Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1902 — TWOHUNDREDPERISH [ARTICLE]

TWOHUNDREDPERISH

WIONT PELEE AGAIN HURLS OUT awfol'ldEath. Eruption Destroys Village of Horne Rouge, Martinique—Tidal Wave Adda to Terror and Bwcepa Away Le CarJ >e t~Shipa Bring News. With dense clouds of smoke and ashes, intermittently lit up in a sinister manner by flashes of lire from the subterranean regions, Mount Pelee again broke out the other day fbr the second time, dealing more death and devastation to the unfortunates who still continue to reside in the vicinity. While so far only 200 victims are ;e----ported as having succumbed, the fury of the eruption and the denseness of the clouds of ashes and volcanic substance deposited for miles around exceed, it is thought, those of the former receut occurrence. The village of Morne Ilouge, which was a heavy sufferer before, is now reported to be completely wiped out. Le Carbet. a village on the coast, has been literally destroyed by an immense tidal wave which accompanied the volcanic eruption. Refugees to the number of several hundred have flocked from the unhappy island, and terror and panic prevail among those of the inhabitants who are unable to leave. Doniinca itself was visited with a dense cloud of dust and ashes. These fell for many miles around and carried death and devastation to all living things within the radius of the subterranean fury. As on the former occasion, the outburst was preceded by a series of thundering detonations from the interior of the mountain, which were rendered the more terrifying because of the tragedy of May 8 last, which was still s-o fresh within the minds of the population.' Close on these followed a great eonesliaped cloud of ashes, which was brilliantly lit up with flames which towered into the sky to an incredible height, and which gradually overspread the heavens. Like a great waterspout which breaks when high in the air. this column of dust and flames seemed suddenly to break and descend in an ever widening circle, till even Roseau was deluged with the suffocating cloud of death. Simultaneously with the outburst from the mountain came the terrific tidal wave which swept out of existence the whole village of Le Carbet, destroying the vessels in its small harbor, aud doubtless causing many other casualties mqre or less serious which have not yet been learned. In almost all respects, the details of this last horror were the same as those ex|K‘rienced last May. Cable communication with Martinique was cut off. doubtless owing to the suboceanic eruptions which caused the tidal wave. Cablegrams have been received from other islands in the West Indies and all these report the observance of terrifying phenomena similar to those experienced in Dominica. All show that the volcanic detonations were heard at a greater distance from Martinique than on the morning of May 8, indicating that the force of the eruption was greater than ou that occasion.