Newspaper Page Text
*. ‘ 1
UHanfn SrmvWrjeklM SotwwL
VOL. IV.
UNITED STATES SENDS
WARSHIPS TO HAYTI
Bloody Battle Is Expected
By Infantry Either on
Tomorrow or Friday
at Port au Prince.
PORT AU PRINCE. Hayti. May 14-
Admiral Killy, commander of the Haytlen
fleet has started for Cape Haytlen with
the Haytien warships Crete-A-Pierot and
Tousiant rOverture. having declared him
self tn favor of General Firman, the for
mer minister of Hayti at Paris, who is the
bead of the revolutionary forces in the
northern part of the island.
The tyrrhem revolutionists have seised
the custom houses of Cape Haytlen. Port
DePalx and Gonalvea and are collecting
duties. Protests against this action on
the part of General Firman have been
entered by the national bank and the dip
lomatic corps.
A severe engagement between the north
ern revolutionists and the southern forces,
meaning the troops from Port Au Prince
and the cities of its vicinity is expected to
take place tomorrow and Friday.
A steamer from Kingston. Jamaica, is
expected here today or Thursday, bringing
a number of Haytiens who have been in
exile. Among them are M. Fouchard and
Seneque Pierre, two more candidates for
the presidency. \
The French steamer Olinde Rodrigues,
on which ex-President Sam embarked yes
terday .morning. is still in the harbor of
Port Au Prince. She was to have sailed
yesterday, but was detained by the French
minister M. DePres. He will remain here
until a foreign warship reaches Port Au
Prine*. The absence of a foreign warship
is causing great uneasiness in the foreign
colony here.
After the embarkation of General Sam
all the political prisoners here were re
leased and last night they, with groups of
drunken soldiers, paraded the streets,
■hots were fired from time to time, and it
was feared that the plundering of stores
and residences would follow.
The provisional government constituted
by M Boisrond Canal, a former president,
is attempting to control the situation,
bat General Salnt-Fpix Colin, the district
commander. General Kebreau are the only
officials who appear to be exercising any
authority. They formed a corps of res
pectable citizens yesterday evening and
succeeded in disarming most of the dan
gerous characters. As a result the night
eras much quieter than otherwise It would
have been.
U. S. TRAINING SHIP
WILL GO TO HAYTI
WASHINGTON. May 14.—1 n view of the
critical state of affairs in Hayti and San
Domingo, the navy department is making
plans to send the training ship Topeka,
now at Port Royal, B. CL. to San Domingo
city to fill the place made vacant by the
dispatch of the Cincinnati to Martinique.
Orders have gone forward to have the
wku vsody for wee and unless the
situation tn the two ittle republics is ma
terially alleviated she will sail for the
scene of trouble in a short time.
BANQUET TENDERED
WHITELAW REID
NEW YORK. May !5.-The Hon. White
law Reid was the guest of honor at a
farewell banquet given at the Union
League club tonight in anticipation of his
approaching departure for London as spe
cial ambassador of the United States at
the coronation of King Edward VII.
The banquet was attended by about one
hundred gentlemen, including many prom
inent figures in politics, finance and jour
nalism from all sections of the country.
BOERSGATHER
TO DISCUSS
PEACE.
CLANS EN ROUTE TO GREAT
PEACE CONFERENCE WHICH
WILL BE CONVENED TOMOR
ROW.
LONDON. May 14.—Lord Kitchener has
notified the war office that reports of all
the bodies of Boers throughout the Trans
vaal and Orange River colonies are gath
ering at Vereeningen for the conference,
which begins tomorrow, and that he has
arranged that the delegates shall not be
impeded in reaching the rendezvous.
Consequently, the assemblage is expect
ed to be large. The decision reached re
garding the peace .erms will later be sub
mitted to the British. A delegation consist
ing probably of the same Boer leaders
who went to Pretoria recently will be
deputised to convey the decision to Lord
Kitchener.
six hundredsoulT"
MAY NOW BE ADRIFT
LONDON. May 14.—A dispatch from
Rangoon. British Burmah. says a life
boat belonging to the British steamer
Camorta. due at that point from Madras,
has been picked up in the Bay of Ben
gal.
