The San Francisco call., 1903-01-25
III ThE KEU-TLED RodT ar 5AMT NESeE- :

compared 70 that Of Paris, and It's life to tina
Of Rome. In the latter days Of April, as is
made known through q letter written by the
the conditions then existing must have been
all but unbearable, for, she writes; 'The
smell Of sulphur is so strong that horses on
Many of the people are Obliged to wear wet
handkerchiefs TO protect them from the strong
fumes Of sulphur"
In this connection, with this written
evidence before US, IL is not amss TO
comment upon a popular rumor that all
OF the birds and beasts of the mountain
side forest left for other abodes just be-
fore the eruption on that fatal day of May
and that this fact was set forth by some
TO demonstrate the superior sagacity or
instinct OF animals, who seem to divine
danger where the less subtle sense of
man sees no harm When we read that
the smell OF sulphur was so strong that
horses died from suffocation," and also
the further evidence contained in the ex-
tract below, ii is easy to understand the
fallacy Of the argument that tries TO up
hold the theory Of a supernatural sense
IN birds and animals. They simply used
their common sense to get out of place
Where they could not live. The evidences
or coming danger were evidently plain
as the proverbial nose on your face"
The destruction Of Saint Pierre came to the
city not unheralded. For days before the VOL
cano had been violently active, and the form
OF activity that II assumed of a kind that
should have Immediately suggested disaster
Other volcanoes live Vesuvius and Etna, have
similar paroXysms, and are not particularly
feared but their histories are long known, and
their modern periods OF inactivity are brief
SoInPafeo with even the last phase OF inactiY-
- On lte part OF Felee- II was IN early
May and late April closed mountain, which
suddenly broke from its anchorage. Vast col
uhlns or steam and ash had been and were be-
ing blown out, boiling mud flowing from
its sides. and terrific rumblings came from its
interior Iurid lights hung over the crown
at night time and lightning flashed in daz-
zling sheets through its cloud-world. What
further warnings could any volcano give? A
not harm, Joined to appeals against common
sense made by few who thought they knew
best sent the population 10 its doom. Not
even the discovery OF q newly formed crater
cone. made ten days before the eruption.
seems to have IN any way counseled a fairer
judgment Of coming events.
The exact nature Of the destructive
power that blasted the city of St Pierre
and later Morne Rouge. has been the
subject Of much speculation and inVesti-
cation The dumb testimony found by
the scientists and relief parties on the
subsequent scene Of the disaster bears
much food for thought In this connec-
ton the author says:
Except on the broad principle OF a fortui-
tous happening. Il is difficult to account for
the anomalous conduct o this destroying blast
Its deadly stroke at one place and its avoid
ance OF action at another. Tree trunks though
burnt and bereft Of all their appendages, were
left standing in what must necessarily have
been the center OF the storm: punches Of clay
pipes. exhibiting no traces Of either burning
or scOrching. were left at many points where
menifestly they had been put on SALE and
packets of starch and cereals were passed so as
to leave their contents undisturbed Some cases
have been reported where objects had been fused
In their coverings. when the coverings them
selves had remained untouched. A correspondent
who visited Saint Pierre about ten days after
its destruction speaks Of finding a bird, dead,
but unchanged in its plumage, lying at the
bottom Of q wooden cage, which still hung sea
ward from the balcony Of a shattered house;
and there seems to be enough evidence to
tain the statement that alongside the body of
charred man was found a box OF matches,
the contents Of which had escaped ignition.
The wonder, indeed, Is that with such pecu-
Harities or vagaries In action the destruction
OF human life should have been 30 absolute.
Manifestly number Of causes, rather than q
single one. contributed to the general destruc-
ton