Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-12
MARTINIQUE DISASTER
RECALLED BY THE LOSS OF THE
MADIANA.
The Vessels Sister Ship Destroyed at
Martinique = Experience OF
Newspaper Men.

''The recent unfortunate accident to the
Madiana has served to recall to the mem
DRY of a number of Washington newspaper
correspondents the part that ship played
during the late Martinique volcanic disas-
ters" said Mr.. J. Martin Miller, Washing
ton correspondent for the Chicago Evening
Post, to a reporter for The Star today
From the standpoint Of the newspaper
men her part was one of considerable I'm
portance because she was of great assist
ance to them during that period In getting
news to their papers, and it Is with no
slight feelings Of regret that her destruc-
ton few days ago was noted.
1.-THE Madiana's regular run was between
New York city and Martinique, Barbaeos
and to British Guiana, touching at all the
islands Of the Windward group. She al
ways touched at st. Pierre, and several
times, while in the vicinity of Mt. Pelee
and Soufriere ashes from the volcanoes
were sprinkled over her decks
.erhe sister ship Of the Madiana on TINS
run was the Roraima, owned by the Queoec
Steamship Company. 1t Will De Ieihe,.
bered that the Rora1ma was to.ahy She
went into St. Pierre bay about daylight the
morning of May 8, and the work OF 0e-
struction began about o'clock. Inc
Roraima started to steam out OF the pay,
but was caught in the devastating hal!
from the volcano. All the passengers AMI
crew, with the exception Of eight or nine
persons persisted. Several OF the SURVIVORS
came back to New York on the Madlana'
Newspaper Men Aboard the Dixie.
1.-THE Dixie left New York with party
of newspaper men and many others May
IA The press correspondents from Wash
tneton were A. E. Heiss, Pittsburg Dis
patch; J. Martin Miller, Chicago Evening
Post and Newark Evening News; J. C..
Hammitt, Brooklyn Times; j. P. Hornaday,
Indianapolis News, and w. M. Mason, Army
and Navy Journal. The correspondents
from the home offices were Charles B.
Graves, New York Times; Charles M. Skin
ner. Brooklyn Eagle; Thomas NJ. Dleuaide,
New York Sun: A. B. Huddle, New York
Tribune, and George F. Fife, New York
Evening Post Mr.. Borchgresvink, the ant
arctic explorer, was also one of the party.
May % the members of the party men
toned left the Dixie at St Vincent and
boarded the Madsana. The reason for this
exchange of ships was that the exact time
of the departure of the Madiana for New
York was fixed, while the time for the de-
parture of the Dixie was not certainly
known. Some of the correspondents heard
of the departure Of the Madiana and kept
the matter quiet, hoping to reach New York
first and score q beat. There was some
surprise, therefore, when the party of cor
respondents met on board the steamer the
next day.
THE Madiana was the first passenger
ship for New York. and of course was
obliged to run a schedule. The corre-
spondentS on the Dixie felt confident that
their snip would beat the Madiana into
port. inasmuch the Dixie was a gov
eminent boat and did not stick to a sched-
ule. 1t is said there were several wagers
made by those on the government boat as
to the outcome Of the run. The members
OF our party. however. took the chances US
ual among newspaper men, and trusted to
getting in first.
Four Days Ahead.
"The result was that the Madiana rea ched
New York the night of June 3-four days
ahead Of the Dixie. We were on the boat
ten days and became attached to the shin.
as Is usual among passengers who have
been carried safely over the waters of the
deep for several days We considered the
Madiana a stanch vessel and a good sail
ing craft.
Capt. Frazier who was in charge Of the
Madiana then and also at the time of the
recent accident. Is an old man ana walked
with limp. He gave one the impression Of
being experienced cool and brave. On the
trip to New York the passengers present
ed to him petition urging him to strain
point and push the vessel into port as rap
idly as possible, and after considering the
matter carefully he decided to favor our
request and as a consequence the boat
made much better time than usual. The
passengers all thought a great deal of the
captain. and he evidenced his desire to be
accommodating in many ways.
The Quebec company seems to have been
particularly unfortunate in losing two of
its best boats within so short a period