The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-11

Castries. st. Lucia, B. w. l., May
O.-Mont Pelee. volcanic mountain
some ten miles north of St. Pierre, the
commercial capital of Martinique, is
the mountain which made a faint
show of eruption fifty years ago. On
May 3. last, it began to throw out
dense clouds of smoke. At midnight
the same day flames, accompanied with
rumbling noises, lighted the sky over
an immense area, causing widespread
terror. May hot ashes covered the
whole city quarter of St. Pierre an
inch thick and made Mont Pelee in
visible. At noon, May s. a stream of
burning lava rushed 4,400 feet down the
mountain side, following the dry bed
of torrent and reaching the sea, five
miles from the mountain, in three min
utes
In its rush the fiery flood swept from
its path plantations, buildings, facto-
ries, ca&le and human beings over a
breadth of about half mile.
AT the rear of the mouth of the
Riviere Blanche stood the large Cue
rim Sugar Factory, one of the finest
in the island. 1t is now completely en-
tombed in lava. The tall chimney
alone is visible. One hundred and fifty
persons are estimated to have persisted
there, including the owners son.
AS the lava rushed into the sea. the
latter receded 300 feet all along the
west coast. Returning with greater
strength, a big wave covered the whole
sea front of st. Pierre, but doing little
damage ashore or afioat.
Terrible detonations, heard hundreds
of miles northward. followed at short
irregular intervals and continued at
night. In the intense darkness the
electric light failed, but the town was
lit up by lurid flashes of flame from
the mountains. The terror stricken
inhabitants rushed for the hills in
their night clothes, screaming. shout
ing and wailing-mad with terror.
The Plissono family escaped to st.
Lucia in small steamer. Thirty-f1ve
persons, mostly women and children,
arrived here in the forenoon of the
9TH and furnished the above details.
The men remained at Martinique.
The same afternoon, later, tele-
graphic communication was interrupt
ed with both the islands of Martinique
and St Vincent.
During the afternoon of the Sth,
the British steamer Boddam, which
left St Lucia at midnight on the 18th
Tor Martinique, crawled slowly into
the Castries harbor, unacceptable,
gray with ashes, her rigging disman-
tied and sails and awnings hanging
about torn and charred.
Capt. ROddam's Experience.
Capt. Whatter reported that, having
Just cast anchor off st. Pierre at a.
H. in fine weather succeeding an aw-
1ul thunderstorm during the night, he
was talking to the ships agent, Jo-
seph Plissono, who was in a boat
alongside, when he saw a tremendous
cloud of smoke and glowing cinders
rushing with terrific rapidity over the
town and port, completely, in an in
slant enveloping the former in sheet
OF flame and raining fire on
board. The agent just had
time to climb on board when
ms boat disappeared. Several of
Inc crew of the Roddam were quickly
Scorched to death. By superhuman ef-
'ofts having steam up, the cable was
slipped and the steamer backed away
from the shore and nine hours later
managed to reach Castries. Ten of the
Ho4dam's men were lying dead. con-
'o'ed and burned out of human semb-
rance among the black cinders which
covered the ships deck to a depth of
SIX inches. Two more of the crew
nave since died.
Inc survivors of the Roddam's crew
were loud in their praises of the heroic
conduct of their captain in steering his
vessel out of danger with his own
'''has which were badly burned by the
am Of fire which kept falling on the
emp Tor miles after she got under way.
"eyond burns all over his body, the
o'I'aln is safe. as is also the ships
'eent. though he is badly scorched.
sole Survivor of St Pierre.
at Plissono is believed here TO be