Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1902-05-16
GREAT DESTRUCTION.
The Eruption of Mount Pelee in the
Island of Martinique Kills Thou

sands.
London, May 14.-Sir Frederick M.
Hodgson, the governor of Barbandoes,
forwarded the colonial Office today the
report Of the colonial secretary who
has just returned from a visit to st.
Pierre, Martinique. It confirms the
worst accounts of the disaster. The
secretary compares the ignited matter, |
which destroyed every thing within
an area of ten miles long by six wide,
to burning sealing wax. He adds
significantly; that the services of doc
tors are not required as there are no
wounded persons. Governor Hodg-
son estimates that two million tons
of volcanic dust fell on the island of
Barbados.
The governor of the Windward
islands, Sir Llewelyn, t%elegraphs to
the colonial office from the island of
St. Vincent, under date of Tuesday,
May 18th, as follows:
II arrived here yesterday and
found the state Of affairs much worse
than had been stated. The admin:
istrators' reports show that the coun-
try on the east coast between Robin
Rock and Georgetown was apparently
struck and devastated in a manner
similar to that which destroyed St.
Pierce and I fear that practically all
living things in that radius were
killed.
Probably /, 900 persons lost their
lives. The exact number will never be
known. Managers and owners of the
estates, with their families and
several Of the better class of people
have been killed. A thousand bodies
have been found and buried. One
hundred and sixty persons are in the
hospitals at Georgetown. Probably
only six of the number will recover.
''The details of the disaster are too
narrowing for descri ptions. I got
at st. Lucia, a coasting steamer
which is running up and down the
leeward coast with water and provi-
sions. Twenty-Five hundred persons
have received relief.
II have asked for medical officers
from Trinidad and Grenada. All the
neighboring British colonies are as
sisting generously. Every effort is
being made to graple with the awful
calamity.
"All the best sugar estates in the
Carib country are devastated and the
cattle are dead. The eruption con.
tinues, but is apparently moderating
Anxiety is still felt. All the officer:
and residents are cooperating with
me The ladies are making clothes.
The trans Atlantic steamer Canada
has arrived here with 1873 refugees, 81
hours from Fort De France, Martini
que, says a Port of Spain, Trinidad
dispatch. She brings this account O
an event which is alleged to hav'
preceded the disaster at St. Pierre
told, it is stated, by a person who wa
aboard the schooner Gabrielle:
A scientific commission, presided
over by the governor, M. Mouttet
assembled in St. Pierre IN May 7, tn
day before the calamity, for the pur
pose of studying the phenomena o
the volcanic disturbances of Noun
Pelee.
1t was agreed by the members Q
this commission that the relativ
position of the craters and the valley
debouching on the sea were such tina
the scientists could affirm that tn
security Of St, Pierre was complet
and this announcement was made t
allayss the fears Of the frightened citi
zens.
The sun rose clear over St. Pierr
at 6 O'Clock on the morning Of May s
Mount Pelee was smoking to the mort
and the wind was blowing westward
A few minutes before z O'Clock
great white column of what SCENE
to be steam and gas belched fort
from an apparently new crater o
NlOunU 1clcG, Wu1S4 SCCA4Ou W. l.
about 200 yards from the origins
crater and which appeared to open u
: a deep rent from the top to the bo
tom of the mountain.
This outbreak caused the utmo
CONSERVATION and panic among tt
inhabitants of st. Pierre, who he
toward the seashore, uttering fright
screams.
Those on the Gabrielle observed
small steam yacht leave st, Pierre
ten minutes after Z O'Clock with Il
governor and members of the sciel
tifc commission on board. The vac
steamed toward LIE Precheur.
Fort de France, May 14,-A co
respondent who has returned he
says:
ssWhen I reached St. Pierre I W