Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1902 — ERUPTIONS KILL 1,000 PERSONS [ARTICLE]

ERUPTIONS KILL 1,000 PERSONS

Mount Tacona, in Guatemala, Is Buried Under Mass of Volcanic Matter. AMPLE WARNING WAS GIVEN Volcano Had Been Restless Since the Great Earthquake of April 18. Which Destroyed the City of Quez* altenango. Another city in Central America has suffered almost complete destruction and hundreds of its inhabitants have been killed by volcanic eruptions. The steamer Palena, which arrived at San Francisco from southern ports, brings the news that the town of Retalbulen, situated at the foot of Mount Tacona, in Guatemala, has been buried under a mass of lava, stones, and ashes thrown from the volcanic crater, and probably 1,000 of its people have perished. The volcano is about twenty-five miles from Champanico, and near the town of Tapachulo, which, it is believed, also suffered severely. The eruption occurred several days before the steamer Palena arrived at Champanico. The vessel’s officers were informed by the company’s agent at that place that the volcano had shown signs of Impending eruption for several days previous to the outbreak. In fact, Mount Tacona had been restless ever since the great earthquake of April 18, which destroyed the city of Quezaltenango. Crater Emits Pall of Smoke. For weeks a black pall of smoke hung over its summit and the glare from the crater frequently illuminated the sky. Many of the inhabitants of Retalbulen fled from their homes to places of safety and these escaped frightful deaths. When the eruption at last broke forth in its full fuity showers of lava, ashes, and stones were ejected and covered the country for miles around. The bay of Champanico was a mass of floating pumice and ashes. No details were obtainable by |he officers of the Palena, but the loss of life was estimated at not less than 1,000. The same steamer brought a letter to Balfour, Guthrie & Co., agents of the Pacific Coast Steamship company, from G. M. Melville, their agent in Guatemala, confirming the report of the eruption. He also stated that since the earthquake of April 18 shocks had been of almost daily occurrence. A few days before the Palena sailed a small village near Mount Tacona was destroyed, but no details could be obtained. The volcano of Santa Maria is also stated to have been in a state of eruption.