Georgia Historic Newspapers

    Uflanfa Wewixfflßtfklll
VOL. IV.
CAMP AT CHALMETTE
BREAKS NEUTRAL LAW
Attorney Genera! Knox De
clares In Report That
British Have Violated
■ Pledge of U. S.
WASHINGTON. May 10 —lt was ascer
tained today from a source, which is be
lieved to be perfectly reliable, that the
administration is in somethin* of a di
lemma over the investigation of the al
leged British supply camp at Chalmette.
It is said that Attorney General Knox has
practically completed his consideration of
the points of law involved in the case and
that his report is in favor of the Boers
to an extent that is causing the president
and the secretary of state a vast deal of
trouble.
Knox is said to have Bpne back over a
period of over years In his search for
precedent*. He finds, it Is said, that the
material being shipped from Chalmette
comprises munitions of war, and that the
traffic being carried on there is therefore
in violation of neutrality laws.
Further than that, he is said to have
embodied in his report a statement to the
effect that since the commencement of the
war in South Afnca the British govern
ment has on at least one occasion at
tempted to make the same point against
Portugal that the pro-Boer element in
thia country is now making against the
United States government in connection
with the Chalmette case.
Knox’S report has been turned over to
Secretary Hay. who has been charged by
the president with the task of making an
official announcement in the premises. The
impression is that Hay will find some
means of getting around the opinion of his
brother cabinet officer, and that the result
of the entire affair will be a statement
from the administration that no neutrality
laws art being violated.
General Pearson, who has been active tn
the fight against the Chalmette traffic for
months, today asked the president to fur
nish him with a copy of the Crowder re
port. The request will probably be ig
nored. -
miiebToee to
LEAVE THE
MINES
THE MINERS WILL OBEY PRESI-
DENT MITCHELL'S ORDER AND
WILL KEEP AWAY FROM
THEIR WORK. i
*-SL= a. ■ Mil
BCRANTON, Pa.. May W.-After issu
ing the order for a temporary cessation
of work in all the colleries and a call for
a miner’s convention in Haselton on Wed
nesday next, the twenty-eight members
of the executive members of the three
anthracite districts of the United Mine
Workers .of America, made all possible
haste to get back to their homes.
They will at once assume charge of the
election of delegates to the convention,
the basis of representation being one del
egate for each 100 members. This wMI
produce a convention of more than 1.000
delegates
While there is certain to be a difference
of opinion on the advisability of striking
at once or postponing such action until
the conditions are more favorable for win
ning. whatever action Is taken by the con
vention will be announced as unanimous.
This is required by the rules of the organ
, laation. There Is a general opinion that
the convention will be in session several
days before a final decision is reached.
While the business men of the anthra
cite region deplore the strike and fear
that its effects will be disastrous If one Is
Ordered they are almost unanimous on the
Opinion that Mr? Mitchell did all he possi
bly eould to avert such radical action.
Nobody here doubts that the miners will,
to a man. obey the order for a temporary
■trike.
At the conclusion of the aeslon yester
day President Mitchell gave ouUthe fol
lowing statement:
"Replies to our proposition to submit
the entire question in dispute to an Impar
tial board of arbitrators have been re
ceived from President Baer, of the Phil
adelphia and Reading; Chairman Thomas,
of the Erie road: President Truesdale, of 1
the Lackawanna, and President Olyphant,
of the Delaware and Hudson, all of whom
refuse to join us in the adjustment of the
between us by the methods we
propose.'
At the afternoon session a vote was
taken on the proposition to strike, and at
Its close President Mitchell gave out a
statement setting forth the failure of
the negotiations and saying that "the
committee feels that tn justice to the an
thracite mine workers and those depend
ent upon them, before a general strike Is
inaugurated, the question should be furth
er considered by a delegate convention, in
which representatives from the various
local unions shall be fully instructed by
their constituents and prepared to vote
in favor of or tn opposition to a complete
cessation of work.
“In the meantime, all persons employed
tn or around the collieries, strippings.
and breakers are instructed to
temporarily abstain from work, beginning
with Monday. May 12. continuing
thereafter until a final decision’s reached
by a delegate convention, which will con
vene Wednesday morning. May 14. at
Haxleton. Pa.
