The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-10

ST. THOMAS. Danish West Indes. May ..
One Of the greatest calamities OF modern
Probably forty thousand persons perished
in a twinkling, all suffocated. burned or
drowned. The city OF ST. Pierre. with 5000
TO $1,000 inhabitants, has been wiped out of
existence by a volcanic eruption. Other
nearby places met the same fate. At
O'Clock Thursday morning the volcano of
Mont Pelee. which had been belching smoke
and ashes for several days. suddenly shot
a great sheet OF molten matter into the
air, which seemed to spread over the heav-
ems. and few moments later fire was lit
orally raining on the city of st. Pierre.
There was no escape for the people. Fol-
lowing the shower of fire came mud, steam,
stones and sulphurous gases, and persons
who were not burned to death were as
phyxiated by the foul air. Ships in the
harbor caught fire and sunk, and vessels
nve miles out at sea were covered with
mud and ashes. The scene was indescrib-
able and the few survivors seem too con-
fused and appalled, 10 give more than ram
bling accounts or the horror. Some of the
natives were so superstitious that they be-
lieved the end of the world, as depicted in
the Bible. had come. Vessels which have
visited st. Pierre say only a mass Of ashes
and charred bodies mark the site of the
city.
CoNFIRMAToRY REPORTS.
The French cruiser suchet arrived at
Pointe-a-Pitre. Island OF Guadaloupe.
French West Indies. from Fort de France,
Island of Martinique. this morning, bring
ing several refugees. She confirmed the re-
port that the town of St. Pierre was de-
stroyed at o'clock on Thursday morning
by volcanic eruption. The British royal
mail steamer Esk. which arrived at st.
Lucia this morning. reports having passed
st. Pierre last night. The steamer was
covered with ashes. though she was five
miles distant from the town. which was
IN impcnetrable darkness. A boat was sent
IN as near as possible to the shore. but not
a living soul was seen ashore. only flames.
The Quebec Steamship Companys steamer
Roraima was seen to explode and disap-
pear.
The commander CT the Suchet stated
later in the day that at / o'clock Thursday
the entire town OF st. Pierre was wrapped
thirty persons. more or less burned, from
the vessels In the harbor. His officers went
ashore in small boats seeking for survivors
but were unable to penetrate the town
They saw heaps of bodies upon the wharves
and 1t is believed that not single person
resident in St. Pierre at the moment of
the catastrophe escaped.
GOVERNOR AMONG THE DEAD.
The Governor of the colony and his STAFF
colonel and wife were in st. Pierre and
probably perished. The extent Of the
catastrophe cannot be imagined
The captain of the British steamer Rod
dam was very seriously injured and is now
IN the hospital 1T St Lucia All OF his Of
ficcrs ahd engineers were dead or dying
Nearly every member of the crew is dead
supercargo Campbell and ten OF the crew
OF the ROddam jumped overheard at St
Pierre and were lost.
The British schooner Ocean Traveller. of
St John. ~. B.. arrived at the Island OF
Dominica, British West Indies. at O'Clock
this afternoon. She was Obliged TO fee from
the Island Of ST. Vincent. British West In
dies. during the afternoon OF Wednesday.
May 7. in consequence OF a heavy fall OF
sand from a volcano which in eruption
there. She tried 20 reach the Island OF