The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-13
REFUGEES ARE DYING.
Stencil from Corpses Strewing the
Streets is Awful.

Fort de France, Island of Martinique
Sunday, May 11.-Several steamers, in
Guiding the Government vessel Rubs,
started from here for st. Pierre. They
had on board Government delegate, d
number oil gendarmes. detachment OF
| regular infantry and several priests. The
! vessels also carried quantity of fire
| wood, petroleum and quick lime, for use
in the cremation Of the bodies of the VIC
tins of the terrible volcanic outbreak of
| Thursday last.
Large quantities of disinfectants and
| stocks of clothing for the refugees were
also shipped to St. Pierre.
| The refugees had, as a rule, assembled
at LeCarbet and Sasa Pilote, not far from
| ST. Pierre. and. 1t is reported, over a
| thousand Of them have died since the
| fearful stream of lava poured down Mont
/ Pelee. -.-..."
The sea for miles around was covered
+ with the wreokage of the vessels sunk off
st. Pierre at the time of the disaster.
and ashore only few trees. all bent
seward by the force of the volcanic
shower. were left standing.
When nearing st. Pierre the Rubis met
a number of tugs towing lighters filled
with refugees. The. heat from the smok-
ing lava covered ruins at st. Pierre was
suffocating, and the stencil from the
coruse-strewn streets was awful.
Only few wallis were left standing.
The Fatal Hour Indicated.
The report that the hospital clock was
found intact. with it's hands stopped at
1850. was confirmed. as was the statement
that the offices of the cable company had
entirely disappeared.
On all sides were found portions of
corpses, which were gathered up by the
soldiers and gendarmes and burned on
one of the public squares.
Not drop of water was procurable
ashore. The darkness caused by the
clouds of volcanic dust shrouded the town
and continuous subterranean rumblings
added to the horror of the scene. The
fort and central quarter of the town were
RACED to the ground and were replaced
by beds of hot cinders. The iron grille
works gate of the Government offices
were alone standing.
There was no TRACE of the streets. Huge
heaps of smoking ashes were to be seen
on all sides.
ruined walls indicated the spot where the
custom house formerly stood, and traces
of the large shops could be seen. -
Grewsome Street Scenes.
In the neghborhood hundreds of
corpses were found lying in all kinds of
attitudes, showing that the victims had
met death if by a lightning stroke.
Every vestige of clothing was burned
away from the charred bodies and in
MANY cases the abdomens had been burst
open by the intense heat. Curiously
enough, the features of dead were gen.
orally calm and reposeful, although in
some cases terrible fright and agony were
depicted. Grim piles of bodies were stack
| ed everywhere, showing that death had
stricken them while the crowds were
vaitiiy seeking escape from the fiery de-
luge.
On one spot a group of nine children
were found locked in each others arms.
The vaults of the Bank of Martinique.
| at the head of what had been the Rue de
FHospital. were found intact. They con-
talnsd 2,0 900 francs in specie.
Government Money Safe.
The vaults of the Government treasury
are now being searched in the hope that
a large amount of money and other val
tables deposited by the principal mer-
chants of the city may be saved.
Nearly 1900 of the refugees from the
vicinity of the village of LePrecheur, a
| suburban village to the north of St.
Pierre, were rescued by the French cruis-
| er Suchet and the cable repair ship Pou-
yet-Queertier. and were brought here.
As result of this inspection, the COM
mander of the Suchet reports that Gre
vices and valleys are constantly forming
| In the northern portion of the island
| where the land is in perpetual state of
change. Fortunately. that part of the
country was evacuated in good time by
| the inhabitants. who fed to Port de
| France. Lava continues to stream down
| the mountain side. accompanied by ter
rifle thunder and lightning.
The dearth of provisions Is beginning to
| be felt throughout the island. Numerous
| families are completely ruined and even
shelter1ess, while the means at the dis
posal of the authorities are much too in
| adequate to cope with the distress.
| Communication is practically cut off
from all the surrounding islands, except
| by stray vessels, which are seized upon
by the inhabitants to flee from Martin
| ique.