some 80 persons
left st. Pierre by the o'clock boat
Thursday marning for Fort de France
and consequently were saved.
Worst Possible Day.
Bordeaux, France, May 11.-Only a
few replies have been received to mes
sages of inquiry from a host of Bor-
deaux merchants having business con
nections in st. Pierre. A small num-
Der of messages chronicle the saving
of private families and individuals,
but most of the dispatches are merely
announcements that big business es-
Establishments have been wiped out.
1t has been developed that the ca
tastrophe in Martinique occurred on
the worst possible day, namely, the
day of the arrival of the French and
the departure of the English mail
steamers. In consequence of this fact
many business men were in the city
of ST. Pierre instead of at their coun
try places.
Fire Still Continues.
Paris, May 1.-THE minister of ma
rine. NJ. Delassen, has received the
following from Fort de France. Mar
Unique, under date of May 10. p. m
Arrived at Fort de France with pro
visions, passing close to St Pierre
Fire continues, volcano still emitting
ashes, with less density.
"SUCHET."
Fort de France, Island of Martin
iQue May 12.-Advices received here
fror, tbo ,rio;pft,r Of Ct D;o-ro Il