The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-09-06

DOOMED TO DESTRUCTION
PEOPLE OF MARTINIQUE BELIEVE
ISLAND WILL BE LOST.
Second Eruption Of Mont PeIee Was Far
Worse Than the First-People
Lose Courage.

New York September SIT is generally
believed that the island OF Martinique is
doomed 10 total destruction, and the fear
is that when the catastrophe comes Guade-
loupc will be visited by an all-destructiye
tidal wave. cables the POinte-a.Pitre,
Gusdeloupe. correspondent Of the Herald.
Business is absolutely at standstil Few
shops are open and If It were not for the
Efforts of small number Of more valiant
souls. hundreds would starye TO death here
because of their fear Of q more terrible
death.
Details that have been received during
the last two days prove that the eruption
OF Mont Pelee of August 80 was far more
violent than any Of the earlier explosions.
AS the eruptions continue, the mouth Of
Mont Pelee grows in size. II Is now of
enormous proportions Morne La CroiX, one
OF the peaks that reared skyward from the
side Of Pelee. has fallen bodily into the
crater and has been completely swallowed.
There seems to be side pressure in the
crater and the burning chasm wldens per-
ceptlbly every day Clouds no more hang
about the crest of Mont Pelee. The ter
rife heat seems to drive everything away.
The column Of fame and smoke rears d.
rectiy into the heavens. SO that its TOP Is
lost to sight. In the darkness Of the night,
It has the appearance Of a stream Of molten
iron. standing fixed between heaven and
earth From MOrne Capote the relief troops
were compelled to make quick retreat.
although they succeeded IN taking out
few wounded The entire country nearly
TO Fort de France is buried under deep
cover OF ashes This has made Il almost
impossible to md the bodies Of those who
have persisted while fleeing to the se9coast
Constantine Cara. one Of the few who
succeeded In escaping from Morne Rouge
after the explosion, found refuge on the
steamer Esk She was with twelve others
IN her house when Poee gave us arst
warming OF the disaster which II was about
10 pour upon the village. She said that
the hrst explosion destroyed many houses.
She was hurled with grest force against
the wall Of the room In which she was Sit
ting. on recovering from the shock she
ran outside and there saw three separate
tongues cf fire sweeping down from the
mouth Of the volcano. The earth shook
with SO great violence that she could not
retain her feet She was blinded by the
glare Of the aames The heat was so ter
rife that her flesh was blistered. She
awaited the death which she believed TO be
inevitable Fortunately the fire swept a
little TO one side Of her and she was saved
At Grande Anse the tide sweDt 800 feet
lnshore, destroying many houses aud
drowning scores Of the Inhabitants.
Even ct Fort de France the most stout
OF heart have lost courage.
Colonel lie Occur has reported 70 his gov
ernment that IL Is HIS opinion the entire
island OF Martinique viii have to he ahau-
doned. He asks for assistance ~ trans
porting the Inhabitants 10 the other IS
lands Of the West Indian group.
10 MENTION or NEW ERUPTION.
Paris. September 5,-The colonial minister
received enble dispatch today from Foit
n, t-..no. da4ad Sen.c,nhpr F. relating 10