Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-05-24
Pelee In Eruption Again.

rohI LIE rhANCE, MARTINIQUE, May
20.-Destruction is again being done by
Mount Pelee. the volcano having re-
sumed an activity even greater than
that exhibited just before St. Pierre was
wiped out of existence
For "a hours the volcano has been in
constant eruption, and explosions have
been frequent. All in Fort de France
are filled with panic. The island has
been shaken by che workings of the
forces within the earth and everyone
awaits III fear cataclysm perhaps even
worse than that which only recently
filled the world with horror
Last night was one of terror and wild
alarm here. The earth seemed to have
lost its foundations. Up through the
crater of Pelee poured a storm of death.
The elimination came ut an early hour
i'll the morning. when there occurred an
explosion so terrible that walls in this
city were shaken down and the people
fled to the open country.
1t is said that the force of the explo-
sion was much greater than that which
accompanied the rain of fire upon St
Pierre.
Smoke fills the air. darkening the sky.
Ashes are falling steadily. When the
heavens are filled with lightning, as
frequently happens. it can be seen that
Pelee has not ceased to throw out
great column of lava and stones. The
waters of the Caribbean are dashed to
a fury, indicating that the same forces
which caused the volcano TO labor are
working tremendous charges at the
bottom of the sea.
In the harbor every ship has steam
up and is ready to speed away.
\ DESPERATE ESCAPE.
Beset by imminent and terrible dan
ger, a party of officers and men from
the warships Cincinnati and Potomac
went ashore at st. Pierre yesterday and
brought away the body of Thomas L.
Prentis, the United States Consul Adj
vised to forsake their burden and save
themselves, the men who were carry
ing the body refused to do so. On they
stumbled through an atmosphere each
second growing darker and more sti-
fling. Their ears were deafened by
the crashes that came from Pclce In
the Ioadstead the British cruiser hide
fatigable was running out to sea, sound
ing her siren, which most of the time
was silenced by the greater noise from
Pclee.
With steam up the Potomac stood
ready to run as soon as the rescue party
could get out from shore and on board
To the general din it added its note of
alarm.
Finally the brave men were forced to
rest their burden ut the waters edge,
while they made all speed to the Poto-
mac. They were barely in time. As
the vessel got well under way another
flood of fire poured down from Pelee
and broad stream of lava ran into the
sea, while out of the sky rained storm
of rocks and ashes.
AS close as the ship could be sent
without couting destruction, the Poto-
mac went to the stream of lava All
about her the sea was boiling. The
steam coming up over the sides was so
dense as to make il all but impossible to
see through it.
Again turn was made seaward, and
as it was seen that the wind had shifted
the danger from St. Pierre, the boat ran
back to the landing A party of sailors
went ashore and brought off the body.
We returned then to Fort de France,
where all was panic.
Owing to the hasty retreat that WAS
made from the British Consulate the
body of Mr.. Japp, which had been en-
coffined, was not recovered. 1t is now
deemed too dangerous task to return
for the body, which lies about mile
back from the shore.
sTIFLING HEAT
Sitting heat preceded the last out
DurSt III Mount felee. Not breath OF
air stirred for two days Rain fell and
the thunder that accompanied it found
a deep response from the depths of the
volcano. Finally there descended upon
the island an almost overpoweriug sui
phuric vapor.
Many refugees and a large proportion
of the inhabitants of Fort de France
sleep tonight at the waters edge, ready
to swim out to the ships should that be
necessary to escape from the terrors of
the volcano.
Many believe that the worst is yet to
come. Previous eruptions are referred
to as proof that the first explosions are
always followed by others of greater
strength.