The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 12, 1902, Page 2

(] THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, MAY 12, / 1902. FAMINE ADDS TO MARTINIQUE HORROR 1 WRITERS AND ARTISTS SPEEDING TO ST. PIERRE FOR THE CALL HE DREAD TALE of probably the most awful disaster in the history of the world, the destruction of the old and beautiful town of St. Pierre and its 40, 000 inhabitants, in the island of Martinique, by a terrible storm of fire resultant on the bursting of the volcano of Mont Pelee, still remains to be told. Only meager details of the horror of the cat- | aclysm and the terrible sufferings of those who escaped the deliige of fire, scalding water and hot rocks and of the heroism of those who sought to rescue lives from the | seething sea of flame have been received from the neighboring island town’s’.‘ The extent of the destruction on St. Vincent Island the eruption of the volcanic mountain La Soufriere also remains moest stupendous calamity to be related. of many centuries will be faithfully told to them. points adjscent to Martinique are cabling to The Call ail news from the stricken island,’ et Those Who Escaped Death in Fire Are Now Without Food or Water. : From the special correspondent of The Call and the New York Herald. Copyright, 1902, by the New York P Herald Publishing Company. T. THOMAS, B. W. L, May 11.—Famin€ now- threatens o add its on in Martinique. From the country districts the in- habitants are flocking into” Fort d all are panic-stricken. ady become under’ military. guard. can be averted only provision ships. uffe St. Pierre served as the store- | house of entire island. - Reserve were kept there, and, with the complete de: ion of that city, starv- ation bec: immediate menace Fort de France, with a population of about 12,000, has been little more than a great military post, so that it is now unable to give more than sheiter to the | refugees Showers of hot mud and cinders have served to keep those in Fort de France in constant t though no actual damage is known to have been done there. Mont Pelee continues in active eruption, though with weakening force. | The steamer Korona of bec Line the Que- a sister ship to the Rorai- ma, has carried Mr. Scott, of the Roraima, and eighteen saved from the same vessel, to Domin- ica. EEES NUMEROUS BODIES. The captain reports that on Friday he attempted to force his way with the Korona into the harbor at.St. but was compelle tempt, owing to the intense heat and the smoke, which hangs in a dense cloud over the island. He Spring Medicine There is no other season when good miedicine is so much needed as in the Spring. The blood is impure, weak and im- | poverished—a condition indicated by pimples and other eruptions on the face and body, by deficient vitality, loss of appetite, lack of strength and want-of animation. Hood’s Sarsaparilla and Pills Make the blood pure, rich, create appetite, give vitality, strength and animation, and cure all eruptions. Have the whole family be- gin to take them to-day. Hood's Sarsaparilila promises to cure and keeos the oromise. vigorous and horrors to the sit- | Food | carce and the sup-| first officer | others | Pierre, | d to give up the at-| did get | - & || WRITERS AND ARTISTS OFF | | TOST. PIERRE Special Dispatch to The Call. NEW YORK; May 11— Realizing the eagerness with which the public awaits full details of the Martinique cat- aclysm, the San Francisco Call, the New York Herald and several other leading pa- pers of the country chartered a fast steamer to carry cor- respondents and artists 1o ill- fated St. Pierre. This vessel left Norfolk to-day for Mar- tiniqgue, wia San Juan, |t Porto Rico, where it zwill || pick up Call-Herald -corre- spondents who went in ad- vance. In order to make con- nection with the ~ steamer, which was coaled and pro- visioned in a hurry, it was necessary to charter a special train from Washington to | Norfolk. It is expected the steamer will reach St. Pierre or the immediate vicinity about May 19 or 20. \ ‘ 5 -+ close enough to see that Mont Pelee | was still active. Numerous half burned bodies were observed, but nome were | picked up. ~ | hmhmg new concerning the original, | disaster has yet been learned. It is known that e|ghxeen vessels were in the | harbor on the morring of May 8, when destruction fell upon St. Pierre. These | included four American sailing ships. | All were destroyed save the Roddam. ! | They were simultaneously swept by the [ great cloud of flame and