The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-05-24

spread about. After some time the
Roddam's steering gear moved little I
and enabled the captain to head her
out to sea, and with considerable |
difficulty, he managed to steer her
little distance from the land. AS the
air cleared the scene on board the
i'll fated Roddam became all the more
CHASTITY. The ship steamed on through
thick hot dust. The screams from
the injured became more audible.
Some rushed frantically about with
their clothes on hre and large pieces
of flesh burned from their arms;
Others in their agony laid writhing in
the red hot dust.
''In about two hours the air be-
came gradually clear. An investiga-
tion of the casualties on board showed
that, besides the captain, who was
frightfully injured, only two engin-
eers, two sailors and the boatswain
were able to do duty.
''Fire was still burning about the
ship and the rigging was in flames.
The captain decided to try to reach
the island Of st. Lucia, forty miles
distant. This. he succeeded in doing
by O'Clock on the evening Of May g..
The steamer was difficult to handle,
owing to the partially disabled steer
ing gear, which could not be made to
work properly. In the time occupied
on this terrible voyage, the experience
of the survivors was still worse than
that already gone through. The
brave captain and his few men fight
ing the fire, exhausted and scalded,
struggled and worked, trying to do
something to assist their dying ship
mates. Those working below strived
to keek up the steam. The captain,
Suffering the greatest agony, sue
ceeded 10 navigating his vessel safely
to the port of Castries, st. Lucia,
with eighteen dead bodies lying on
the deck and human limbs scattered
about. A sailor stood by constantly
wiping the captains injured eyes.
l think the performance Of the Rod.
dams captain was most wonderful
and the more so when saw his
pitiful condition. l do not under
stand how he kept up; yet when the
steamer arrived at st. Lucia and
medical assistance was procured, this
brave man asked the doctors to atteno
to the others first and refused to be
treated until this was done.
"My interview with the captain
brought out this account. l left hin
} in good spirits and receiving every
comfort. The sight Of his face woulC
frighten anyone not prepared to se'
it. We sailed from St. Lucia on th'
morning of May IL, and at 2 o'clocl
in the afternoon passed the island o
Martinique. The weather was per
fectly clear, and we had good viey
of that part of the island which haC
suffered by the volcanic eruption
few days before. The formation o
the island is quite altered and tn
whole northern part, where the tow
; of St. Pierre once stood, is covere'
with mass of ashes and lava. A
e about 2:30 O'Clock, as the Etona wa
: passing the island, a tremendous up
, shoot of smoke and dust took place
! and in few moments the ship wa
' covered with fine dust like cement
We we're about three miles distan
: from the island at the time. Th
4 ships engines were put under flu
I speed and for a time considerabl
a anxiety was felt on board. For a
0 hour or two the ship was covered wit
e dust and enveloped in thick clout
5 and the air was filed with sulphu
i fumes. 1t must have been anothe
n eruption, and the dust must hay
n been sent great distance in the al
:, because it travelled against the win
g and at tremendously rapid rate"
e Cottage Burned.
e The cottage home Of Charl'
Il rpo1hore o,Iorod touathor NTH Il