•The instructions for all men to suspend
work on Monday does not Include firemen,
engineers, pump men and other labor
necessary to preserve the property of the
* operators.”
FORMER SENATOR ROACH ■
IS STARVING TO DEATH
NEW YORK. May B.—Former Senator
William N. Roach, of North Dakota, who
has been ill several days at his home in
this city. *lll. it is expected, pass away
very soon.
As the result of an operation, compli
cations have followed, the worst being
that he can take no nourishment. His
stomach has collapsed and he is now prac
tically starving to death.
queen~wllhelmina
IN EXCELLENT CONDITION
THE HAGUE. May 10.—According to the
bulletin issued at Castle Loo. this morn
ing the Queen passed a remarkably good
night. Her fever has not returned and her
condlton is all that could be desired.
:: DOOM OF ST. PIERRE
HAD BEEN PREDICTED
« • In 1880, Maturin M. Ballou, a celebrated traveler and historian, visited
+ St. Pierre, and after seeing the black and dizzy heights of Mont Pelee, be
-4> came flrmly of the opinion that the sulphurous smoke and burning lava of
♦ that awful volcano would one day blot St. Pierre from the face of the map.
+ In his book on his travels in the Antilles, he has the following dreadful
♦ prophecy of the fate of the city:
♦ “The Island rises from the sea In three groups of rugged peaks, and con
tains some very fertile valleys. So late as 1851, Mont Pelee burst forth furl-
♦ ously with flames and smoke, which naturally threw the people into a serl
+ ous panic, many persons taking refuge temporarily on board of the shipping
+ in the harbor. The eruption on this occasion did not amount to anything
♦ very serious, only covering some hundreds of acres with sulphurous debris,
♦ yet serving to show that the volcano was not dead, but sleeping.
♦ “Once or twice since that date ominous mutterings have been heard from
+ Mont Pelee. WHICH IT IS CONFIDENTLY EXPECTED WILL ONE
+ DAY DELUGE ST. PIERRE WITH ASHES AND LAVA. REPEATING
+ THE STORY OF POMPEII."
♦
Description of St. Pierre As It
Appeared Before Its Destruction
St. Pierre, the principal commercial
town of Martinique, was a city of some
25.000 inhabitants, and was divided Into
two districts, one low and decidedly un
healthy, and the other high, well venti
lated and healthy.
St. Pierre is a town of about one mile In
length, straggling from the north away
down to the coast, and ending In scattered
villages; and at one place, where the river
makes a break, creeping up towards the
mountains.
The houses of the place were nearly all
made of sun-baked brick, covered with
brown earthen tiles, tier upon tier. With
the soft mellow tints of the tiles, the gray
of the walls, the frequent clumps of tama
rld, and the magnificent wall of living
green behihd It. St. Pierre struck one as
a beautiful town—until he come within its
gates. The houses were squalid and dirty,
there were no glass in the windows, ex
cept in some of the larger stores.
Aside from the hills which embraced the
town, forming an arc three miles in
length. Montange Pelee. above 4,000 feet in
height, cleft into ravines and black gorg
es. down which run rivers innumerable,
gushing from internal fountains within
this great volcano. The narrow streets of
the town were all well paved, and' down
the gutters of each ran a swift stream,
carrying off the refuse to the sea, as has
been done in Salt Lake City.
St. Pierre was the commercial center of
Martinique, and its many stores were fill
ed with the wines and wares of France.
There was a fine cathedral in the town,
besides an immense theatre, to which
there came a fine opera troupe from Paris
for three months of each year and always
played to full houses. There was also a
fißt! blshwy’s imJme sent gwtwitm’s
dence, with a large and handsome bar
racks for the troops.
The people were greatly prejudiced
against anything which was not French,
and were among the strongest adherents
of the French government. In fact. Mar
tinique was among the only islands which
the French government still retained on
this side of the ocean.
