Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-05-24
AS SEEN BY Mr.. JAMES.
MilWaukeean Tells OF His Visit to
the Is and Of Martinique
i'm February.

As recently as February last Alfred
James visited the Island os Martinique
and the city of st. Pierre, upon the occa-
sion Of his annual pleasure trip. For
many years Mr.. James was a sea captain
ana ne naturally seeks the ocean when
he desires rest from the cares OF every
day business life. He is Il close obser-
Yer, and his opinions and views regard
ing country or locality are always III
teresting and accurate.
since the terrible volcanic eruptions
at Martinique said Mr.. James in speak
ing OF his visit 20 the island. Il have
been asked by Il number OF friends as 10
the general conditions OF the place, its
people, buildings, etc. BY giving my
hurried idea of the country and cities TO
the press, l will be enabled TO reply 10
all inquiries at once.
In February of the present year l
visited the island of Martinique and am
probably the only Milwaukeean who has
been there so recently. Our steamer.
the Madiana, made quite a stay at ST.
Pierre. The water in the rOadstead is
very deep and it is inc0nvenient to an
Choir. We were fastened to large buoy
about 1000 feet from the shore. The
ship furnished a number of shore boats,
which gave the passengers a good oppor-
tunity to see nearly al that was interest
ing there, and especially in the city of
St Pierre.
Presented n Good Appearance.
"Viewed from the bay, the city pre-
scented a very good appearance. The
street containing the warehouses and the
custom house fronts the bay. There
was a jettie for boats, but 10 wharfs
for shipping. The second street back
from the water, called Victor Hugo, is
or was, the main street of the city. The
buildings were of stone, two stories high.
and the street was narrow and the side
walks more so. There were very few
stores of any Importance in the street.
being mostly small shops dealing in dry
goods, groceries. liquors, etc, all huddled
into a small space. At the north end of
Victor Hugo street we crossed small
stream (which came down from the val
ley at the south of Mount Pcleel, and
this reached the widest and dirtiest mar
ket that was probably ever to be seen i'll
all the world. At the south end of Vic
tor Hugo street were many prominent
buildings. including the main hotel or
club house. with gardens; the theater.
cathedral, convent and many dwellings,
Dark Skinned Inhabitants.
THE inhabitants of the city We're most
ly Creoles and negroes, probably one
twelfth black, with a white face to be
observed now and then. The head dress
OF che negroes and the bright colors on
the walls 0f the buildings made a sort
If brilliant scene. The people generally
were poor. very poor. and every stranger
mad y large following OF be@@arS. III
all the West indies at present the sugar
and IUu business IS very bad, and Mar
Unique is no exception. SdGar emily Erts
them III cents a pound sold II New
York The imports of Martinique exceed
the exports. The populations Of the city,
in my Judgment, as not as large as stat
ed IN the newspapers.
On or homcward voyage after leaY-
iny Dominica che faVarite island OF
Christopher Columbus in the evening,
we p sSed Martinique at midnight We
were within two miles of the city of st.
Pierre. Stcaming along ut rapid rate in
smooth water. The moon was siNering
the peaks of Mount Pelee and lit up the
ocean beyond our vessel. The city Of St
III, RE lay sleeping in the shadow of the
hills. The electric lights spanked here
and there in the darkness, and the
light OF the moon from the clear
sky above us made the ocean the most
beautiful that | ever beheld. 1t was n
tropical night the soft air and the gentle
dew moistcning the ships deck. 1t re-
minded me of verse my mother taught
me Mt her knee:
The scene was more beautiful far to the
Than if day in its pride had arranged It,
The land breeze blew mild and the azure
arch sky
Was as pure as the spirit that made it.
Everything is subject to change in
this world. In less than three months
time the side of Mount Pelee burst open
and river of red-hot lava PUSHES for
the sea the sulphuric and carbonic gases
overcome every living thing in the city
of st. Pierre; the kissing ocean recedes
from the contact with the fiery blast ana
returns in a tidal wave that lashes the
shore. carrying out the dead bodies of
the former inhabitants of s.. Pierre to
feed the sharks i'll the bay."-Evening
Wisconsin.