The Camorta was reported to have had
®>'< passengers on board.
A life boat and hoom on the Camorta
has also been picked up near Krishna
lightship on the Madras coast by a vessel
searching for the missing steamer. It is
believed that the Camorta foundered dur
ing a cyclone on May & Besides her 680
passenger* who were natives, the Camorta
had a crew of S 3.
:> Thirty Thousand Dead;
Fifty Thousand Waifs
• •
• » ——————
4> WASHINGTON. May 12.—Secretary Hay has received the following ca-
blegram dated May U. from United States Consul Ayme at Gaudelupe, who
+ went to Port De France. Martinique, by instructions from this government:
"The disaster is complete. The city wiped out. Consul Pretls and his
+ family are dead. Governor says thirty thousand have perished, fifty thou
+ sand are homeless and hungry He suggests that the Red Cross be asked
+ to send cod fish, flour, beans, rice, salt meats and biscuit as quickly as pos
+ Sibiv. Visits of vessels valuable.” *
+ The war department this morning was informed of the departure of the
+ cruiser Cincinnati from the city of San Domingo for Martinique.
♦ .. - _ .
LEWIS NIXON IS
NO LONGER
LEADER
THE HEAD OF TAMMANY HALL
RESIGNS BECAUSE OF FRIC
TION HE IS OUT OF
• POLITICS.
♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦♦
4> LEWIS NIXON. ♦
♦ ♦♦ + 4>4>♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
NEW YORK. May 15.—Lewis Nixon,
leader of Tammany Hall for nearly six
months, resigned that position today at
a meeting of the district leaders, held in
Tammany Hall. Wjiile the resignation
was not entirely unexpected. It was not
thought that Mr. Nixon would take such
positive action until a later date, awaiting
the action of the leaders to see If they
would give him a vote of confidence.
Mr. Nixon wanted to retain Thomas L.
Feltner as grand sachem but was frus
trated by a tie, there being six of the
sachems of the thrteen for and six against
the retention, the thirteenth. George C.
Clausen, being absent. He said he could
have won out and elected Mr. Feltner
grand sachem, but would not appeal to
Mr. Croker. His resignation is final, and
he says he Is out of politics from now on.
mineTTmeeTF
- STRIKE SUHE
MAJORITY OF THE DELEGATES
ARE A UNIT IN DECLARING
THAT A STRIKE WILL
RESULT.
HAZELTON. Pa„ May 14.—The general
convention of the United Mine Workers
of America of the anthracite territory of
Pennsylvania began here this morning,
and before It adjourns sine die will have
reached a definite conclusion on the ques
tion of whether the temporary strike for
higher wages, or shorter hours which was
inaugurated on Monday shall be made
permanent, or whAher the men shall re
turn to work and await a more opportune
time.
While there is an absolute lack of offi
cial information by reason of the decision
of mine workers not to strike there is
every indication that the delegates in con
vention will decide to strike. There is a
strong sentiment, however, not to make a
permanent suspension of work at this
time, and it promises to make a decided
stand against a strike.
President Mitchell and the district lead
ers say they are keeping hands off and
will insist that the delegates decide the
issue themselves. Hundreds of delegates
who have been Instructed to follow their
own or Mr. Mitchell's judgment, have
sought the national leader for advice, but
he has remained as silent as a Sphynx.
There is not the slightest doubt that one
word from President Mitchell could sway
the convention either way and it is not at
all Improbable that after all has been
said by the delegates he will be ask
ed by the convention to step into the
breach and decide which is the better
course to pursue. There lias been a linger
ing hope which has not entirely disap
peared that the mine owners should
make some slight concession before the
convention adjourned. If the convention
decided to continue the strike, it is be
lieved that the struggle will be a long and
bitter one.
