The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-06-04
FEAR NEW
DISASTER
Fort de France Is
In State of
Panic.
PEOPLE GATHER
IN THE SQUARE
Tidal Wave Would Wipe Out the
Tidal Wave Would Wipe Out the
Town-Scientific Investisa-
~ ton Of Eruption.
- oRr DE FRANCE. Island OF Mar


Unique. Monday. May es.-Mont
- PeIee Is again In eruption Huge.
fnky black clouds are rolling over Fort
De France In great masses. In which
there are peculiar lightning flashes
TIE inhabitants are now fiocking into
the great square OF the town. II the
Demonstration increases n panic Is i'm
rniaent-
A very heavy surf has been beating
or the shore for the last two hours.
at a great height. Is dimiy visible In
the direction Of Mont Peiee- The night
H. intensely dark and the stars are
only faintly visible
Tort de France . In no danger from
the volcano. but there is considerable
Apprehension Of panic In the night
tf.e. should the grcyish-yeiiow cloud
reach here and ashes and stones begin
To- fall There are no noises from the
volcano at present
SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION.
FORT DE FRANCE. Monday. May
Is Professor Robert T. Hiii. United
tales Government geoioEist and head
0f ths expedition sent by the National
Geographical Society. has just come I'm
frern n daring and prolonged investl-
zatlon of ths volcanic activity IN Mar
Unique. Professor Hin chartered
steamer and carefully examined the
eoast as far nGrth as Port de Macouba.
at the extreme end OF the island. max
fnr frequent landings. After landing
"a Ir Prech~ur. i've miles north OF 50.
frerre. he walked through an area OF
active vuicanisn. 90 the latter place.
md made n minute examination Of the
various phenomena disclosed
Professor Hill IL the hrSt and ouly
ruAs Who has set foot in the area OF
erAfers. assures and fumaroieS and. be-
cAuse OF his hiEh position as n scientist.
Ms story is valuable. In addition TO
ms work os Investigation the professor
rescued tn his steamer many poor pco-
pI~ OF Ls Frechsur who had ventured
bach after des~rtinx their homes and
tound themselves tn awful danger. He
reports "a follows: The zone Of the
cafastroph@ In Martinique forms an
-tonxated oval. containing on land
about eight square miles Of destruction
TAI. oval Ia partly over the sea- The
land part is bounded by lines running
from Le Prcch~ur TO the peak OF Mont
Pel>~. thence curvin< around TO Carbct-
There were three well marked zones:
F1rsf. q center of annihiiation. In which
an life. vegetable and animal. was ut
t-rIy destroyed The greater northern
Dart Of 81 Pierre was In this zone
second. n sons of sinEeine. oiisterins
rauc. which also was fatal 10 ali life.
kiIIinx all men and animals. burning
NNn~
bus not utterly destroying. the trees
thsrnseIves. Third. a iar<e outer non
destructive zone of ashes wherein some
vsrctatiou vas injured The focus OF
ansihliation ~as the new crater. mid
~ay between the sea and the peak OF
Mont Pelee. where now exists new
area OF active vulcanisn with hundreds
o9 miniature volcanoes The new era
ser 10 now vomiting black. hot mud.
- slch IL falling into the sea Both
er1fers. the old and new. are active.
Mushroom shaped steam explosions
constantly ascend from the old crater.
" slle heavy ash-laden clouds float hort-
xDnfaIIy from the new crater. The old
.trcfs steam. smoke. mud. pumice and
apffii. but no molten lava
The salient topography Of the region
- uuaItered. The destruction OF St
pierre Was due to the new crater. The
-xpiosion had greater superficial force.
acting In radiai directions. as IL evil
,I--e~d oy the dlsmountin< and carry
ing for yards the guns In the battery
on the hlI south Of 81 Pierre. and the
roIo.saf ssatue OF the Virgin In the
same locality and also BY the eondi-
lion Of the ruined houses In 50. Pierre
According 20 the testimony OF some
persons there was an accompanying
go OtberS think the fucandescent
si.d~rx and ths force OF their election
we're sufficient TO cause the destruction
This must b. Investigated I arn nov
following the nature % this bill
TALs IL the first positive scientific
st4t~rneut based on observed facts
Professor Hul has now started on
bsr-~back for The volcano. lie viii
study the whole affected AREA and VII
try 90 set 90 both craters- He VII
surely visit M0rns Rouge and The slope