sank at anchor. | The Roraima would have escaped had | the explosion been delayed a few min- | utes. The vessel’s anchor was lifted and the engine was ready to start when she was overwhelmed. The sea was trans- formed into a steaming caldron into| l which the sailors sprang, crazed by their | | gers los! + Twenty-one cabin passen- their lives. ST. VINCENT'S WARNING. From St. Vincent have been received sufferings. | meager reports of the disaster in that island. ‘Warning of the activity of La Soufriere was had on May 7. All that day disaster seemed to fill the air. The skies were heavily overcast, deep thun- der was almost incessant, while light- ning of the most vivid nature never ceased to play. From the mountain came the mutterings that sent panic to the hearts of all dwellers on the island Smoke rose in huge columns and vol- canic dust filled the air. At 4 o’clock in the afternoon it was as dark as mid- night. Richmond Park and the estate of Waliboo were destroyed. Chateau Be- laire district was covered two feet deep with ashes. Earthquakes were contin- uous. Kingstown seemed to be threat- ened and fear was upon all. i La Soufriere did not cease to roar during the night of May 7. Thisty deaths were reported on May 8. Vol- canic dust continued falling, giving the entire island of St. Vincent a deep man- tle. Reports from Barbadoes and Grenada are that on Thursday the heat was al- most unbearable. The sky lowered un- til at 3 o’clock darkness was absolute. Distinct reports like those of great can- non were ‘heard from the direction of St. Vitcent. Ashes fell constantly, making it difficult to live in the open. S el et . T. THOMAS, D. W. I., May IL.—Ad- S vices received here from the island of Dominica to-day say that beats arriying there report that many er- sons. were drowned while crossing to Dominica from the island of Martinique, where some of the out parishes have.been inundated. The eruption of Mont Pelee, on Mar- tinique, continues. The lava is progress- ing northward. The whole northern re- glon is now a rocky waste, denuded of vegetation. Reports from the island of St. Vincent say that up to the afternoon of Friday last more than 200 deaths had occurred there, owing to the volcanic outbreak in that ‘island. Definite news, however, is lacking. Many estates were destroyed, and steam and ashes were belched forth from 7 o'clock in the morning until. 9:30 o'clock at night. The eruption is now invisiblerat Kingston. Huge dust clouds ‘were blown eastward. Great distress preyails at<St. Vincent, ,Wp‘ - — BCENES IN ST. PIERRE AND VICINITY BEFORE = ERUP- TION OF MONT PELEE. - i — where there are many injured persons. It is‘ belleved that about 500 persons have lost: their lives at St. Vincent. The ma- jority of the corpses are still unburied. The Britisht royal mail steamer Solent has ‘gone from Barbadoes to Martinique with supplies and doctors. From the isl- and of Trinidad the British royal matl steamer Kennell has gone to' Fort de France. The British second class crulser Indefatigable is on her way from Trini- dad to St. Vincent with stores for the re- lief of the sufferers there. It is reperted there that Fort de France, Martinique, is threatened. Great tension prevalls every- where throughout the West Indies. MARTINIQUE CABLE AGAIN IN OPERATION EW YORK, May 11.—The Commer- N clal Cable Company has sent out the following notice: “We are advised that the cable tween Martinique and Paramaribo Is now working and communication re-es- tablished with Mnrtlr‘lque. via Madeira, Teneriffe and Nornha." The Weetern Union Telegraph Com- pany’s central cable office has recelved the following notice: ““The cable is O. K. to Guadelupe. Cable to St. Vincent interrupted. Messages go by . first ‘oppertunity io Dominica or St. Lucia.” STARTS FOR MARTINIQUE. WASHINGTON, May 11.—The State De- partment recelved a cablegram to-day from the United States Consul at Guade- loupe stating that he would leave for Martinique to-night. The State Depart- ment cabled Consul Ayme yesterday to proceed at once to Martinique and report upon the situation there, but it is thought at the department . that his instructions have not.reached him and that, realizing the need of prompt action, he has gone to Martinique of his own volition. 'NEW YORK TO SEND AID. NEW YORK May 11.