In an interview with a correspondent of
the Associated Press just before he enter
ed the convention. President Mitchell
plainly Indicated that he had a definite
plain in view, but he refused to say what
It was. In reply to a question he said
that he had finally decided that he would,
if necessary, advise the men what should
be done.
The delegates were called to order
shortly after 10 o’clock by President Duf
fy, of district No. 7, the middle district.
Mr. Mitchell was immediately elected
chairman of the convention. He made a
brief speech in which he said the dele
gates have a great responsibility and they
should act wisely in whatever they do.
They will be called upon, he said, to de
cide one of the greatest questions that
ever came before any labor convention.
He admonished them to stand together,
whatever their decision may be.
New Georgia Postmaster.
WASHINGTON. D. C.. May 14—W. R. Har
rell was today appointed postmaster at Odotn
vtlle. Emanual county, vice J. T. Herman, re
signed.
NOT A LIVING CREATURE
LEFT IN CITY OF ST. PIERRE;
RESCUERS REACH ISLAND
BUT FIND ONLY CORPSES
Mt. Pelee Continues in
Eruption, and Floods of
Lava is Flowing North
ward—Fort de France
Now Threatened St.
Vincent Also Shaken By
Volcanic Eruptions and
Earthquakes People
Fleeing For Their Lives.
PORT DE FRANCE. Island of Mar
tinique, Sunday, May 11.—Several
steamers, including the government
vessel Rubis, started from here for St.
Pierre. They had on board a govern
ment delegate, a number of gendarmes,
a detachment of regular infantry and
several priests. The vessels also car
ried a quantity of fire wood, petroleum
and quick lime, for use in the cremation
of the bodies of the victims of the ter
rible volcanic outbreak of Thursday
last.
Large quantities of disinfectants and
stocks of clothing for the refugees were
also shipped to St. Pierre.
The refugees had, as a rule, assem
bled at LeCarbet and Sasa Pllote, not
far from St. Pierre, and, it is reported
over a thousand of them have died since
the fearful stream of lava poured down
Mont Pelee.
The sea for miles around was cover
ed 'with the wreckage of the vessels
sunk off St. Pierre at the time of the
disaster, and ashore only a few’ trees,
all bent seaward by the force of the vol
canic ehowed, were left standing.
When nearing St. Pierre the Rubis
met a number of tugs towing lighters
filled with refugees. The heat from the
smoking lava covered ruins at St.
Pierre was suffocating and the stench
from the corpse strewn streets was aw
ful.
Only a few walls were standing.
The Fatal Hour Indicated.
. Tbs report that the boepiUU. cluck
was found Intact, with its hands stop
ped at 7:50, was confirmed, as was
the statement that the offices of the
cable company had entirely disap
peared.
On- all sides were found portions of
corpses, which were gathered up by
the soldiers and gendarmes and burn
ed on one of the public squares.
Not a drop of water was procurable
ashore. The darkness caused by the
clouds of volcanic dust shrouded the
town and continuous subterranean rum
blings added to the horror of the scene.
The fort and central quarter of the
town were razed to the ground and
were replaced by beds of hot cinders.
The iron grille works gate of the gov
ernment offices were alone standing.
There was no trace of the streets.
Huge heaps of smoking ashes were to
be seen on all sides. \
At the landing place some burned and
ruined walls indicated the spot wh«r*
the custom house formerly stood, and
traces of the larger shops could be seen.
Grewsome Street Scenes.
In the neighborhood, hundreds of
corpses were found lying in all kinds
of attitudes, showing that the victims
had met death as if by a lightning
stroke. Every vestige of clothing was
burned away from the charred bodies
and in many cases the abdomens had
been burst open by the intense heat.
Curiously enough, the features of dead
were generally calm and reposeful, al
though in some cases terrible fright and
agony were depicted. Grim piles of
bodies were stacked everywhere, show
ing that death had stricken them while
the crowds were vainly seeking escape
from the fiery deluge.
