Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-27
PROFESSOR HILLS REPORT.
Government Geolosist Investigates the
Mont PeIee Eruption.

Mont PeIee Eruption.
Fort de France, May 27-Professor
Robert Hill, United States government
geologist and head of the expedition,
sent by the national geographical So
ciety, has just come in from a daring
and prolonged investigation of the vol
canic activity in Martinique. Pro-
fessor Hill chartered steamer and
carefully examined the coast as far
north as Port de Macouba. the eX-
treme end of the island. making ire
uuent landings. After landing at lie
Precheur, five miles north of st. Pierre,
he walked thru the area of active vol
canes to the latter place and made
a minute examination of the various
phenomena disclosed.
Professor Hill is the first and only
ran who has set foot in the area o.
.raters, fissures and funaroles and,
because of his high position as scien-
list, his story is valuable. In addition
to the work of investigation. the pro-
fessor rescued in his steamer many
poor people of LIE Precheur who had
ventured back, after deserting their
homes, and found themselves in awful
danger. He reports as follows:
Unique forms an elongated oval. con-
tanning on land about eight square
miles of destruction. This oval is
partly over the sea. The land part
is bounded by lines running from LIE
Precheur to the peak of Mont Pelee
thence curving around to Carbet. There
are three well marked zones: First.
the center of annihilation. in which
all life, vegetable and animal. was ut
terly destroyed. The greater northern
part of st. Pierre was in this zone
second, the zone of singeing, blistering
flame. which was also fatal to all life.
killing all men and animals. burning
the leaves on trees and scorching, but
not utterly destroying, the trees them
selves; third, the large, outer, non-de-
structiye zone of ashes wherein some
Vegetation was injured. The focus of
humiliation was the new crater mid
way between the sea and peak of Mont
Pelee. where now exists new area
OF active vulcanism. with a hundred
fumaroles or miniature volcanoes. The
new crater is now vomiting
black hot mud, which is falling
irto the sea. Both craters. old and new.
are active. Mushroom-sh shaped steam
explosions constantly ascend from the
old crater, while heavy ash-laden
clouds float horizontally from the new
craters. The old elects steam, smoke.
mud, pumice and Lapilli. but no molten
lava.
'The salient topography of the region
is unaltered. The destruction of st.
Pierre was due to a new crater The
Will Ial
acting in radial directions. as is evil
denced by the dismounting and carry
ing for yards of guns in the battery on
the Hill south of st. Pierre and the
colonial statue of the virgin In the
same locality and also by the condition
of the ruined houses in st. Pierre.
According to the testimony of some |
persons there was an accompanying
fame Others think incandescent Gin
ders and the force of their election were
sufficient to cause the destruction. This
must be investigated. I am now fol-
lowing the nature of this hill"
This is the first positive scientific
statement based on observed facts Pro-
lessor Hill has now started on horse
lack for the volcano. He will study
The whole affected area and will try to
get to both craters. He will surely visit
Morne Rouge and the slope of Mont
Pelee. The undertaking is very haz-
ardous, as explosions may occur at any
as one did on May 30. Pro-
fessor Hill knows the risk he takes, but
says the only way to discover exactly
what has happened is to go to the era
ter itself or as near as possible. He
viii be gone two days.
Fort de France is nearly deserted. A
new source of fright is the fear that
] tidal wave will come. A wave eight
7eet high would certainly destroy For.
lie France and probably cause an enor- I
nous loss of life.
The weather is lowering and rainy,
rhe south winds carry the smoke and.
lshes from the volcano away from Fort
le France.