The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1902-05-16
FORTY THOUSAND ARE DEAD
VolcanOs Mont Pelee In Martinioue and Ia
Soufriere in St. Vincent Spread
Death and Destruction.

5000 " ''-0 "u"i'or Vi aoou1
me corpses which are heaped on the ruins
VI %. flerre are not only completely naked,
OUT are frlghtfully mutilated. The Suchet
coule not reach the northeasternmost part of
1ne tFiand on account of the dense rain of
ashess Dispatches confirm the reports that
sne american and British consuls and their
Ianilses Il perlshed Waves of lava are still
doWlng northward and have extended to La
Carbet. 0"0N " i1'
Cremating the COrpses.
Fort de France, May 11-Several steamers.
carrying hrewood, petroleum and quick lime
Tor use IN cremating the bodies of the victims.
nave gone to st. Pierre Large quantities of
olslntectants and stocks of clothing for the
refugees also were shipped. It is reported
that over 1000 of the refugees have died since
the catastrophe. The heat from the smoking.
lava covered ruins is suffocating, and the
s1ench from the corpse strewn streets is
awful Not drop of water is procurable
ashore The darkness caused by the clouds
OF volcanic dust, and the continuous subter-
ranean rumbiings, add to the horror of the
scene Grim piles of bodies are stacked
everywhere, showing that death came while
the crowds were vainly seeking to escape
from the fiery deluge.
On one spot group of nine children were
Aouhe- 4OChSI III 62cl OGn6rS arms, In n
other 26 men were found, and from the awful
mass legs and arms were protrudipp piles of
DEAD IN the vicinity of the site of the cathe-
dral tells story of the attempt to find
sanctuary and refuge in the great structure of
worship The provisions at Fort de France
are under guard; the negroes are demanding
food, and terror reigns.
Three Thousand Perished.
Fort de France, May 12.-It is now gen.
orally admitted that about 10000 persons
lost their lives as result of the outbreak
OF Mont Pelee volcano, whose ancient crater
for more than 60 years had been occupied by
quiet lake in which picnic parties bathed.
The city of st. Pierre stretched nearly two
miles along the water front and half a mile
back to cliff at the base of the volcano
Careful inspection shows that the fiery
sGream must have been composed OF poison
Gus gases, which instantly suffocated every
one who inhaled them, and of other gases
burning furiously, for nearly all the victims
had their hands covering their mouths or were
IN some attitude showing that they had
soughS relief from suffocation.
The village of Urine, south of st. Pierra
Was almost entirely burned and almost all the
inhabitants were killed One of the survivors.
who will die, says the sea, boiling hot in
vaded the land. An evidence of the swift
ness o. the onslaught of FIRE is found In the
fact that none of the victims were blinded,
although the eyelids of most of them are near.
ly burned through. The coast villages near
st. Pierre were destroyed simultaneously with
that town. The entire island, up to within
few miles of Fort de France, is covered with
mud aad ashes, The cattle of the island are
either all dead or dying. The streams have
dried up or are polluted Thousands of per.
sons are focking to Fort de France.
Government Tug Arrives.
Fort de France, May 13.- Cruising along
the coast yesterday, the United States tug
Potomac, which came from San Juan, Porto
Rico, encountered an inky black column of
smoke, which made it necessary for her to go
live miles out of her course. While coming
here the Potomac picked up boat contain
ing hve colored men and one white man,
whose pockets were filed with coin and
Jewelry, the latter evidently stripped from
the dead. The men were arrested and turned
over to the commander of the cruiser Souchet
for punishment The Potomac brought ton
of supplies. The northern part of the island
Is depopulated. and with many crowding
IN here famine is imminent. Provisions
are needed for 100000
The lootinp of the ruins has begun already.
small detachment of French troops is MAX
ing efforts to inter the dead, although the
government seems TO be strikingly uncon-
cerned as to what is done in this direction.
Two thousand corpses have been found in
carbonized condition. 1t is learned that the
rain of fire ceased at distance of 200 yards
from the village of La Carbet gardener
at village seven kilometres away saw the
eruption, his description being that the noun
tain opened and flung tornadoes of fire at
St. Pierre.
The Italian consul at Barbados has re-
covered the body of his daughter, who was
visiting in st. Pierre at the time. The only
woman known to have survived was negress.
She was found in a cellar Saturday after
noon, where she had been for three days.
She was still alive, but fearfully burned from
head to toes. She died in the hospital here.
The activity of the volcano seems to be in.
creasing.