On one spot a group of nine children
were found locked in each other’s arms.
The vaults of the Bank of Martin
ique, at the head of w’hat had been the
Rue de L'Hospital, were found intact.
They contained two million francs in
specie.
Government Money Safe.
The vaults of-the government treas
ury are now being searched in the hope
that a large amount of money and oth
er valuables deposited by the principal
merchants of the city may be saved.
Nearly 4,000 of the refugees from the
vicinity of the village of LePrecheur, a
suburban village to the north of St.
Pierre, were rescued by the French
cruiser Suchet and the cable repair
ship Pouyer-Queertier, and were
brought here.
As a result of this inspection, the
commander of the Suchet reports that
crevices and valleys are constantly
forming in the northern portion of the
island where the land is in a perpetual
state of change. Fortunately, that part
of the country was evacuated in good
time by the inhabitants, who fled to
Port de France. Lava continues to
stream down the mountain side, accom
panied by terrific thunder and lightning.
The dearth of provisions is beginning
to be felt throughout the island. Nu
merous families are completely ruined
and even shelterless, while the means
at the disposal of th authorities are
much too inadequate to cope with the
distress.
Communication is practically cut off
from all the surrounding islands, except
by stray vessels, which are seized up
on by the inhabitants to flee from Mar
tinique. , |
FORT DE FRANCE
IS NOW IN PERIL
CASTRIES, Island of St. Lucia, May 14.
—The St. Lucia signal station here reports
having seen a conflagration last night in
the direction of Fort de France, Martin
ique.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1902.
H. :
♦
♦
♦
*
j
*
♦
♦ CATHEDRAL IN ST. PIERRE. ♦
♦ It Was Here That Thousands Rushed When Flames Enveloped the +
♦ Doomed City—► Three Thousand Corpses Were Found on Cathedral 4*
♦ Site When the Rescuing Party Entered the Desolated City. ♦
♦ + ♦♦ + ♦*♦ *♦♦♦♦♦**♦*+ + + + + + <•* + ♦ + + + + ** + *
ii OCEAN. LIKE CALDRON; L
StiORE WAS IN FLAMES ?
• * X
4» NEW YORK, May 13.—James Taylor, who was one of the officers of the ♦
+ Roraima, the Quebec line steamship that was destroyed in the harbor of St.
+ Pierre, gives a graphic story of the tragedy of last Thursday, says a dis- ♦
4> patch to The Herald from St. Kitts. Island of St. Christopher, B. W. I. ♦
4> "We experienced the greatest difficulty in getting into port,” said he. ♦
4> "Appalling sounds were issuing from the mountains behind the town, which
+ was shrouded in darkness. All the passengers were up and some were try- ♦
4> ing to obtain photographs. • ♦
4> “Suddenly I heard a tremendous explosion. Ashes began to fall thicker |4>
♦ upon the deck and I could see a black cloud sweeping down upon us. I dived <•
+ below, and, dragging with me Samuel Thomas, a gangway pian and fellow +
+ countryman, sprang Into a room, shutting the door to keep out the heat that <• '
4> was already unbearable. ♦ •
4» “The ship rocked and I expected every moment that It would sink. Out- ♦
4» side I heard a voice pleading for the door to be opened. It was Scott, the +
+ first officer, and I opened the door and dragged him into the room. +
♦ "It soon became unbearably hot and I went on deck. All about were ly- +
+ ing the dead and the dying. Little children were moaning for water. I did ♦
what I could for them. I obtained water, but when it was held to their
+ swollen lips they were unable to swallow, because of the ashes which +
4» clogged their throats. One little chap took water In this method and rinsed +
+ out the ashes, but even then could not swallow, so badly was his throat
4» burned. He sank back unconscious and a few minutes later was dead.