The people of St. Pierre were fond of
dress, greatly exaggerating the styles in
order to be loud and showy. The business
dress of the men was a loose fitting blouse
of> a dark material, white trousers and a
Panama hat. The women are passionately
fond of jewelry, and will spurn anything
other than solid gold. The ear-rings of
the southern ante-bellum negroes were
toys besides those worn by the natives of
NO LIVING CREATURE ,
SEEN IN ST. PIERRE
PARIS. May 10.—The minister of ma
rine his received the following undated
dispatch from Pointe-a-Pitre, island of
Guadelupe. from the commander of the
French cruiser Suchet:
“I have obtained the following informa
tion of the events of yesterday:
“About 8 o'clock the volcano threw up a
considerable mass of smoke and earth. A
whirlwind of fire immediately followed.
Instantly the whole town of St. Pierre
was in flames, and the ships In the har
bor were dismasted and burned.
"The shower of rocks lasted a quarter
of an hour.
“I arrived at St. Pierre at 2 o'clock in
the afternoon, saving a few persons from
the ships. x
“I saw no' living creature in St. Pierre,
to which it was impossible to penetrate.
"There were numerous corpses near the
quay."
The Patrie, says the wife of Senator
Knight has received a cable dispatch from
her husband dated Fort de France, Marti
nique at 2 p. m., yesterday saying:
"Well. Property safe.”
Cable dispatch from Senator Knight also
■aid that Morne-Rouge was spared.
Mome-Rouge is a beautiful resort situ
half a million francs (3800,000) in cash.
The cabinet further decided to order the
half-masting of flags over all public
buildings for three days, and the minister
of the interior, M. De Crais was instruct
ed to telegraph to the government of
Martinique the condolences of France.
M. De Crate informed the cabinet min
ister that Senator Knight, president of
the legislature of Martinique, who was
believed to have lost his life at St. Pierre,
had escaped.
FIVE HUNDRED NATIVES
KILLED IN GUATEMALA
SAN FRANCIESCO. May 9.-Additional
news of the recent earthquake in Guate
mala has been brought here by the
steamer Newport, which left San Jorie ,
de Guatemala on April 23d. At Quesal
tenango 500 people were reported to have
been killed or injured out of a popula
tion of possibly 40,000. Os this number there 1
was but one white person. Mrs. Clara Kil
dare. the wife of a photographer.
Death and damage to property is also
reported to have resulted in San Mar
cus, San Pedro. San Juan Ostancalco, Ta
cana, Mazatenango and Guyotango. Much
damage was done on the coffee planta
tions and at the ports of Ocos and Cham
perlco on the Pacific.
The Newport was at LaLibertad when
the earthquate which wrecked Quesal
tenango occurred. The vessel was at Ocos
on April 19th. when a second shock oc
curred. A number of houses were thrown
down and several persons were killed.
Yawning crevices render the streets im
possible, small streams which emptied
into the sea near Ocos disappeared and an
iron railroad bridge which spanned it
was telescoped. All houses in Ocos are
deserted and the inhabitants are living in
the open fields in tents.
Escalio, the burning mountain in Sal
vador, has been extinct for 10 months and
durjng that time there have been frequent
earthquakes and tidal waves along the
coast-
40,000 LIVES ARE DESTROYED;
BY FLOOD OF FIRE AND LAVA
FROM VOLCANIC MOUNTAIN
St. Pierre. The women would adorn them
selves with anything that was gold, and
wore Jewelry on all parts of the body.
Many of the strpets of St. Pierre were
too steep for any animal to climb, and pe
destrians had to use the well wopn steps
to gain the summit of some of the prin-
I cipal streets. There was a magnificent
botanical garden about one mile from the
center of the city, so arranged that the
natural fotest was used, and it was ex
termely handsome. In this garden many
sightseers have met death by being bit
ten by the deadly fer-de-lance. one of the
most deadly and venemous snakes of the
indies. All over the city and surround
ing country there were many crosses and
wayside shrines, and the natives of the
Island were all. zealous Catholics
The men were for the most part lazy and
indolent, but the women were thrifty and
hard working, and did all the manual la
bor. The Rue Victor Hugo was the prin
cipal street of the town, traversing the
whole length of St. Pierre. parallel with
the sea crossing a small bridge and losing
itself in the suburbs. The Grand Rue was
also another prominent business street.
