Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-31
Flames and Deadly Gases Eat Up All
Around Burning Volcano
MEN FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES AND LIMBS
Even in Capital Detonations Are Heard and
Great Excitement Prevails.
COFFEE PLANTATIONS BURIED FEET DEEP
sand and Ashes Blot out bushes So
that Third of Crop L. Already De-
strOyed and Much of Rest
Endangered.

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct so--The entire
ooffee zone Of Guatemala has been destroyed
by the flames and smoke from Santa Marias
blazing mouth. Eruptions threaten the de-
struction Of every living thing within reach
OF the fumes and ire that pours from the
burning mountain.
Messrs. Castle Bros. are the authority
for the above fearful report. They are
coffee Importers, who have their own plan
tation in the volcanic district, who becom-
Ing alarmed at newspaper reports OF dis.
turbances in Guatemala cebled for informa-
tion.
firm, said today:
Last Monday wired our representatives
In Guatemala. asking for news OF the erup-
tion OF Santa Maria and last night l re-
ceived in reply this cablesram:
1t is true. Enormous losses. Horrible
volcanic eruption.
Coffee zone destroyed.
Our lives are in danger.
Further reports will follow
THE coffee districts referred to- ex-
planned Mr.. Hirsch, ''are the Costa Cuca
and Costa Granda. They are the finest
plantations in the country. II the coffee
district is destroyed, as the cable seems to
indicate, one-third OF the crop is most
likely involved.
This volcano, Santa Maria, is located be-
tween Retalhulen and QueEaltenango. The
towns in the neighborhood most likely to be
destroyed are San Felip, MaEaltenango and
Quezaltenango. The volcano has been dead
or sleeping for many years.
81 was in the district last April, at the
time when earthquakes racked the coun-
try, but no volcanic eruptions occurred or
seemed likely then
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30.-A cablegram
was received at the State department today
from Consul General McNally. He reports
that the eruption OF the volcano at Santa
Maria, adjoining QueEaltenango, continu -.
The city Is covered with six inches Of vol
canic matter; rich coffee plantations on
the coast side are hurled under seven feet
of sand and ashes from the volcano, and
detonations from the eruption were, heard
in the capital.
There have been frequent earthduakes
and another eruption s reported In the De-
Partment of Tombador. Much excitement
prevails.
sOufriere May Erupt Again.
JAMESTOWN, St. Vincent, B. W. l.. Oct.
3O.-Henry Powell curator OF the govern
ment botanical station here; J. p Quinton
of the British botanical station in Sierra
Leone and f. w. Foster OF the botanical
station at Lagos, accompanied by guides,
visited the Soufriere volcano on October 2S
and spent an hour and half on the sum
NIT.
The party found the crater In activity.
II was emitting volumes Of steam and
throwing up numerous cones of ashes from
the fissure close under the southern wall to
a height Of forty feet. During the last half
gAn NAlA
Mr.. Powell who from his frequent Visits,
is well acquainted with the features of the
mountain, is satisfied that the new crater
shows no sign of having been in eruption.
The old crater is now deepest in Its center.
Volcanic elections almost red hot and
smoking profusely have been heaped up
around the interior walls OF the crater to
a height of several hundred feet. The rim
of the crater is considerably wider than 1t
was and the depression on the western rim
has been much lowered. In the center is
a caldron OF boiling water and close under
the southern wall Is located the assure
from which large volumes OF steam and
ashes are seen to emerge. The steam and
/ ashes follow the trend of the depression
under the southeastern wall and gaining
the summit OF the volcano are blown to
the westward, thus giving the appearance
Of having come from the new crater.
The conhguration of the mountain has
been considerable altered.
The sea is still encroaching on the land
at the Wallibou estate. The Wallibou
river Is dry at its mouth, but far inland It
is running with fair volume in the small
channels. There was a slight eruption OF
! the Soufriere the night OF october 2s, when
loud groaning noises we're heard and a cloud
OF dark vapor was thrown out. These dis
/ turbances have continued and are causing
much excitement at Georgetown, where
earth tremors are continually felt
From the appearance Of the volcano an
other eruption of a serious nature can be
| expected.
The administrator Of the st. Vincent dis
triet visited the Georgetown district on oc-
| tober II. He advised the governor of the
Windward Islands that II Is advisable to
| permanently locate the people OF the dis
turbed mart Of the island at North Union