Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-27
LA soUFRIERE ACTIVE AGAIN.
Towns on the West Coast Evacuated
by Inhabitants.

dispatch from Kingstown, St. Vincent
yesterday says: A violent eruption of La
Soufriere, the fifth big outburst since the
catastrophe of May Z, took place today.
Georgetown and the village OF Chateau
Belair, situated on the west coast of st.
Vincent. were again evacuated by their in
habitants.
Telephone communication In those dis
trcts Is interrupted owing to fierce light
ming. Subterranean rumbfings can be heard
and volcanic clouds are seen from this
city. The crater had been smoking con-
stantly since the terrific eruption of oc-
tober 10.
A dispatch from San Francisco says: The
volcano Santa Maria in violent erup-
ton when the Pacific Mail steamer City Of
Panama left Champerico for this port nine
days ago.
The City of Panama arrived from Panama
and way ports today, bringing late news
from the devastated regions. While the
steamer lay at Champerico the mountain
lar away was spouting ashes, smoke and
pumice stone, the flakes falling In showers
all over the country. The city of Quezal-
tenango has been visited by ruin. QueZal-
tenango Is located at the base of Santa
Maria, on the eastern slope, and no fears
heretofore have been entertained for the
towns safety. All damage reported has
been on the western side, reaching from
the mountains to the seashore, thirty miles
away.
That the damage has extended across the
mountain Is evidence of the terrific activity
OF the volcano. Refugees are making their
way to the seaside, travelling either to
Ocas or Champedico, and from these ports
proceeding south by steamer. From the
officers OF the City of Panama II was
learned that some Of the planters are of
the opinion that the ashes may be beneficial
to the soil and that the damage to the
hncas may be only temporary.
Absolute ruin threatens many of the plant
ers and the livelihood of thousands of ma
t.ves for many months to come has been
, smut on by the destructive work of the
fircas probably will be that Of others than
the present owners, for so great has been
the damage that the majority Of planters
may never recover from their losses
NJ. F. Otis Of New York was a passenger
on the City Of Panama, having come
through from New York Mr. OTIS gives a
vivid description Of the appearance of the
mountain.
AS far as the eye can reach from Cham
perico.' said he, there Is nothing to be
seen but ashes and pumice stone We
sailed for miles through a sea Of ashes.
FROM the sea to Santa Maria the country is
like boiling caldron. At short intervals
the volcano vomited smoke and ashes At
times Inc discharge would be carried up
snort instance into the air and then 1t
would spread out like an umbrella and fail
70 the earth, covering trees. bushes and
Mlls with q white shroud
AT other times the discharge would
seem to leap high into the air as If propelled
by shock that could be felt all the way to
Champerico. Earthquakes were frequent
and the people felt that their country rested
on very unsafe foundation. The people in
Cnamper1co seem unable to form any esti-
mate Of the number Of lives lost, but they
an agree that the work of devastation, as
far as the coffee plantations are concerned
10 complete Without having familiar
knowledge OF the country I say that this
statement was not at all exaggerated"