The Hotel des Bains, the principal hotel
in St. Pierre, was a magnificent structure,
and greatly patronized by English and
American tourists who frequented the is
land.
Martinique, jthe Island, was the most
lovely of the Lesser Antilles. It lay mid
way between Domlpca and St. Lucia, and
is just off the coast of Venezuela. It
was discovered by Christopher Columbus
on bis last American voyage. He landed
on St. Martin's Day, in 1502, and it was
named from the saint. It was .taken by
the French, and has been-twice captured
[by the English and re-captured by the
FWBFfI. Up ’IWWr in-
habitants op the island; of which about
three-fourths are Half-breeds. Sugar, rum.
coffee and cotton are the staple products
• of the islands, supplemented by tobacco.
Manioc flour, bread fruit and bananas.
The eau de cologne manufactured in St.
Pierre is said to equal that of Paris it
self.
Josephine de Beauhemaris, who later
became the wife of the Emperor Napo
leon, and from whom he was divorced,
though it was truly believed that he loved
the woman, was born at Port de France,
20 miles from St. Pierre, the destrqyed
town, and there Is a magnificent marble
stature of the French empress there. It
was Martinique which the empress loved,
and of which she always spoke with the
tenderer! passion.
REFUGEES ARE FLYING
TO ESCAPE AWFUL DOOM
LONDON, May 9.—The colonial office
here has received a dispatch from, Sir
Robert Llewellyn, governor of the Wind
ward Islands, in the Caribbean sea. dated
from Kingston, St. Vincent, yesterday in
which the governor says that the Sou
friere volcano, in the northwestern part
of the island of St. Vincent, continued in
activity. Earthquake shocks had recur
red for a week past, but not actually in
Kingston. On Wednesday a big cloud of
steam hung over the Soufriere and the in
habitants, who were greatly alarmed,
were flocking to Chateau Belaire. There
were about 300 refugees there who were
being fed by the Authorities.
FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY
RESCUED BY STEAMER
N'EW YORK. May 10.-The French ca
ble offices in this city were advised that
their repair steamer Pouyer Queentier has
arrived at Fort de France, having rescued
450 persons from St. Pierre. She has re
turned immediately to the scene of the
disaster to search for further survivors.
♦
i i mi —"—i ♦
♦
•i 1 ■ . ♦
♦
I -- -JK. *
j
♦
HARBOR OF ST. PIERRE, ISLE OF MARTINIQUE, SHOWS MOUNT PELEE IN BACKGROUND. *
♦
+ ♦ + + + ♦ + ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦+♦ + + ♦ + ♦♦ ♦♦♦ + ♦♦♦♦ +
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, MONDAY, MAY 12, 1902.
CITY OF ST. PIERRE, ISLAND OF
MARTINIQUE, IS ENTIRELY
WIPED OllT-LOSS OF LIFE
GREATER THAN AT THE DE
STRUCTION OF POMPEII.
Mount Pelee, Like Roaring Furnace,
Belches Flame and Molten Rock
Upon Rulna of St. Pierre and
Surrounding Country.
NO LIVING CREATURE TO TELL
THE AWFUL TALE—CORPSES
LINE COAST AND BODIES
FLOAT IN THE BAY.
PARIS. May 9.—The commander of the
French cruiser Souchet has telegraphed
to the minister of marine, M. DeLanes
san, from Ft. DeFrance, Island of Mar
tinique. under date of Thursday, May 8.
i at 10 p. m. as follows:
"Have just returned from St. Pierre,
which has been completely destroyed by
! an Immense mass of fire, which fell on the
town at about 8 In the morning.
"The entire population (about 25.000
souls) is supposed to have perished. I have
brought back the few survivors, about
thirty. ,
"All the shipping In the harbor hgs been
destroyed by fire.
"The eruption continues.”
1 CITY’S TOTAL ANNIHILATION
REPORTED BY PASSING SHIP
ST. THOMAS, D. W 1., May 9.—9:30 a.
m.—The French cruiser Suchet arrived at
Pointe A-Pitre, /Island of Guadalupe,
French West Indies, {Martinique, this
morning bringing several refugees.
