Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-05-28
VOLCANO AGAIN ACTIVE
Pelee Threatens Fort de France and
the Populace Is Terrorized.
FL0CKs INTO GREAT SQUARE
Professor Robert II. Hill Completes n
Close Range study of the Craters
and Makes discoveries of
Value to Science.

| May 2S.-Ihe volcano is again III eluP-
ton Huge inky black clouds are roll
ing over Fort de France in great mass
es, and there are peculiar lightning
flashes in the clouds. The inhabitants
are focking into the great square OF
the town. If the demonstration H.
creases, panic is imminent.
A very heavy surf has been beating
on the shore. and an enormous gray
ish yellow cloud at great height is
dimly visible in the direction Of Mont
Pelee.
Professor Robert T. Hill, United
States government geologist and head
of the expedition sent to Martinique by
the National Geographical society, has
lust returned from daring and pro
longed investigation of the volcanic
activity in the island. Professor Hill
chartered q steamboat and carefully
examined the coast as far north as
Port de Macouba, at the extreme end
of Martinique. making frequent land
ings. At lie precheur, five miles north
of st. Pierre, he walked through an
area of active volcanism to the latter
place, where he made minute exam
MatiQn of the various phenomena dis
closed. er'%a :.Es4 tS...--
Professor Hill is the first man to set
foot in the area Of craters, assures and
fumaroles. In addition to his work of
investigation. the professor rescued in
his vessel many poor residents OF lie
Precheur who had ventured back aft
err deserving their homes and found
ports as follows:
"The zone of the catastrophe in Mar
Unique forms an elongated oval, con-
tanning on land about eight square
miles of destruction. This oval is part
ly over the sea. The land part Is
bounded by lines running from lie
Precheur to the peak of Mont Pelee,
thence curving around to Carbet.
Three Well Marked Zones.
There are three well marked zones.
First. center of annihilation, i'll
which all life, vegetation and animal,
was utterly destroyed. The greater
northern part of st. Pierre was in this
zone Second, a zone of smuggling, Bills
tering flame, which also was fatal to
all life. killing all men and animals.
burning the leaves on the trees and
scorching, but not utterly destroying
the trees themselves. Third, large
outer nondestructive zone of ashes,
xx,h tnf I'M 11poH
1.-THE focus of humiliation was the
new crater midway between the sea
and the peak of Mont Pelee, where
now exists a new area of active vOlca-
noism, with hundreds of fumaroles or
miniature volcanoes. The new crater
is now vomiting black, hot mud, which
is falling into the sea. Both craters.
the old and new, are active. Mush-
room shaped steam explosions con-
stantly ascend from the old crater
while heavy ash laden clouds float
horizontally from the new crater. The
old elects steam, smoke, mud, pumice
and lapilli but no molten lava.
Salient Topography Unaltered.
"The salient topography of the re-
gion is unaltered. The destruction of
St. Pierre was due to the new crater
The explosions had great superficial
force, acting in radial directions, as
evidenced by the dismounting and car
rying for yards the guns in the battery
on the hill south of st. Pierre and the
statue of the Virgin in the same local
ity and also by the condition of the
ruined houses in st. Pierre.
According to the testimony of some
persons, there was an accompanying
fame. Others think the incandescent
cinders and the force of their election
were sufficient to cause the destruc-
ton. This must be investigated. l
am now following the nature of this
hill"
Professor Hills is the first positive
scientific report based on observed
facts The professor has now started
on horseback 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 hazardous, as explosions may oc-
cur at any moment, as one did on May
20. Professor Hill knows the risk he
takes, but says the only way to dis
cover exactly what has happened is to
go to the crater itself or as near it as
possible. He will be gone two days.
Fort de France is nearly deserted A
new source of fear is the possibility
that tidal wave may come. A wave
eight feet high certainly would destroy
Fort de France and probably cause
enormous 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.