4> “All aft the ship was afire, and from the land came draughts of terrible ♦
4» heat. At last, when I could stand it no longer I sprang overboard. The +
water was hot enough to parboil me, but a wave soon swept in from the +
♦ ocean, bringing with it cool water. ♦
* “I was caught In the receding wave, which was of tidal velocity, and «fr
+ was carried out to sea. Then on the return of the second wave I was wash- 4>
ed against an overturned sloop, to which I clung. A few minutes later, I +
+ was joined by another man, whom I learned was Captain Muggah, of the 4»
+ Roraima. He was in dreadful agony and kept begging piteously to be put *
4* on board his ship. 4*
4» "Picking up some wreckage and a tool chest, I and five others who join- 4*
4» ed me, succeeded in forming a rude raft, on which we placed the' captain. 4*
4> Seeing an upturned boat, I asked ope of the five to swim out to it and +
4* bring it over so that Captain Muggah might have an opportunity to live. 4*
4» The man succeeded in getting the boat righted, but instead of returning he 4*
4» picked up two of his countrymen and went away in the direction of Fort ♦
4» de France. ♦
4> "Seeing the Roddam, which had arrived in port soon after we anchored, 4*
4> making for the Roraima, I said good-by to Captain Muggah and swam to 4*
4» the Roddam. Before I could reach her she burst into flames and put out to 4>
4» sea. I finally reached the Roraima about half past 2 o’clock in the after- 4»
4» noon and later was taken off by the cruiser Suchet.” ♦
+ Samuel Thomas, the gangway man, whose life was saved by Taylor,
4» describes a woman who was burned to death while she held her baby in her 4>
4> arms, protecting it with her own body from the fire that filled the air. The 4 1
4» child was alive long after its mothe r had ceased to suffer. 4 1
SHIPS, FOOD-LADEN,
HASTEN SUPPLIES
Craft, with Clothes and
Provisions, Are Hur
ried To Starving
Victims.
NEW YORK. May 14.—With food
enough on board to feed the.population of
Martinique for a week, the cruiser Dixie
is expected to sail this afternoon from
this port. She will arrive at her destina
tion Monday.
Never, even during war time, did the
army subsistence department make such
a record in collecting a shipload of food
supplies. It was done in 24 hours’ time,
Colonel D. L. Brainerd bringing from
Philadelphia three carloads of supplies
needed to make up the shipment and pur
chasing the rest here.
The Dixie’s cargo will comprise 900,v00
rations. It contains:
Two hundred thousand pounds of bread.
Eighty-five thousand pounds of flour.
Nine hundred thousand pounds of rice.
Two hundred thousand pounds of cod
fiah. ,
Two hundred cases of ahlcken and beef
soups.
One hundred cases of evaporated cream.
One hundred cases condensed milk.
Five thousand pairs of trousers.
Six thousand pairs of shoes.
Twenty thousand pairs of khaki trous
ers.
Four thousand pairs of barrack shoes.
Two thousand blouses.
One thousand tents.
Two thousand pairs balbriggan drawers.
Four thousand balbriggan shirts.
Five hundred summer coats.
In addition there are large quantities of
coffee, tea, sugar, vinegar, pepper, and
in the way of clothing, a large amount
of calico undergarments, etc.
There is $5,000 worth of medicine in the
cargo, and three army surgeons. Dr.
Church, Dr. J. H. Reilly and Dr. J. B.
Clayton, will accompany the party. They
take along a plentiful supply of surgical
instruments.
VESUVIUS IS ANGRY?
LAVA IS FLOWING
PARIS, May 14.—A dispatch from Na
ples to the Journale says Mount Vesu
vius shows signs of activity.
Lava is flowing from the crater on the
Pompeii side, while hot cinders are
thrown up from time to time.
TWO SCORE BURNED;
OVER 300 ARE INJURED
MIIIFIWOIIK
FOB SUFFERERS
IS TOUGHED
FUNDS ARE QUICKLY SUBSCRIBED
FOR RELIEF OF STRICKEN PEO-
PLE IN DESOLATED ISLAND
OF MARTINIQUE.
NEW YORK, May 14.—The chamber of
commerce met today In secial session to
ratify the action taken by its president, M.