She confirmed the report that the town
of St. Pierre. Martinique, was entirely de
j stroyed at 8 o'clock on Thursday morning
by a volcanic eruption.
It is supposed that most of the inhabi
tants of St Pierre were killed.
The commander of The Suchet reports
that at 1 o’clock on Thursday the-entire
town of St. Pierre was wrapped in flames.
He endeavored to save about thirty per
sons, more or less burned, from the ves
sels hi the barbor.
His officers went ashore In small boats,
seeking for survivors, | but were uwable
to penetrate the town.
They saw heaps of bodies upon the
wharves and it is believed that not a sin
gle person resident in St. Pierre at the
moment of the catastrophe escaped.
The governor of the colony and his staff,
colonel and wife, were In St. Pierre and
probably perished. The extent of the ca
tastrophe can not be imagined.
The captain of the British steamer Rod
dam was very s»r|<mF r V-Jnjured and is
now m the hospttarwt Rrrffirut. •
All of his <*fflcers and engineers were
fead or dying.
Nearly every member of the crew is
dead. Superintendent of Cargo Campbell
and ten of I{he crew of the Roddam Jump
ed over board at St. Pierre and were lost.
The neighboring parishes were laid
waste and the residue of the popula
tion of St. Pierre Is without food or shel
ter.
The British royal steamer Esk, which
arrived at St. Luola this morning, reports
having passed St. Pierre last night. The
steamer was covered with ashes, though
she was five miles distant, which was in
impenetrable darkness.
A boat was sent in as near as possible
to the shore, but not a living soul was
seen ashore—only flames. x
The Quebec Steamship company's
steamer Roraima was seen to explode and
disappear.
EARTHQUAKES CEASE-,
ERUPTION CONTINUES
LONDON, May lO.—Bulletin.—A ca
ble company has received a message
frorp Martinique today saying the vol
canic eruption there continues and that
ships are afraid to approach the is
land.
LONDON. May 10.—Lloyd’s agent at St.
Lucia. B. W. 1., cables that later news
fully confirms the disaster at St. Pierre.
He says he cannot ascertain the names
of the vessels which have been lost, but
they include one Italian barke and two
steamers, one probably being the Grap
pler, the cable ship belonging to the West
India and Panama Telegraph company.
The total loss of life is estimated at 40,-
060.
Lloyd's agent at St. Thomas, D. W. 1.,
cables that St. Pierre has been totally
destroyed by fire, and that all the inhab
itants perished.
All the vessels in the harbor were lost.
These include the Grappler.
The steamer Roraima, belonging to the
Quebec Steamship company, took fire in
:: EPITOME OF SITUATION
IN STRICKEN ISLAND U
«» •»
+ The French government today subscribed half a million francs (5300,000) *
for relief of the sufferers. ♦
+ French warships and all steamers not cargo laden, and within reach of ♦
* the island, have been ordered to go to the scene of devastation with all pos-
sibl'e haste. *
<• The United States senate passed this morning a bill to give 5100,000 to the *
•h relief fund. ♦
* All civilized countries will aid in relieving suffering. ♦
<f> The United States has ordered the cruiser Cincinnati to go to Martinique ♦
<• at once. ♦
* Chartered sloop has left St. Lucia for St. Vincent to get information +
and afford temporary relief. • " ♦
Four hundred and fifty persons were rescued from St. Pierre when erup- ♦
tion first began. / ♦
•J. Cable repair boat Grappler is among the ships lost in the harbor. ♦
Estimate of loss of life today is placed at 40,000. ♦
1 I I I ■♦♦♦♦♦l I > I I HI I I I I I !»♦♦■»<■>
Thrilling Description of Disaster
As Told By an Eye-Witness
POINT-A-PITRE, Gaudelupe, Saturday Morning, May 10.—The first mate of
the Roraima thus describes the disaster at St. Pierre:
"Between S:3O and 7 o'clock in the morning on Thursday, without warning,
there came a sort of whirlwind of steam, boiling mud and fire, which suddenly
swept the shipping and the roads stead.