—A meeting of the members of the Chamber of Commerce will be held Wednesday, at which action will be taken looking toward the relief of m survivors of the calamity that has pt St. Plerre and the surrounding lo- cality. Just what nature the aid ren- déred will assume has not yet been de- cided. m‘&/flz/fcz df EJWM \ To obtain and publish these details The Call has made extensive and complete arrangements. Special correspondents in the Leeward lslands, the nearest to the island of | Martinique, have received instructions by cable to g0 at once to the scenc of the disaster, and they are now.on the way on the fastest steamships plying the Caribbean Sea. | Special correspondents at Porto Rico and St. Thomas, contiguous to and at the northern end of the chain of islands forming the Lesser Antilles, also have received cable orders to hasten to Martinique by the first steamers sailing for the island. These correspondents will be reinforced by a trained staff composed of the best of special writers. One of the members of this staff left New York Friday night under . orders to spare no expense in making the quickest possible trip to Martinique. He was followed on Saturday afternoon by the rest of the large staff selected for the work, who | departed from the Bastern metropolis on a steamship specisily chartered to make a fast run to the ruined city of St. Pierre. The work of this great special staff will be supple- mented by the best cfforts of a iarge number of first-class sketch artists and photographers equipped with all necessary paraphernalia to reproduce by the aid of the camera and the pencil the terrible scenes of devastation. As fast as possible the photographs and. sketches will be forwarded to The Call to be reproduced in its pages. The special corre- spondents wiil begin cabling their reports as soon as they reach their destination, and the readers of The Call may rest assured that the best and most complete details of the In the meantime The Call’s special correspondents stationed at St. Lucia, Fort de France and other - ! | i | ! | to the ALL BUREAU, w1406 G STREET, N. W., WASH- INGTON, May 11.—In an- ticipation of the passage by | the House of the Senate bill approprizting $100,000 for relief of sui- ferers from the eruption which has dev- astated Martinique, the War Depart- ment will take immediate action for the | purchase-and transportation of supplies to the distressed islanders. It is the ex- pectation of the State Department that Consul Ayme, who left Gaudeloupe yes- terday for. Martinique, will return to- morrow to his post and that it will be advised by to-morrow night of the ex- tent of the injuries inflicted by the vol- cano and character of the relief that should be forwarded. As soon as this information is at hand, Brigadier Gen-| eral Weston, commissary general, will be ditected to collect stores at New York. They will be immediately loaded | on an army transport, or, more. proba- bly, on the Dixie, the naval training ship, which Secretary Moody was informed to-day would be ready to sail on Tues- day. As food is probably the first need of the people, the Dixie will be hurried with it to Martinique. The transport Sedgwick, which is at New York, will, if she can be got into condition in time, convey clothes, lumber and such other supplies as the information re- received by the State Department may show to be necessary. PERMISSION FROM FRANCE. Of course, this action is contingent | upon the assent of France. but that Government will undoubtedly grateful- ly accept the charity of the United States. M. Cambon, the French Em- bassador, said this morning that, as sup- plies from this country could reach the island more quickly than from France, undoubtedly the people of the French republic would appreciate any relief that | this country would afford. At the same time, Secretary Hay will recognize the sovereignty of France by notifying the | Paris authorities through Embassador Porter of the readiness of this Govern- ment to extend relief to artinique. France’s acceptance being merely a mat- ter of form, the work of shipping sup- plies will ‘not for a moment be inter- rupted. Officers of the army and navy will be detailed. to supervise the distribution of relief and their instructions will be strin- gent to co-operate in every way with the French authorities. If considered desir- able, the supplies will be turned over to the acting ‘Governor General of Mar- tinique. Thére is not to be the slightest friction” between the American ahd | French authorities if it can be avoided, | undoubtedly | lessness. United States Hastens to Send Supplies Suffering Islanders. Special Dispatch to The Call. under the