K. Jessup, for the immediate relief of the
survivors of the Martinique disaster toy
the purchase of food supplies .on the
steamer Mariana and the sending of addi
tional supplies on the steamer Fontabelle
on Saturday, and to take further action
for the relief of the sufferers.
President Jessup presided and reported
what he had done.
S. Hewitt offered a resolution,
which was adopted, urging that the chamr
ber of commerce provide means to succor
those in distress in the stricken West In
dies and recommending the appointment
of a committee of sixty by the president
of the chamber or Commerce to provide at
once tor the forwarding of the necessary
supplies to be secured by contributions.
The resolution indorses the recommen
dation of President Roosevelt to con
gress for a large appropriation of money
and the provision of ships and supplies
for the relief of the stricken people. Mr.
Jessup named the committee of sixty and
announced that it would hold a meeting
tomorrow to organize.
Mr. Hewitt's name heads the committee
and other members are I.evi P. Morton,
Whitelaw Reid, Cornelius N. Bliss, Daniel
8. Lamont and Robert C. Ogden.
President Jessup accepted the offer of
William I. Wardwell, president of the
New York Red Cross society to furnish
nurses if the committee decided to send
them.
Cornelius N. Bliss announced that the
chambers pommittee would work in har
mony with the national committee ap
pointed by the president.
DETAILS OF DISASTER
TOO HARROWING TO TELL
LONDON, May 14.—The governor of the
Windward Islands, Sir Robert Llewellyn,
telegraphs to the colonial office from the
Island of St. Vincent, under date of May
13, as follows:
"I arrived here yesterday and found the
state of affairs muck worse than had
been stated. The administrator's reports
uhow wu'giryF’W! 1 mek
between Robin Rock and Georgetown, was
apparently struck and devastated in a
manner similar to that which destroyed St.
Pierre, and I fear that practically all liv
ing things in that radius were killed. Prob
ably 1,600 persons lost their lives. The ex
act number will never he known. Mana
gers and -owners of estates, with their
families, and several of the better class of
people, have been killed. A thousand bod
ies have been found and burled. One hun
dred and sixty persons are in the hospital
at Georgetown. Probably only six of this
number will recover.
“The details of the disaster are too har
rowing for description.
”1 got, at St. Lucia, a coasting steamer,
which is running up and down the leeward
coast with water and proviMons. Twenty
two hundred persons have received relief.
I have asked for medical aid from Trini
dad and Grenada. All the neighboring
British colonies are assisting generously.
Every effort is being made to grapple with
the awful calamity.
“All the best sugar estates in the Car
ribbean country are devastated and the
cattle are dead.
“The eruption continues, but is appar
ently moderating.
“Anxiety is still felt. All the officers and
residents are co-operating with me. The
ladies are making clothing.”
Sir Alfred M. Hodgson, the governor for
Barbadofs, forwarded the colonial office
today the report of the colonial secretary,
who has just returned from a visit to St.
Pierre, Martinique. In confirms the worst
accounts of the disaster. The secretary
compares the Ignited matter, which de
stroyed everything within an area of ten
miles long by six wide, to burning seal
ing wax. He adds significantly, that the
services of doctors are not required as
there are no wounded persons.
Governor Hodgson estimates that two
millions tons of volcanic dust fell on the
Island of Barbadoes.
DESOLATION COMPLETE?
MONT PELEE IN ACTION
CASTRIES, Island of St. Lutla, Tues
day, May 13.—The correspondent of the
Associated Press here has visited St. Pier
re, Martinique, by the relieving steamer
Kenneth. The destruction there is appal
ling. The streets are two feet deep in
ashes and cinders, which cover thousands
of dead bodies, scorched black and shiny,
as if they had been plunged into boiling
pitch. Many of the dead were never
touched by the volcanic fire, and some of
the houses and woodwork destroyed show
no signs of burning.
At Moudiage. in the southwestern por
tion of St- Pierre, the town hall is still
standing as high as the first story, while
at the fort, in the northwestern part of
St. Pierre, the most massive stonework is
calcined.