"There were some eighteen vessels anchoring in the harbor. Including the
Roraima, the French sailing ship Tama ya, four larger sailing ships and five oth
ers All five vessels immediately canted over and then began to burn. The Ta
maya was a bark from Captain Maurice, and was on her way to Polnt-a-
Pltr ”All Ithe boats except the Roraima sank Instantly and at the same time.
"Every house ashore was utterly destroyed and apparently burned under ths
' ashes and burning lava. An officer, who was sent ashore, penetrated but a short
distance into the City. He found only a few walls standing and the streets liter
ally paved with corpses. \ •
“The governor of the island, who had arrived only a few hours before the ca
tastrophe, was killed.
"Both the English and American consuls, with their families, were reported
to have perished. It is certain that no more than forty out of about 25,000 could
have escaped.” ,
Natives Demand Food.
The cruiser Suchet was here yesterday, buying provisions for the survivors in
the outlying districts. She sailed for Fort de France last night with a large
quantity of stores, which was immediately but under military guard. Negroes are
flocking in vast numbers into Fort de France, from the surrounding country, de
manding food. .
A telegram from Fort de France says that hot mud and cinders have been fall
ing all night throughout the islafid and still continue doing great damage, and
that when final reports are received it will be found that many people have been
killed or Injured in other parts of Martinique.
The Quebec Line steamship Korona arrived at the island of Dominica yester
day, bringing a number of survivors from her sister ship, the Roraima. The
captain of the Korona says that the eruption at St. Pierre was apparently from
a new crater and that accompanying the eruption there seemed to be a tidal wave
which overwhelmed the shipping. - i
Doom to St. Vincent.
A message from the island of St. Vincent says:
"The Soufiere had been in a state of eruption for nine consecutive mornings.
On Thursday morning the day broke with heavy thunder and lighting, which
soon changed into a continuous tremendous roar. Vast columns of smoke rose
over the mountain, becoming denser and denser and the scorched-like ball chang
tngUatex to- Lm duat. tell upotvajl the Mtgjw, dwtrqying a vgatamount
of property. A| Chateau Belair the ashes were ttfb feet deep hi th« WaetW. I»
Kingston they were fully an inch deep and many large stones fell in the parish
of Georgetown. . _ __ _ . A .
"The earth shook violently and at 1 o’clock in the afternon a midnight dark
ness spread over the country. Thirty people are known to be killed and the
damage to property in the Windward district was very heavy.
"The storm roared about Soufiere all night without cessation, but on the fol
lowing morning it became intermittent and fainter.
report from Barbadoes says that on the >th the sky was heavily overcast,
the heat was excessive and there was a distant sound of thunder. Later, early
in the a/ternoon, dense darkness set in and a great quantity of vivid dust fell
and continued falling until a late hpup. No damage is reported.
Hopes are raised here that more of the papulation of St. Pierre than indi
cated In the earlier dispatches have been saved. It is believed that a number
of people were rescued from the stricken town by steamers running to Fort de
The work of clearing away the debris in the city of St. Pierre has already
commenced, and even now some semblance of order has been restored. The
smoking ruins have been partially cleared. It has been agreed by the municipal
and other authorities- to burn all corpses found in the streets. • The authorities
of Fort de France are sending all procurable necessaries for the sufferers with
medical aid for the injured, the food supplies of St. Pierre being all destroyed.
The efuiser Suchet is revlctualling Martinique and Guadaloupe.
port, and became a total loss.
All on board the Roraima perished.
Thirty deaths are reported to have oc
curred at the Island of St. Vincent, ac
cording to a telegram received at the co
lonial office this morning from Governor
Llewellyn, forwarded from St. Lucia yes
terday evening. The governor says:
"Information Incomplete. Eruption con
tinues. I am endeavoring to get back to
St. Vincent.”
Steele, Young & Co., of this city, owners
of the British steamer Roddam, which
escaped from St. Pierre to St. Lucia, re
ceived this morning the first news from
their agents at St. Lucia, as follows:
“Terrible volcanic eruption at Martin
ique. Roddam returned. One anchor and
chain slipped. Tarpaulins and running
gear burned. Machinery Intact. Captain
in hospital. Two mates, chief engineer
and eight of crew dead. Ten in hospital.
Second and third engineers aboard. Camp
bell, supercargo, dead. Communication
between here and Barbadoes interrupted.”
