Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-07
SAND AND PEBBLE SHOWERS
They Are Destroying Plantations Surround
ing Volcanic La sOufriers.
PEOPLE ARE NOTIFIED TO GET AWAY
Appalling Phenomena Continue night
and Day and 81. vincent IL Now
suned with Heat. Ashes
and smoke.


ST. THOMAS. D. w. l., Sept. 6.-Advices
from the island Of ST. Vincent are that a
slight eruption Of La Soufriere volcano oc-
Cured at noon September 3. The outbreak
was accompanied by rumblings and caused
an exodus OF the population from George
town and Chateau Belaire. On the 4th, at
1880 in tho morning and again at 10 o'clock
last night, loud noises resembling thunder
were heard. These noises were accom-
panied by electrical discharges from La
Soufriere, which continued until 8 O'Clock
in the morning. when a continuous roar
began. lasting until 4 o'clock. This was
followed by a murmuring sound which was
heard until 6 a. m. In a short time the
heavens were obscured by dust OF smoke
and the scene was something fearful. No
body slept at all during the night. The
dust. the advices state, has not yet fallen
at Kingstown or Georgetown, but the at
mosphere has a hazy look. Pebbles fell
at Baronellie at 4 o'clock on the after
noon Of September 4. Reports from Chateau
Belaire are to the effect that there has
been a heavy fall of sand there, and that
the arrowroot plantations on neighboring
estates have been destroyed by the sand.
No deaths are reported.
Eruption IL Most Terrible.
KINGSTON, Island Of st. Vincent, Sept.
2.-Authentic reports received here from
various sources confirm the statements that
the eruption OF Mount Pelee during the
night Of August 30 was the most terrific ex-
perienced The captain Of the French
Transatlantic steamer Salvador, which has
arrived here, furnished the following:
1 left Fort dc France at 5 o'clock in the
afternoon OF August 30 On passing 81.
p pierT Re- S at . 9'S sr2Snt,o at night Mount Aa pe5se
81, on approaching the islands OF Les
Saintes, Volcanic ashes began 70, fall.
arrived off Point-a-Petrie, Gaudeloupe, at
s a. M, but was unable to enter the harbor
until Il o'clock, everything being obscured
by falling ashes.
The people residing near the fire zone
have been notified by the administrator
Of the island to leave Georgetown. Chateau
Bellair, and the villages and estates In
the northern portion of the island we're
evacuated this afternoon. There is no
telephone Communication with the
affected district, the operators having left
their posts.
Appalling Phenomenon Witnessed.
KINGSTON, st. Vincent, Sept. Am APP
palling phenomenon was witnessed here
last night. 1t lasted from 9 p. m, to
o'clock this morning. A terrible eruption
VI II oOhlAlCAO OACdhO GhNGlopCu AIS
whole island II an electric cioud ana
smoke.
At IL o'clock this morning th-' atmos-
phere is still unsettled. but the eruption
is apparently subsiding. The sun is OBJ
scured and oppressive heat prevails.
The sea is slightly agitated. sand has
fallen ten miles from the city. No SAN
has fallen here. The northern cities are
deserted. No intelligence was received to-
day from Chateau Bellair. 1t is believed to
have been destroyed.
Ofhcials have been sent from here by boat
to visit the northern parishes and II pos
sible to report on the destruction OF prop
erty and loss of life.
The heat in Martinique is said to be al
most unbearable.
Details of the Destruction.
An ohicial who has just returned here
found that Chateau Bellair was safe. Only
a small quantity of sand and stone fell
there. An adjacent estate, Fitzhugh's. suf-
fered greatly. all cultivation being de-
stroyed. The parish is being evacuated.
There was no loss of life.
Georgetown is also safe. No one ven
tured within the fire zone, the Soufriere
being still in eruption.
The destruction of the Carib country is
presumably complete.
The eruption of yesterday was longer
In duration and more violent in action
than even the first dire outburst Of May
Z. With a haunting recollection Of st.
Pierre, Martinique. and the. last disaster
here, the people eonverged on Kingstown
and ran to and fro, seeking shelter from
the cloud spreading over the hills toward
the town, while shocks Of earthquake,
though not severe. increased the panic. At
2 a. m. loud, rapid explosions were mingled
with the continuous terrible roar, and the
Zimmerman darkness changed into a con-
stantly slimmering armament, Illuminated
by forked lightning, balls of FIRE ascending
from the crater. and bursting into me-
flights Of fancy could not have imagined.
This lasted until 8 a. m.
Dread of Tidal Wave.
The rumor hat a tidal wave was ex-
pected caused increased agitation and hun
dreds Of people Ned to the hills adjoinlng
the own. Superheated clouds rose to an
immense height and rain clouds below sent
down two showers.
At 8 a. N. silver clouds were issuing
from the crater and throughout the day
they moved slowly northward. The heat
was abnormal and there were renewed In
dications Of a further outbreak OF the vol
cano. Last night there were unmistakablo
signs OF Mount Pelee (Martinique) being
in eruption simultaneously with the
soufriere.
GRUMBLE ABOUT THE RUMBLES