The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-05-22

II OlNTE-A-PITRE, Island Of Guade-
loupe, May 21.-The streams Of
boiling mud and the fire from the
last eruption Of Mont Pelee destroyed
all that remained Of the northern part
of the island, according to the refugees.
and Martinique seems destined to COM
plete destruction.
London, May 22-The correspondent
Of the Daily Mail at Kingston, St. Vim
cent. describes the conditions on that
island. He SAYS that 50 per cent of
the persons injured cannot recover.
The whole island resembles a Sahara,
and the graves of humans and the re-
mains of animals are seen on every
side. Everywhere on the island the
rivers have been stopped by the dust
or lava. and in one valley the dust lies
six feet deep. The deaths on st. Vim
cent were caused by a blast Of heated
sulphuTOus air. The report that a
new crater has formed is untrue The
dense air is probably caused by vol
canic dust from the eruption Of Sun
day being blown back on the island
by the trade wind.
Korena has arrived from Fort de
France, Martinique. having on
board two survivors OF the steamer
Roraima, lost in the ST. Pierre disas-
ter. These are Ellery Scott, chief Of
ficer, and Charles Thompson (col-
ored), assistant purser. Both declined
TO discuss their experiences. Neither
shows much evidence of hard usage.
d. saH.a nna
KOrena told the following story:
we did not know that St. Pierre
had been destroyed when we left Bar
bados We knew that there had been
an eruption. because we had heard the
noise and had seen great clouds Of
ashes which had covered Barbados.
We went to st. Pierre to get the pas
sengers and mail as usual. When we
arrived off the town we saw it was in
ruins. Clouds Of smoke We're rising in
the air so that We could not see Mont
Pelee. Streams of lava were running
down TO the sea and the water was
discOiOred.'
G. johnson Of st. Louis was travel
ing in the West Indies and was at
Barbados when the eruption occurred.
He also came up on Korena and made
this statement:
Thursday, Nay s. in Barbados. it sud
denly became intensely dark. The peo-
pie were panic-striclzen. All the lamps
had been lighted in the houses. A
shower of volcanic ashes covered the
entire place to a depth Of three inches
or more. The noise Of the eruption was
plainly heard, and sounded like can
nOnading.
When the Korena arrived of St
Pierre on Friday morning, May 9. the
town was still ahre. The place was
picture of absolute des0lation. We
went in until We were about 500 yards
of shore and did not see a living thing.
We could not see Pelee for the clouds
Of smoke that obscured it, The water
was full of floating bodies.
Story OF the Disaster.
Captain John w. Carey Of the Ko-
rena related how he reached ST. Pierre
and on learning Of the destruction of
the ROraima put back to Fort de
France, where he took on board four
OF its survivors, Scott Thompson and
two colored men from st. kits
ION the way up" said Captain Carey,
Scott told me the story of their ter
rible experiences. He said the Ro-
rama got into the harbor about $50
a.
terrible explosion came from the noun
tain. In an instant it began to rain
fire and mud over the harb0r. Captain
Muggah jumped on the bridge and
cried, 'Heave way and get up the an
Choir quickly He then went forward
where he began to superintend the
work of getting up the anchor. They
had not got more than a few fathoms
Of chain aboard when there came
great river of burning lava reaching
down the mountain side and plunging
into the bay. II showed the water OF
the harbor back and hurled the RO-
raima on her side. Captain Muggahs
was on the bridge at the time
with the rush Of water the ships
decks were swept clean. All her deck
works. boats and bulwarks were torn
away and went overheard. Scott saw
Captain MUggah swept away with the
wreckage of the bridge and leaped
from the fOrecastle head. He was
dashed 10 the deck by the rush Of the
crew in their mad flight and trampled
under foot, and but for the action OF
two Of the steerage passengers, colored
men from ST. Kits, he would have
persisted with the others, Who were
burned 10 death by the lava which
poured in on the vessels decks. These
men seized him and dragged him into
the steerage. where he stayed with
them. and by wrapping their heads in
blankets they succeeded in escaping
serious injury. Meanwhile Thompson.
the assistant steward, who was on
deck when the first outburst came,
succeeded in reaching his room and
closing the door. where he stayed until
the worst of the first shock was over.
An open ventilatOr let the flames
reach him and lie was badly burned
about the neck and lost one ear. When
the first shock had passed he man
aged to make his way to the Storage
where he Joined Scott and the two st.
kits men in saving the passengers and
members Of the crew who were stu
living. They gathered these in the
steerage and all who were able Joined
them In fighting the flames back. and
managed 10 keep the FIRE confined TO
the afterpart OF the vessel until the
French cruiser Suchet came along and
took them off.
Were Building a Raft.
Before they were rescued they start
ed TO build p raft. and under Mate
SCOTS dire zion this was nearly com
pleted and prOvisiOned for the attempt
20 get away from the death hole they
were in Scott says that when Cap
tain MuEgah was carried away with
the ships sUperstructure, Daniels,
the ships cooper, jumped overheard