Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1902-05-28
SCIENTISTS REPORT
ON PELEE'S ERUPTION
Professor Robert Hills Dar-
ing Investigations.
RRAvED NUMEROUS DANGERS


First and Only Man Who Has Set Foot
In the Arena of Yawnine and Fiery
Craters-His Story. of Great Interest
and Value.
Fort de France. Monday, May 26.-
Professor Robert T. Hill, United States
government geologist and head of the
expedition sent by the National Geo
graphical Society, has just come in
from a daring and prolonged investi-
cation of the volcanic activity in Mar.
Unique. Professor Hill chartered a
steamer and carefully examined the
coast as far north as Port De Macouba,
at the extreme end of the island, max
Ing frequent landings After landing
at lie Prechuer, miles north of st.
Pierre, he walked through an area of
active volcanism to the latter place
and made minute examination of the
various phenomena disclosed.
Professor 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 a scien.
tist his stGcy is valuable. In addition
to his werR of investigation the pro.
fessor rescued in his steamer many
poor people of lie Precheur who had
ventured back after deserting their
homes and found themselves in awful
danger. He reports as follows:
THE zone of the catastrophe in Mar
Unique forms an elongated oval, con-
tanning on land about 8 square miles
of destruction, This oval is partly
over the sea. The land part is bound.
ed by lines running from lie Prechuer
to the peak of Mont Pelee, thence
curving around to Carbet There were
three we'll marked zones: First, a cen.
ter of annihilation in which life, vege
table and animal, was utterly destroy.
ed.
The greater northern part of st.
Pierre was in this zone. Second, a
zone of singeing, blistering flame,
which also was fatal to all life, kill
ing all men and animals, burning the
leaves on the trees and scorching but
not utterly destroying the trees them.
selves. Third. large outer, monde
structive zone of ashes, wherein some
vegetation was injured. The focus of
annihilation was the new crater mid.
way between the sea and the peak of
Mont Pelee, where now exists a new
area of active volcanism with hun.
dreds of fumaroles or miniature vol
canoes. The new crater is now vomit-
ing, 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 old crater, while
heavy, ash laden clouds float horizon.
tally from the new crater. The old
elects steam, smoke, mud, pumice and
lapilli, but no molten lava.
THE salient topography of the re.
gion is unaltered. The destruction of st
Pierre was due to the new crater. The
explosion had great superficial force,
acting in radial durations, as is evil
denced by the dismOunting and carry.
ing for yards the guns in the battery
on the hill south of St Pierre, and
the colonial statue Of the Virgin in the
same locality, and also by the cendi
ton of the ruined houses In st. Pierre.
According to the testimony Of some
49, -
flame. Others think the incandescent
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" >"
This is the first positive scientific
statement based on observed facts.
Professor Hill has now started on
horseback for the volcano. He will
study the whole affected area ana will
try to get to both craters. He will
surely visit Morne Rouge and the slope
of Mont Pelee. The undertaking Ia
very hazardous, as eruptions may oc.
cur at any moment, as one did May 20.
Professor Hill knows the risk he takes,
but says the only way to discover ex.
actly what has happened is to go ia
the crater itself or as near it as pos
sible. He will be gone two days.
Fort de France is nearly deserted. A
new source Of fright is fear that a
tidal wave may come. A wave eight
feet high would certainly destroy Fort
de France and possibly cause enor
nous loss of life.
The weather is lowering and rainy.
The south winds carry the smoke and
ashes from the volcano away from
Fort de France
PLUM FOR McLAURIN.
President Roosevelt May Put Him on
the Court of Claims.