The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-01-14
Caiamitics O; the Year:

The wear 1902 bids fair to be HaOwh
III the records Of time rs the volcanic
and earthquake year. ard this con-
tincnt has had its fill share of the
disastrous results Of these cOnrulSlonS.
The disturbances began last May, and
from that time to this there has not
been north in which they have not
been active. In South America.
Central America. the islands Of the
Caribbean Sea. Guatemala. Mexico
and Alaska. there have been violent
eruptionS Of volcanoes, involving large
loss OF life and widespread destruc-
ton Of property. while many volca-
noes. long supposed to be extinct. have
made sympathetic efforts sufficiently
threatening to cause general alarm in
their yicinitieS. The eruption Of
Mont pelee and Mont Souifriere were
the most violent, burying the coun-
try for miles around in ashes and de-
Stroying I3.090 lives. TO these must
be added 1925 more lost at other
places. making a total Of 53,223 VIC
Tins Of volcanic fury.
Volcanic erupti0ns have been ac-
companied by seismic disturbances in
various parts OF the world. Upon this
continent Mexico and Guatemala haze
been the chief sufferers. 1900 lives
having been LOST in those two cGun-
tries. Few disasters from this
cause have occurred in Europe. but
! TuTkestan, in Western Asia. has been
shaken up three times. In February
5000 lives were lost at Shamakar, in
the Caucasus region: in September.
/. 100 in the same region: and in De-
cember, 5000 at .tndijan: which is in
the eastern part OF Turl;estan. In
addition to these last ten times their
number have been left homeless. The
entire number of lives lost from this
canse is y. 435II.
Not satisfied with volcanic disturb
ances and earthquakes: nature has
been busy with its storms in the shape
Of cyclones, typhorns and hurricanes
every month in the years. They count
1852 victims. Nature has also let
loose floods. sweeping away S.032 VIC
tins, China. as usual, being the prin-
cipal sufferer. Fire. that other ele-
ment of nature, claims a long list Of
v;cCims. though it is hardly fair to
charge to nature what clearly is at
tributable to human negligence and
carcleSSnesS. as was shown, for in
stance, three times in this city when
the St. Luke's hospital. the glaucose
works and the Lincoln hotel burned.
involving the loss of 81 lives. Last
year .593 persons have been reported
as having lost their lives in this coun-
try By ire. but The real number must
have been greater. In large fires in
Europe ], ,007 lives have been reported
as lost. The number OF casualties OF
this kind in Europe is much smaller
than in this country. as they build
more securely over there, and con-
seQuently have fewer destructive fires.
The general trend of fire waste in
this country is in the direction OF in
crease, and the saddest feature OF it
ali is that the loss OF life by lire also
increases every year.
From all other causes little more
than $1,000 persons have perlshed ID
1902. While this is not as large 4
number Of fatalities as has occurred
in some other years, the destruction
is phenominal, in that nearly two
thirds OF it has been occasioned by
volcanic and seismic disturbances.