Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1902-05-17
10000 PEOPLE Persisted
.rDrrNe LAVA COVERED ALL.
3. pierre, the Capital of
"" .,.,.ue, Entirely Wiped Away
Few Saved-F1ery Metal
.,uo wide-Tidal Wave.

o.,tries st. Lucia, B. w. L. May IL.
Mount pelee, a volcanic mountain
80 10 miles north of st. Pierre the
sun ,orcial capital of Martinique is
cum esu mountain which made a faint show
'll' aruption so years ago. On May 3
% - hogan to throw out dense clouds
iaS' oka At midnight the same day
o. n accompanied by rumbling
Ha aises lighted the sky over an i'm
nol'e orea causing widespread terror.
ni0n hot ashes covered the whole
NO. quarter of st. Pierre an inch thick
~ made Mount Pelee invisible. At
an Nav a stream of burning lava
nO Nod 44O0 feet down the mountain
~ following the dry bed of a tor
sort and reaching the sea, i've miles
.san, the mountain, in three minutes.
:. its rush the fiery food swept from
- nath plantations, buildings, factor
80 cattle and human beings over a
nreadth of about half a mile.
A. the rear of the mouth of the
p,riore blanche stood the large Guerin
sngar factory, one Of the finest in the
island, 1t is now completely entombed
= lava The tall chimney alone is
visible One hundred and fifty per-
sons are estimated to have persisted
there. including the owners son.
AS the lava rushed into the sea the
latter receded 400 feet all along the
vest coast, returning with greater
strength. a big wave covering the
whole sea front of st. Pierre, but doing
little damage ashore or afioat
Terrible detonations, heard humid
reds of miles northward, followed at
short, irregular intervals, and contin-
ned at night. In the intense darkness
the electric lights failed, but the town
was lit up by lurid flashes of flame
from the mountain. The terror strick-
on inhabitants rushed for the hills in
tbedral All appeared to have been
their night clothes, shouting and wall
ing mad with terror.
The Plssono family escaped to st.
Lucia in a small steamer. Thirty-five
persons. mostly women and children,
arrived here in the forenoon of the
9th and furnished the above details.
The men remained in Martinique. The
same afternoon, later, Geographic
communication was interrupted with
both the islands of Martinique and st.
Vincent.
NJ. Plissono is believed here to be
the sole survivor of the 10000 inhab-
itants of the town and all the shipping
in the port has been utterly destroyed,
the West Indian e Panama Telegraph
eompany's repairing vessel going first.
then the Quebec liner Roraima. Cap
tain Muggah of the latter waved his
hand in farewell to the Roddam as
his vessel sank with a terrific explos-
ion.
In the afternoon a French coasting
steamer arrived here from Fort de
france seeking assistance, as all the
country was burned up, the stock was
dying, all the plantations were char
red. the country people were iocking
into the towns and famine was feared.
The steamer was loaded with food of
all sorts and was sent back to Mar
unique at p. m. The captain of this
vessel reported that some 80 persons
left st. Pierre by tie o'clock boat
thursday marning for Fort de France
and consequently were saved.
Worst Possible Day.
Bordeaux, France, May 11.-Only a
Few replies have Lcen received to mes
sages of inquiry from a host of Bor-
ieaux merchants having business con-
lectlons in st. Pierre. A small num-
'er OF messages chronicle the saving
u private families and individuals,
'ut most of the dispatches are merely
that big business es-
'aDnshments have been wiped out.
IL has been developed that the ca
' !, in Martinique occurred on
,ne worst possible day, namely, the
,ay Oh the arrival of the French and
me departure of the English mail
steamers. In consequence of this fact
n"ny business men were in the city
= 81 Pierre instead of at their coun-
ny places.
Fire Still Continues.
raris, May 1.-THE minister Of ma
LII M Delassen, has received the
,,n'g from Fort de France, Mar
na' under date of May 10, 4 p. m.
n,a, arrived at Fort de France with pro-
o. Ussions' passing close to st. Pierre.
,ah e continues, volcano still emitting
1'nes' with less density.
NJ "SUCHET."
Iono VI. oe France. Island of Martin