Show ST PIERRE OICE MORE SWEPT BY FIRE yesterdays Yester das eruption of mont belee pelee ot greater proportions than that of may 8 t fort dc france island of martinique t wednesday may 21 4 p m mont pe lee seems to be resting after yesterdays fearful manifestation of energy streams of frightened refugees have been pouring into fort de france from alt the surrounding country these people are not destitute but they are terrified They want only one thing and that is to be ta ken far away from this inland with which they say alie god are angry and f which they will destroy by fire before it sinks under the sea the consuls here and the officers of vessels in the harbor are waylaid by crazed with fear and begging to be carried away the weather is now calm and beautiful but the mountain is veiled in volcanic clouds which often assume a very threatening and bumb lings are heard some heavy and very welcome rain ae thia morning the united states steamer dixie captain berry from new york arrived today after a quick and safe passage her passengers include many world famous scientists prof robert T hill government geologist prof C E the antarctic explorer geo curtis and geo kennan and many maga tine writers and correspondents are also among those alio arrived on the steamer the dibie began landing her enormous cargo of supplies early and the store house on shore soon became congested acid this in the greatest difficulty of the administration the united states steamer potomac went to inspect st pierre with the commanders of the war vessels now here with the greatest difficulty the party in making a landing the effect of the outburst of yesterday wa tremendous the huge basaltic basil tic tower of the cathedral were hurled flat to the earth the bombardment of volcanic stones is not sufficient to account for this and all evidence points to the camago of a furious blast of blazing gas traveling at enormous speed and with incalculable force the deposit of boulders ashes and angular stones is enormous not a human being saw what happened at st pierre yesterday morning fort de france ia overwhelmed this second eruption was many times more violent than that which effaced st pierre and swept its people from the earth nor has all volcanic activity ceased vau columns of smoke and gas botill pour from the great crater and new have opened on the mountain sides and are vomiting yellow whirl winds which rush intermittently now from one point and now from another boiling mud also ii thrown out at thinea in torrents that reach the sea nd pro duc e small from a somber silent city of death and desolation st riene has become a hideous amphitheatre of fiery roaring destruction the people are convinced that god is angry with the island and meant to scourge it with fire and then sink it in the ocean utter and unreasoning fear po Merses all souls even fort de france is believed to be unsafe the presence of alic relief ships however ia helpful to the people alio say the american flag makes safety the potomac could not approach close to st pierre the dixie will sail tomorrow for st vincent but the other vessels will remain the scientist who have arrived will examine into the question of the danger of the peaks of carbet near fort de france becoming active volcanoes the outburst of yesterday probably mean a ruined island as all confidence is lost we want not food but only to leave is the cry of the rich and poor |