Cable communication between London
and the Island of Martinique is cut off.
ERROR AND ACCIDENT
SAYS CHANCELLOR HILL
The direct West Indian cable received
at 1:30 this afternoon a cable dispatch
from St. Lucia, saying:
“Sloop just leaving for St. Vincent, pre
sumably with the object of ascertaining
what has happened on that islatfd. Pos
sibly took Governor Llewellyn."
Communication is still obtainable with
the island and Guadelupe, French West
Indies, but the news is congested owing
to the confusion prevailing in the cable
system, and the numerous official mes
sages filed. The receipt of the first direct
cable news from Martinique depends on
how long the French company will take
In repairing the cable to Fort De France,
capital of the island, on which -they are
now working.
The British admiral is communicating
with the commander in chief of *he Brit
ish naval station and a war vessel will
be directed to go to Martinique. It is ap
parent from the cable dispatches receiv
! ed that the eruption of the volcano on
Mont Pelee will not do much damage to
the summer crop, which is chiefly con
fined to the southern part of the island,
and the gathering of which is now two
thirds over. However, the wiping eut of
the moneyed population of the Island, cen
tered at St. Pierre, is bound to produce
the most serious commercial effect. Not
one of the business houses in London has
heard a word of its agents in Martinique.
A partner of the principal English flrm
dealing with Martinique said to a repre
sentative of the Associated Press:
“I suppose all our agents'are dead. Not
much business is transacted between Eng
land and Martinique. Almost everything
thzsnce is shipped direct to Bordeaux,
which suffers the most. I know Marti
nique well. The last time I was there, a
few years ago. there were only two Eng
lishmen and no American resident at St.
Pierre, though that town did a good busi
ness with America in foodstuffs. A large
portion of the white population belong to
old French families, wlso preferred St.
Pierre to any other part of the island.
We never for a moment dreamed that
Mont Pelee would prove dangerous. Fif
ty years ago some steam issued from its
crevices, but no attention was paid to it.”
Private dispatches received late this af
ternoon from the West Indies say the
eruption at Martinique is decidedly worse.
The French Cab)e company received ca
blegrams this morning announcing that
the eruptions at Martinique continue and
th<t ships are afraid to go near the isl
and. The latest messages indicate that
the number of deaths will be about 4«.000,
several of the smaller Islands near Mar
tinique having also suffered.
Between 8 o’clock in the morning and 8
o’clock in the evening of Thursday, May
8, St. Pierre was a mass of fire, and there
was also a volcanic eruption at St. Vin
cent. The island of St. Thomas is sending
help. , .
A ship which arrived Friday, May 9. at
thelsland of Dominica. British West
Indies, and which Was lying off St. Pierre
when the eruption commenced, reports
that the noise was terrific. A huge clcud
of fire is reported over the town and
neighborhood, giving the inhabitants no
chance to escape.
Walter B. Hill Explains
The Letter Quoted
In S. C. Tapp’s
Card.
Chancellor Walter B. Hill, of the Uni
versity of Georgia, states that the I
publication of the letter of M. W. Dunn,
of McDuffie county, which was sent to
him by mistake, and which was also pub
lished Friday afternoon in The Journal
by 8. C. Tapp, Guerry's campaign mana
ger, was done without his authority or
consent. In fact, the whole thing is an
accident, according to Chancellor Hill.
Mr. Hill arrived in Atlanta Friday night
from Stone Mountain, where he delivered
a lecture. When seen by a Journal report
er regarding the publication of the letter
by Mr. Tapp, Mr. Hill said:
"The transmission to the Guerry cam
paign committee of a letter which was
forwarded to me from Atlanta to Athens,
and which, as now appears, was intended
for Hon. Warner Hill was an accidental
error, for which I am not responsible;
and the publication of the letter was
without my authorization or consent.
."The simple facts are these:
“Mr. Dunn’s letter reached Athens dur
ing the recent educational conference,
April 24th to 26th. I was too busy to give
attention to correspondence on those days
and on Monday, the 26th, .the arrears of
the mall were to be written up. 'lt is the
custom In my office for the young man
who acts as my secretary and stenogra
pher to open all my letters except those
marked personal and to read them off to
me; and frequently when there is pressure
for time he merely states the substance
and I merely indicate (without dictating)
the reply.