instructions, which will be is- sued by the War and Navy depart- ments. It was suggested to-day that the trans- portation of relief might be more ex- peditiously effected by using San Juan as a base. Governor Hunt could send such supplies from Porto Rico as could be gathered there and then could fol- low the supplies purchased in this coun=1| try. MARINES MAY BE LANDED The preservation of order in Martin- ique will probably be a matter of some importance. The French man-of-war Suchet, which is at Fort de France, will land officers and men should their presence be required. The | cruiser Cincinnati, which is expected to sail to-day from Santo Domingo, will arrive at Fort de France by Tuesday night, and Commander McLean will tender the use of parties from his ship if the French are unable to prevent law- The men sent ashore will re- spect the sovereignty of France and will co-operate in every way possible with the French guards. There are warships flying the British and Danish flags in the waters of Martinique and they, too, will aid in every way, it is believed, in preserving order and in giving such re- lief as is possible to the people who are | actually in need. No word reached the State Depart- ment to-day regarding the conditions on Martinique or on the island of St. Vincent, which is also said to have suf- fered from an earthquake. Cable com- munication with Sts Vincent, as Well as with Martinique, has been interrupted, according to information in possession of the State Department, and this prob- ably accounts for the fact that the Unit- ed States has not heard from Ernest A | Richards, its consular agent at that point. Mr. Richards is not a citizen of the United States, but a British subiject. He was born in St. Vincent and has al- ways resided in the island. He was ap- pointed consular agent upon the rec- ommengdation of the American Consul in Barbadoes. AID FOR ST. VINCENT. In view of the distress which exists in St. Vincent, an effort may be made by the State Department to have the bill for the relief of Martiniaue so amended that it will enable the dispatch of supplies to British islands as well. This will be done in order to prevent any legal technicalities being raised by accounting officers. The Administration is hopeful, in view of the extent of the disaster and the fact that France and Great Britain cannot promptly send relief from Eu- rope, that the House will act to-mor- row upon the relief bill. As soon as passed it will be conveyed to-the White House, where it will receive the immed iate approval of the President. If it is | determined to send supplies to St. Vin- | cent, ‘the Dixie or some other vessel wig be ordered to proceed to that isl- and. LOUBET’S CONTRIBUTION. PARIS, May 11.—President Loubet has contributed 20,000 francs and the Cabinet has donated 5500 francs to the fund being raised here for the sufferers by the St Pilerre disaster. JOHN J. FULTON CO. SAVED Bright’s Dlsease and Dia= betes No Longer Fatal. “To_the John J. Fulton Co., Mills Build- fing—Gentlemen: Last January I was pro- nounced hopelessly ill from Bright's Dis- ease by one of our leading physicians. He suggested, as a last resort, that I might try Fulton’s Renal Compound. 1 had dropsy, heart trouble and had had nine- teen convulsions. I have taken the rem- edy continually since January. I have ained thirty pounds In weight; my ropsy has entirely disappeared, my heart | action is normal, I sleep and rest well, and | the albumen is reduced to a trace. Your medicine has saved my life. Publish this anywhere, I hope everywhere, that oth- ers may be saved. Yours gratefully, “WM. STRICKLAND, “7 Maple St., Oakland, Cal." Medical works agree that Bright's Dis- ease and Diabetes are incurable, but $7 per cent are positively recovering under the Fulton Compounds. (Dropsy, Bladder Trouble, Rheumatism from uric acid, and the minor kidney diseases are soon re- leved.) Price, $1 for Bright's Disdase and $1 50 for Diabetic Compound. -~ Free | tests made for patients. Deseriptive pam- phlets mailed free. Cail or address John 3. Fuiton Co.. Milis building, Montgomery San Franeisco. “'Gur remedies can also be obtained from following San Francisco druggists: OWL DRUG CO., FERRY DRUG CoO., D. M. GOVE, ST. NICHOLAS PHARMACY, BOYKEN'S PHARMACY, LION DRUG CO., C. L. BARRINGTON, KIBBLER'S PHARMACY, J. J. MAHONEY, E. W. JOY, POTTS DRUG CO., GEORGE DAHLBENDER, E. HAPPERSBERGER, CHARLES D. ZEILE, NEWTON’S PHARMACY, J. H. WINTER, CITY HALL PHARMACY, FRANK T/ GREEN.