The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-27
TO REBUILD RUINED
 CITY OF ST. PIERRE

A city rising from total ruins is what the traveller now beh olds whose path lies beside the once fourishing St. Pierre at the foot of the famous Pelee, in Martinique.
 hills and basins the beauty which once popular belief that St. Pierre would never again be the home of living things. and nature. with her cloth of green by shadow plotting out the evil dence of the fearful devastation of five years ago, is bringing back to hills and basins the beauty which none made St. Pierre the garden spot of the West Indies. .a
 Still living in respectful fear of the peak which an hour snuffed out the lives of thirty odd thousand of his fei- low-islanders, the pioneer Is not nasty in entering the fallen city. but builds his home beyond the limits of the green covered ruins.
 Today. says a writer in The New York Evening Post. the new settle ment can be described only as a nsh- ing village. There are probably a dog en houses just to the south of St. Pierre, bordering on the Carrfbean. where the more adventurous of the pioneers have located to take advan- tage of the excellent catches to be had near the great cliff of Aux Abynes. The failing dread of a return of the monster which. in the popular sl- perstition came out of the mountain and laid waste to the city shows it. self In the new architecture. :.
 Intead of the artistic little domt- ciles of stone with their attractive red tile roofs, the new conner has built for himself an inexpensive matched hut. bare of every thing but absolute ne- cessIties. all of which he can leave at a moments notice and suffer little loss should occasion demand it.
 The fisherman's boat is moored at his very door and his mast IS always standing and his, sail is always ready for work, should Mount Pelee give the slightest sigh of unrest. But despite all his fears, his expectations and his precautions, the rebuilder of St. Pierre is constantly gaining neighbors.
 Each day the little steamboat from Fort dc France carries tourists to the new settlement, landing them at the of the old. These people must have guides They pay well. and so the guide follows the tourist apd places his hut among the fishermen.
 The First New Building.
 A business like government has built a fairly satisfactory hotel just fin the middle of the mass of ruins. This was the first new building to rise on the foundation of the old. Next barracks for housing gendarmes were built and then, encouraged by this, one of the mercantile houses of Fort de France erected branch adjoining the police station, and thus the nucleus of the now St. Pierre was formed.
 The determination of the native to rebuild his beloved city is worthy of one of greater cultivation and civili- -t, .<~lA 4sfN 4E he makes 1t apparent that his task Is to be no easy one. Over the great part of the ruins is spread a layer of vol- canic mud and ashes. from ten to eighty feet deep. which extends up the valley, covering the former aque- duct which supplied the city with water for all purposes. To replace this waterway must be the first task of the rebuilders, and in this nature, will aid them. for where the mountains about the town formerly gave 1t few streams now there are hundreds pour ing down from every part of the vol- cano. Already in the little village be- side the ruins one can see the begin ming of such water runs as existed formerly throughout the city. from which in the morning the housewife drew her supply for the day.
 Next one will note the beginning of what in time will probably be another great cathedral. There on the hill back of the newborn village stands the lit- tie shrine, protecting from wind and sun the miniature crucifix which has survived throughout the most turbu- lent times, to be a guiding post and source of comfort to traveller and set- Her alike. Here the travelling priest gathers his little flock with rough volcanic rock for benches md the shrine serving for an altar.
 This is the beginning of the new ,ity--a city being founded in fear and ret in love. Memories and associations ire gradually drawing back the peo- ,le of St. Pierre. who turn from the york of rebuilding Q hundred times a lay to rest their eyes on the crater of he great volcano, hoping against 1t, ut yet fearful of seeing again the treat cloud Of smoke and ashes which hey remember was the forerunner or he former city's destruction.
 MOnt PeIee QuIet.
 But the mountain gave no sign. Day after day 1t stands there. gray md silent as before It's terrible out. ,urst Far up at it's very top light louds of steam now and then come orth, hang a moment on the side of he mountain and then disappear in he blue atmosphere. Bare of verdure Ls though 1t had never known a green eaf the great hill has attractions which 1t did not possess when it's palm covered slopes were tho picnic yrounds for a multitude.
 The guide who greets one as the title boat lands at St. Pierre. makes { almost imperative to climb the mountain and having won his point, Ie soon returns with some sort of to carry the party up the ,entle slope of Morne Rogue. and hen around to Calabasse, where the limb begins.
 Ready for the start. the traveller tTmed with & stout stan, while the