"When he first opened this letter he
concluded, as he tells me. that the writer
had addressed it to me on the erroneous
idea that I had some connection with Mr.
Guerry's headquarters in Atlanta and that
the letter had been written in Mr. Guer
ry's interest. When he reached this let
ter among others on Monday when I took
up my mail, I am not sure whether he
read in full or not; my impression is that
he merely stated the substance; but I do
recall distinctly, as he also does, that in
referring to the last sentence where it is
said that McDuffie county is conceded to
Guerry, but might be changed, he re
marked that the writer evidently used Mr.
Guerry’s name when he meant Mr. Ter
rell. I have never seen the letter. My sec
retary had it in his hand and I supposed
that he had correctly interpreted It to me.
I accepted his statement. I merely said,
"Then forward It to Mr. Tapp, Mr. Guer
ry’s campaign manager," and dismissed
the whole subject from my mind. It did
not engage my attention except for a mo
ment. My stenographer tells me that he
did not know that Mr. Warner Hill was
the campaign manager of Mr. Terrell aud
that the idea of any confusion of any
other name with mine never occurred to
him. It certainly did not occur to me.
not even in the remotest or faintest sug
gestion; •
"Recently Mr. Tapp wrote me for my
consent to publish Mr. Dunn’s letter. I
replied that I could give him no authori
ty to publish it as it had evidently been
sent to me in error (having,ln mind only
my previous Interpretation of the letter
and the error of the writer in confusing
me with Mr. Guerry’s headquarters In At
lanta) and I suggested that before using it
he get the consent of the writer. Os
oourac, ■ there is nothing going to show
that Mr. Tapp was aware of the miscon
struction the letter put in my office.
“No one in Georgia who know me will
believe that I am capable of the business
of having sent to Mr. Tapp a letter which
I knew or supposed to be intended for Mr.
Warner Hill.
“My present position as chancellor of the
University of Georgisf does not deprive ma
of my right as a private citizen, but I rec
ognize that it outs me off from political
activities., My head and heart are full of
the interests of education and of the young
men of the state. The accidental error in
regard to this letter might perhaps not
have occurred, but for my intense absorp-i
tion in the recent educational conference
and the great pressure put on me by the
accumulation of the current correspend
ence which had to be put aside on ac
count of it.” . .
Mr. Hill further said that his steno
grapher is very ereen on the political sit
uation in Georgia, and knew nothing of
Hon. H. W. Hill. The chancellor say»
he regrets the incident very much.
TRAIN OiKO
IN LONELY SPOT
num MEN
ARKANSAS HIGHWAYMEN BLOW
OPEN EXPRESS SAFE WITH
DYNAMITE, BUT GET
• NO BOOTY.
MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 10.—Word haw
reached here from Bonnerville, Ark., that
passenger train No. 206 on the St. Louis
and - San Francisco railroad, which left
Memphis at 8:35 o'clock last night, was
held up between Jonesboro and Bonner
ville, Ask., at 2 o’clock this morning.
There were four men in the attacking,
party. After stopping the train they de
tached the engine and express car and
pulled to a "blind siding," where they
blew open the safe with dynamite. Ths
explosion wrecked the car and the men
escaped in the darkness. A posse has
been organized at Bonnerville and. with
bloodhounds, is on the trail of the robbers.
The express messenger says the robberg
secured no booty. Details are lacking.
CHRIsfrANENDEAVORERS
MEET IN COLUMBUS
COLUMBUS, Ga., May 10.—The eighth
annual convention of the Christian En
deavor Society of Georgia convened at
the First Presbyterian church last night.
The arrangements for this convention
have been perfected for some time as it
was to have been held some weeks ago,
but was postponed on account of some »
unavoidable circumstances. The conven
tion will be in session through Sunday
night, when it will close. Delegates are
here from all parts of the state and they
are being entertained by members of the*
society who reside in the city. There arq>
quite a number of them. Interesting pro
grams for each day’s session have bean
arranged.
NO. 69.