BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-06-07

Between Summit of Mountain and the Sea-
Hot Mud Still Being Cast Forth Hundreds OF
of Fumaroles In New Area--Three Distinct
Zones of vastation---Scientlsts Vessel Res-
cues Family From lie Precheur
Prof Robert T. Hill, United States
government geologist, who went to
Martinique as the representative OF the
National Geographical Society gives
the following report on Mt. Pelee, bas-
ed on his researches made up to the
2zth day of last month.
Prof. Hill is the first man to set foot
in the area of craters flssures and tu..
maroles. In addition to his work OF
investigation the professor rescued in
his vessel many poor residents OF LIE
Precheur, who had ventured back after
deserving their homes and found them
selves in awful danger He reports rs
follows:
"The zone of the catastrophe in Mar
Unique forms an elongated oval, contain
ing, on land, about eight square miles
of destruction. This oval is partly over
the sea- The land part is bounded by
lines running from LIE Precheur to the
peak of Mont Pelee, thence curving
around to Carbet. There were three
wellmarked zones. First, centre OF
annihilation, in which all life, vegetable
and animal, was utterly destroyed
The greater northern part of St. Pierre
was in this zone. Second, zone Of
singeing, blistering fame, which also
was fatal to all life, killing all men ane
ANIMALS, burning the leaves on the
trees and scorching, but not utterely
destroying, the trees themselves Third
, large outer non-destructive zone O
ashes, wherein some vegetation. wa
injured. The focus of annihilation wa
; the new crater midway between th'
, sea and the peak of Mont Pelee wher'
/ now exists new area of active vol
carism, with hundreds of fumaro1es O
, miniature volcanoes. The new crate
is now vomiting black, hot mud, whicl
! is falling into the sea. Both craters
the old and new, are ectlve. Mushroom
shaped steam explosions constant,
! ascend from the old crater while heav,
, ash-laden clouds float horizontally fron
!, , the new crater. The old elects steam
smoke, mud, pumice and lapilli, but n
! molten lava.
The salient topography of the regiol
! is unaltered. The destruction of s.
. Pierre wac due to the new crater. Til
explosion had great superficial force
= acting in radial directions, as evidence,
by the dismo Uniting and carrying fo
yards the guns in the ba$tery on tn
, hill soath of St. Pierre and the statu
: of the Virgin in the same locality, an
: also by the condition of the ruine
+ houses in ST. Pierre.
. "Accordidg to the testimony of som
persons there was an accompanyin!
r flame. Others think the incandescen
, cinders and the force of their ejectio
. were sufficient to cause the destruction
This must be investigated. am noY
following the nature of this hill"
Prof. Hills is the first positive scier
tifc report based on observed facts
The professor has now started on hors
> back for the volcano. He will stud
the whole affected area and will try t
get to both craters. He will surel
+ visit Morne Rouge and the slope c
> Mont Pelee. The undertaking is yer
: hazardous, as explosions may occur a
any moment. as on1 did on May X
Prof. Hill knows the risk he takes, bu
says the only way to discover exactl
what has happened is to go to th
crater itself, or as near it as possible