Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-05-30
DARING TRIP TO PELEE
LRoF. HILL GOES TO INSPECT
THE VOLCANO.
Salient Features of the Land Have
Undergone No Material Dis
E;aura$ian

Fort de France, Island of Martin
ique. May, 2s.-Pro,- Robert 7. Hill.
United States government geologist
and head of the expedition sent out
by the National Geographical society,
mas just come in from daring and
prolonged investigation of the volcanic
activity at Martinique. Prof. Hill
chartered a steamer and carefully e&.
amined the coast as far north as Port
de Macouba, at the extreme end OF the
island, making frequent landings.
After landing at lie Precheur. five
miles north of st. Pierre he walked
through an area of active volcansm.
to the latter place and made minute
examination of the various phenomena
disclosed.
Prof. Hill is the first and only man
who has, set foot in the area Of craters.
assures and fumaroles. and. because OF
his high position as scientist. his
story is valuable In addition to his
work of investigation. the professor
rescued in his steamer many poor
people of lie Precheur who had ven.
tured back after DESERVING their homes
and found themselves in awful danger.
He reports as follaws:
The zone of the catastrophe in
Martinique forms an elongated oval,
containing 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 curying around TO Carbet.
There are three we'll marked zones:
First. center of annihiliaton. in
which all life. vegetable and animal
was utterly destroyed. the greater
northern part of St Pierre was in this
zone, second. zone of singing, bills.
tering fame. which also was fatal to
all life. killing all men and animas.
burning the leaves On the trees and
scorching. but not uttery destroying
the trees themselves; third. a large
outer, non-destructiye zone of ashes
wherein some vegetation was injured
The focus of annihiliation was the new
crater midway between the sea and the
peak Of Mont Peiee. where now ex-
lists new area Of active volcanism,
with hundreds of fumaroles or NINA.
ture volcanoes.
The new crater is now vomiting
black. hot mud. which is falling into
the sea. Both craters. the old and the
new. are active. Mushroom shaped
steam explosions constantly ascend
from the cd crater, while heavy ash
laden clouds float horizontally from the
new crater. The old elects steam,
mud. pumice. and lapillo but no mol.
ten lava.
The salient topography of the re-
gion is unaltered. The destruction OF
ST. Pierre was due to the new crater.
The explosion had greater superficial
force, acting in radical directions. as
Is evidenced by the dismounting and
carrying for yards the guns at the
battery on the hill south Of ST. Pierre,
and the colonial statute of the virgin
in the same locality and also by the
condition of the ruined houses in St.
Pierre.
Z According to the testimony of some
persons there was an accompanying
flame. Others think the incSdescent
cinders and the force of their election
were sufficient to cause the destruc.
ton. This must be investigated. |
am now following the nature of this
hill s#
This is the first positive scientific
statement based upon observed facts.
Prof Hill has now started on horse.
back 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
as explosions may occur at
any moment as one did on May. 90.