Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-05-22
ISLE D0OMI
Second Eruption Of MontPelee
Spells Ruin.
PEOPLE PANIC STRICKEN
Lose All Confidence and Come to Fort.
de-France in Streams Begging to Be
/! Taken Away-France Makes Prepa-
rations to Evacuate the Island.

Fort-de-France, Martinique, May %.
The second outbreak of Mount Pelee
probably means ruined island.
All confidence is lost
Streams of frightened refugees pour
into Fort-de-France from the surround
ing country, all crying to be taken
away.
The United States steamer Dixie has
arrived and is unloading its enormous
cargo of supplies.
Pelee continues in great activity.
Leave by Ship Loads.
Point -Pitre, Island of Guadeloupe,
May 22.-The people of Martinique be-
lieve that the island is doomed to COM
plete destruction, and are leaving by
shiploads.
The steamers Horton and Salvador
have, arrived here with 700 persons
who have abandoned the island.
The Norwegian steamer Helga car
ried 100 refugees to ST. Lucia.
Other steamers with 1000 refugees
on board are enroute to this island.
Similar Panic in ST. Vincent.
The Island of ST. Vincent is the
scene of a similar panic. LIE Soufriere
is again in violent eruption, and points
like Chateau Belair and Georgetown,
hitherto safe. are no longer habitable.
A new volcano only six miles from
Kingstown threatens that city.
Other islands are believed to be in
peril. At Dominica on Tuesday morn
ing fiery cloud, surmounted by a
f1eecy, white cap, resembling highly
polished silver, was seen from Rozeau,
on the west coast.
From the British Island of Antigua
loud detonations are reported.
st. Kits has been shaken by success
sive earthquakes.
Prepare to Evacuate.
Paris, May 22-The minister of the
colonies has cabled to the governor of
Martinique instructing him to make
all possible arrangements for the en-
barkation of the inhabitants in the
event circumstances necessitated the
evacuation of the island.
An Awful Night.
Barbados, w. l., May 22.-The fol
lowing letter written by, school
teacher residing in Kingston, st. Vim
cent, has been received here:
Sunday, May 4.--The heat is SO
great it overpowered me and tainted.
Last night could not sleep, although
we had the windows opened. l fan
ned nearly the whole night. Yester-
day the Caribs began leaving their
country, which is near the Soufriere,
the heat was SO great. About fifty of
them came to town and are at the po-
lice station. The governor sent the
chief of police with several policemen
down last night to see what was real
ly the state of things, and this morn
ing he telephoned to say that last
night at 12 o'clock to say that it was
grand sight to witness the great
flames issuing from the mountain next
to Soufriere, which is Morne Garou,
and again, this morning, the same
flames were seen. A woman from Lee.
ward this morning told Marie that
down there it was getting quite dark
when she left, and she saw the smoke
and fire issuing from the mountain. 1t
has been cloudy and gloomy looking
for several days, and one feels as if
something awful is hanging over us.
God preserve us!
Livid With Fright.
Thursday, May S-Here am, alive!
Which never expected to be after
yesterdays experience. Little did I
think yesterday morning when l stop
ped writing that before | had the
chance to conclude this, what nv ex-
perience of an eruption of volcanic
mountain would be. About H. a. m.
the noise of the mountain was exactly
like a terrific thunder storm, and. as
you can imagine, we could scarcely
take the children's lessons. We had
to declare to them it was thunder and
not the noise from the mountain. for
some turned livid with fright, and, al
though fearfully frightened ourselves.
= we had to control ourselves, for we re-
membered what a grave responsibility
We had with twenty children, and some
SO small. We had promised them a
half holiday, SO at o'clock we sent
them all home. BY that time the noise
s had increased. 1t was terrific and
was just like great capnons firing off.
l We ran over to the next house, where
We saw the flames and smoke issuing
from the mountain, and by that time
the noise was one continuous roaring
and breaking greater than i can ever
describe, and the. whole heavens pre-
sented an ashen hue. 1t was most
appalling to look on, for all felt as if
they did not know on What they stood
and what the next moment would
bring.
The Storm Approaching.
81 advised that we should return
home, which we did Immediately, and
we started to take down pictures,