The church tower, built by the Jesuits
two centuries ago, of pyclopean masonry,
is now like a huge heap of old metal.
Soldiers are guarding property from
prowling ghouls, who are robbing the
dead. They meet with severe punishment
when caught.
The stench throughout St. Pierre is ter
ribly offensive. The streets are still ob
structed by huge piles of debris and dead
bodies. The work of clearing the thorough
fares will necessitate the employment of
large numbers of men for many months.
Moudiage Rouge, near St. Pierre, is pre
served and Basse Pointe and Macouba are
yet unhurt. But the crater is still active,
and smoke and ashes are blowing steadily
northward.
The surviving Inhabitants are trying to
cross from St. Pierre to the island of
Dominica in boats. Many drowning casu
alties are reported.
Assistance is constantly arriving at
Fort de France from all the neighboring
islands.
It has just been officially reported that
there are sixteen hundred dead, up to yes
terday at St- Vincent,
commission that the relative position of
the craters and the valleys debouching
on the sea were such that the scientists
could affirm that the security of St. Pierre
was complete and this announcement was
made te allay the fears of the frightened
citizens.
The sun rose clear over St. Pierre at 6
Continued on Page Two.
Explosion in Pittsburg
Railroad Yards Sweeps
Instant Death By Fire
to Hany.
PITTSBURG, May 13 —Twenty-one are
dead and not less than 390 others are in
» jured as the result of the terrible catas
! trophe at Sheraden last evening. Os the
300 injured, the physicians say at least
fifty will die.
This long list is the result of a series pt
four accidents, culminating in one of toe
most frightful disasters in the history of
greater Pittsburg. The telescoping of
naptha cars in the yards of the Panhandle
company in Cork s run. following by the
ignition of the naptha by an open switch ,
lamp; by the flowing of the naptha, first
free, then ignited, through the culvert
leading to the Ohio river half a mile awiy
and its explosion with attendant damage
f to life and property and by the explosion
! of three other naptha tanks at the po!|Jt
' of original mishap, after hundred? of peo
• pie had been attracted to th® spot |y
| the fire, which was sending up flames;a
. hundred feet high. The explosions weg®
[ heard as far away as DuQuesne heights
| and across the river in Allegheny windows
; were broken. The burning of'the' naptha
at the fountain head, the two natffitha
(tanks, were spectacular in the extreme.
It was a giant pillar of fire. Two hours
i after rhe fire had started there'came a
.second explosion. There were three other
naphtha tanks in the immediate nelgh
i horhood of the two tanks that had nefcn
telescored and zwere burning. With
mighty splash of flam* across the heavefcs
and a noise that rrfade the hills quake, tjie
tanks let go almost at the same moment,
and the people on the hill tops were beaj
l en down.- one aficr another.
I While a train of naphtha cars was beTng
switched the rear car telescoped a c#r
• forward. The leaking naphtha ignited ■
i from a switch light, causing an explosion
’ which threw the flames 50 feet h'gh.
■ Much of the escaping naphtha rgn
through Cork’s run to nsplenborougffi. a
J distance of 1 1-2 miles, and caused another
■ explosion, blowing to atoms the Seymour
I hotel and the Collins house, on Rivar
road, and badly wrecking a frame build
ing near by. in which were congrega-ted
200 or more men from Pittsburg and vi
cinity, betting on the races and baseball.
Few of the occupants of this building es
caped Injury, many being badly hurt.
The first oar cf naphtha exploded about
4:». o’clock and the spectacle soon at
tracted a large crowd on the streets, lin
ing the hills on both sides of and parallel
to the railroad. The second car exploded
about 5 o’clock, but it was 6:13 o’clock
when three more cars.of the deadly stuff
went up with a roar that could be heard
fort miles before the work of destruction
really began. , •
The successive explosions had heated
the air to such an extent, tfchi before the
third expl'-fsiomhany were rendered On
; conscious by the extreme heat and
gaseous fumes, and .were being carried
away when the torrent of flame swept
over the excited crowd.
