The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-26
ST PIERRE DEAD
CITY Of PAST
Edmund Hovey Visits Ruins
Wrought bv Mt. Pelee.
MAKES GEOLOGICAL STUDY
Other Devastated Places Build
ing Up Again.

The twelve-month now ending has per-
hay,s seen more volcanic activity than any
similar period within the historic period
of the earth's history Special popular
Interest in the subject of volcanoes was
. attracted, of course, by the terrible erup-
ton in May. 1902. of Mont Pelee, on Mar
Unique and La Soufriere, on St VIM
cent, which destroyed $4,000 human lives
on the former island and 1900 on the lat
ter and as result such mountains al
over the world have received more study
from the public at large than ever before,
says Edmund Otis Hovey. writing in the
New York Herald.
Guatemala, Mexico Alaska, the Med
fterranean and other regions have been
the scenes of tremendous volcanic out
bursts since the memorable eth day OF
May when the Soufriere began its des-
turctive work in the Lesser Antilles. The
May eruptions of these West Indian vol
canoes have been the most thoroughly
described by many observers, both scien
life and unscentifc and the author has
contributed his share TO the folios which
have been written on the subject so that
1t IS not the purpose of this letter to go
into the details Of what has been most
deliberately described by pen. pencil and
Photographic reproduction.
In May. 1902, the author was sent by the
American museum of Natural History to
study and report upon the phenomena
attending the eruptions, Now l am again
I nthe West Indies at the behest of the
To r.r1la my
vious studies and TO learn the changes
which have taken place in the last ten
months.
Leaving New York February ), on the,
steamer Caribbee we arrived off Mont
Pelee about non of the 18th and Were
favored with a short interval in which
the whole summit # the mountain was
free from clouds except those of steam
issuing from the crater and new cone.
The most striking feature Of Mont Pelee
now certainly is the new fragmental cone
which has built up during the present
period of activity and the top Of which is
not less than five thousand feet above the
sea
The former height of Morne Lacroix.
the highest point Of the old crater and Of
the mountain. was usually given at 4.42S
feet while the elevation of most Of the
crater rim was not more than 1000 feet.
Next to the new cone the feature which
most attracts the attention of one who
was familiar with the appearance of the
eruptions is the filling Of the gorge Of the
Riviere Blanche with material which has
been poured out of the crater by the num-
erous eruptons.
This was the gorge leading out of the
great cash in the southwest of the crater,
the cash which deterined the direction
of the explosion which overwhelmed the
doomed city of st. Pierre on May and
succeeding days Now the lower portion
of the gorge has been oblterated and the
upper and deeper portion. near the crater,
almost filed with calcined rocks and dust
and ashes which slisten white. in strong
contrast with the surrounding cliffs and
slopes
The present series of eruptions began in
April. 1902. from several openings in the
great crater. the principal of which was
lust west of L'Etang Sec. at an altitude
of about 400 feet above the sea. y cone
began forming at once about the OPEN
ings. which has been growing ever since,
Though with interruptions. due to great
eruptions and other causes and is grad
uallv nlline up the great crater. In the
latter part Of June this cone had reached
an altitude of about 40oO feet above the
sea. that is, its own height was about
Loo feet.
At that tie it had an irregular. serrated
top. surrounding bowl shaped depression
or crater. 1t was growing rapidly, and
early in July the photographs show for
the first time the remarkable spine or
tooth, the upward growth Of which has
more than kept pace with that OF the rest
of the cone. until now it has changed the
sky line of the mountain and forms its
most striking feature. As has been stated
the apex is about 5000 feet above the sea.
indicating a height Of 1000 for the new
cone. but this altitude varies strangely
from time to time. the French Official
commission having reported several sud
den losses or gains Of tens Of meerts.
other changes in the outline seem to en-
phasize the fact that the volcano still is
in a state OF activity.
The great spine rises above the north
western quarter of the ola crater and its
base is surrounded by a valley which Is
bounded by a strongly serrated ridge or
series OF ridges Outside of this again the
sides OF the new cone slope away steeply
to Join the old mountain. on the north
western~side Of the slope Of the new cone
IS. or seems to be. continuous with the
outer slope of the old crater rim. hut
on the other sides there still IS rather
shallow valley or gorge between the new
cone and the inner walls Of the old crater.
except where the great cash allows the
new cone TO slope continuously into the
gorge OF the Riviere Blanche
The nature Of the new cone and the
great spine is omen to debate. perhaps.
The main mass Of The cone is made up of
loose material ash brought up from
below by the ascensive forces acting IN
the volcano. The French commission
Of which VI. Iacrolx is the head. hold
1 believe. that the spine consists Of
masses which have been elected in a
sufficiently pasty condition to stick to-
gether when they came 10 earth again.
Thus far I have not been able to set near
enough TO the spine in clear weather 10
form any personal opinion as 20 its con
stitution.
The vapors Issue from every part OF the
new cone and N I.acroix holds that there
Is no permanent central or nearly central
conduit through the cone.
The lire of the cash and the gorge Of
the Riviere Blanche still is the favorita
director OF discharge Of the volcano. and
although there have been no important
ar-,p.to-s since August 81 many clouds
OF steam have gone down that vNev.