There was an awful hush for a momept,
then followed a scene of frenzy. Men and
women, their clothing ablaze, their
scorched and blistered, ran hither and
thither, only intent on escaping from the
furnace of fire. Some gave vent to fren->
zied appeals to kill them and put them out
of their misery, and little children with
their hair and clothing afire cried pit
eously as they were swept along the tidn
of burning humanity.
It is a common sight in Sheraden to see
people with their head and hands ban
daged on the porches, the streets and at
the wreck. * Many were burned whose
names have not appeared, and while they
are not seriously hurt they are suffering
more or less pain.
At 9:30 this morning nine bodies were at
the Pittsburg morgue and five at the Car
negie morgue. The last body was brought
in at 5 o’clock this morning.
The officials of the Panhandle road fear
a worse explosion than the three which
wrought so much damage yesterday..
A danger line has been established S'JO
yards on all sides of the burning wreck
age, and the railroad police are keeping
the curious crowd back.
A few feet below the burning wreck
age the big 36-lnch main of the Philadel
phia company, which comes from the gaa
fields in the southwestern portion of the
state, and which supplies the McKeee,
Rocks and lower Allegheny districts with
natural gas lies. It is feared that the con
cussion was so great yesterday that some
of the joints or even the pipe itself might
have been damaged and if such is the case
the gas which is under great pressure will
soon force its way through and another
terrific explosion will follow. About twen
ty cars are piled up between the Sheraden
station and York's run in the Sheraden
yards. ,
The Dead List.
JAMES KEENAN, aged 72, Carnegie,
clerk on wreck train, died at Mercy hos
pital.
CHARLES HERTIG, aged 13. Chestnut
Mines, Pa., died at Mercy hospital.
W. W. TAYLOR, aged 27, brakeman.
Millers Station. O. t died at Mercy hospital.
HARRY F. SMITLEY, aged 20, Urichs
ville, 0., level man on Panhandle railroad,
single, died at Mercy -hospital.
FINNERTY, Sisterville, W. V*.,’
aged 40, died at Mercy hospital.
G. E. HANLER, married. 28, five chil
dren, freight conductor, Sheraden, killed
at wreck: body taken to McDermott’s un
dertaking rooms, Carnegie.
WALTER E. WRIGHT. 26, Sheraden,
killed at wreck; taken to McDermott’s un
dertaking rooms. Carnegie.
PASCAL MADEER, 28 years old. screen
foreman, badly burned, died at Allegheny
general hospital.
UNKNOWN BOY, badly burned; taken
to Allegheny general hospital, died In
short time.
DONALD SMITH, aged 10, Sheraden,
son of Jerome Smith, train dispatcher;
badly burned, died at Allegheny general
hospital
GEORGE WILSON, aged 15, messenger,
of Sheraden, body almost cooked; died at
2:30 o'clock this morning at the Homeo
pathic hospital.
MATTHEW MARNON, teamster, *gad
24, single, 25 Chartiers avenue, McKees
Rocks; body cooked; died at Homeopathic
hospital aat 4 this morning.
JOHN SWAN, brakeman, aged 30 years.
ALBERT M’KEAN, brakeman, aged 22.
HUGH FLAHERTY, aged 6.
TONEY LEO, laborer, aged 30.
LEWIS, burned to death on track.
UNKNOWN BOY, found in field on farm
of J. R. Douglass; burned to crisp and un
recognizable.
UNKNOWN WOMAN, burned to death
on hill overlooking scene of explosion.
LAWRENCE KEENAN, clerk, Car
negie.
Casualty List Grows.
PITTSBURG. May 14.—The casualty list
resulting from Monday's disaster at Sher
aden continues to grow.
Two deaths were reported this morning,
Albert Berry, aged 10, and Conrad Fick,
aged 43 years, swelling the death list to 28*
4ft
NO. 70.
