■ f w
Mania Scmi-Wrkln SmxtnaL
VOL. IV.
FLORIDA QUIVERS;
SUN RED LIKE BLOOD
St. Augustine Quakes as
Mt Pelee Erups-Charles
ton Hazy From Storm
of Ashes From Crater.
BT. AUGUSTINE. Fla.. May 3 —Contin
uous shocks from nine to midnight felt
here at kame time Pelee eruption.
. From 9 o’clock last night until after
midnight a succession of short but de
cisive reports like distant cannonading,
•aemmgly from far out at sea. was heard
here.
The sounds were unlike thunder, having
no reverberating roll, and were accompa
nied by decided tremors, while the sky in
ths southeast was lit up with a glow.
The reports came at intervals of per
haps three minutes and persons who re
member the earthquake at Charleston say
that the noises were very similar to the
suhterrarean notees accompanying that
The sound traveled from the south to
Southeast.
The night was perfectly clear. A num
ber of citizens gathered on the sea wall
and timed the interval between the re
porta d
CHARLESTON S. C.. May 3.-Weather
observer here reports that y-sterday even
ing he observed velcank dust tn air from
eruptions in West Indies.
Bed sunset caused by the particles.
NO RECORD OF SHOCK
IN JACKSONVILLE, FLA.
JACKSONVILLE Fla.. May
■onville weather bureau says no earth
<uake shocks recorded by instruments.
NBW YORK. MajTn -Tne steamer Ko
rens has arrived from Fort de France.
Martinique, having on board two survi
vors of -the steamer Roraima lost in the
St. Pierre disaster. These are Ellery
Scoft. chief officer, and Charles Thomp
son, colored, assistant purser. Both de
©lined «o discuss their experiences. Neith
er shows much evidence of hard usage.
Joseph Frails. second steward of the
Korens, told the following story:
"We did not know that St. Pierre had
been destroyed when we left Barbadoes.
Vie knew that there had been an eruption,
bcause we had hard the noise and had
seen great clouds of ashes which had
covered Barbadoes. We went to St
Pierre to get the passengers and mall as
«suaL When we arrived off the town we
•aw that It was in ruins. Clouds of smoke
were rising tn the air so that we could
not see Mont Pelee. Streams of lava were
running down to the sea and the water
was discolored
City Was In Ruins.
G Johnsen, of St. Louts, was traveling
WeW-JUldlea jmd was at Barbados
up on the Korena and made this state
ment;
’’About 4:39 in the afternoon on Thurs
day. May 8, tn Barhadoes it suddenly be
came intensely dark. The people were
panic stricken. AU the lamps had been
lighted in the house*. A shower of vol
canic ashes covered the entire place to a
depth of three Inches or more. The noise
of the eruption was plainly heard and
sounded like cannonading. When the Ko
rena arrived oft St. Pierre on Friday
morning. May 9. the town was still afire.
The place was a picture of absolute deso
lation. o*e went in until we were about
SOO yards off shore and did not see a liv
ing thing. We could not see Pelee for the
clouds of smoke that obscured it. The
water was full of floating bodies.”
Captain John W. Carey, of the Korena
related how he reached St. Pierre, and
on learning of the destruction of the Ro
raima. put back to Fort de France, where
he took on board four of its survivors.
Bcott. Thompson and two colored men
from St. Kitts.
Fire Fell Like Rain.
“On the way up.” said Captain Carey.
“Scott told me the story of their terrible
experience. He said the Roraima got
into the harbor about 6:39 a. m. on the
gth and about 8 or 8:30 a terrible explos
ion came from the mountain. In an In
stant it began to rain Are and mud over
the harbor. Captain Muggah jumped on
the bridge and cried: ’Heave way the an
chor.’ Mate Scott ran to the forecastle
head where he began to superintend the
work of getting up the anchor. Before they
had got more than a few fathoms of the
chain aboard, there came a great river of
burning lava rushing down the mountain
•ide and plunging into the bay. It shoved
the water out of the harbor and simply
burled the ship over on her side. Captain
Muggah was on the bridge at the time.
“With the rush of water, the ship’s
decks were swept clean. All her super
structures. masts, funnel, boats and up
per works were torn away and went over
board Scott, seeing Captain Muggah
•wept away with the wreck of the bridge,
leaped from the forecastle head and cried
to run aft through the steerage. The
crew, panic stricken, dashed him to the
deck and trampled him under their feet
in their mad flight and but for the action
©f two of the steerage passengers, colored
men from St. Kitts, he would have
perished with the others who were burned
to death by the lava which poured In on
the vessel’s decks. These m«n seised him
and dragged him into the steerage where
be stayed with them and by wrapping
their heads tn blankets they succeeded in
•scaping serious injury.
Flames Were Everywhere.
“Meanwhile Thompson, the assistant
Steward, who was on deck, when the first
outburst came, succeeded in reaching his
room and closing the door where he
Stayed until the worst of the first shock
was over. An open ventilator let the
flarr.ee reach him and he was badly burn
ed about the neck and lost one ear. When
the first shock had passed he managed
to make his way to the steerage where he
joined Scott and the two St. Kitts men
In saving the passengers and members of
the crew who were still living. They
gathered these in the steerage and all
who were able joined them in fighting the
flames back and managed to keep the fire
confined to the after part of the vessel
until the French cruiser Suchet came
•long and took them off.
“Before they were rescued they started
to build a raft and under Mate Scott's di
rections this was nearly completed and
provisioned for the attempt to get away
from the death hole they were in. Scott
©ays that when Captain Muggah was car
ried away with the ship’s superstructure.
Daniels, the ship's cooper, jumped over
board and tried to rescue him. He se
cured a hold on the captain and dragged
him on a hatch cover which was floating
nearby. He then discovered that Captain
Muggah already was beyond all help. He
•ays his chest and abdomen were torn
away as though cut off with a knife.
Leaving the body on the hatch Daniels
swam back to the ship and helped the
survivors fight the flames. He was him
self badly burned.
"Bob Morley, the second officer, was
fatally burned. HeHs among those left
in th© hospital at Fort de France. A
donkey engine man. Manual Juliano, was
killed in front of his engine. First Offi
cer Scott’s son wks among those lost.
The cook was killed at first shock in his
galley where he was at work. Mrs. Reid,
stewardess, was badly burned, but Is
among those who will recover. When
Thompson saw the tidal wave coming he
called to Chief Purser Braun, who was
leaning over the rail of the promenade
deck, to run away. Braun was swept
away with the superstucture.”
Second Officer McCarthy, of the Ko
rena. saya the Talisman had an even more
peculiar experience than his ship with
the shower of lava ashes.
"The Talisman was 120 miles south
southwest of Barbadpes when the eruption
came,” he said, "when she came Into
Barbadoes. where he was lying. her
decks were covered with the fine blue
dust. Here was a ship nearly 250 miles
from the island op which the disturbance
occurred which experienced an>, even
heavier shower of the stuff thim We did
at 139 miles away. It seemed to get up
'into the air at a terrific speed and to a
heighth away above the wind which was
blowing from the south southwest and
'then fall in a shower of fine dust at a
great distance sway.”
LIGHTNING AND THUNDER
TERRIFY THE POPULACE
ST. THOMAS. D. W. 1., May 3—lt has
been reported here from St. Kitts, in the
Leeward Islands, that on Monday night
and Tuesday morning noises similar to
those heard May Sth were again audible,
but louder and with greater distinction.
Some of the houses there were slightly
shaken by the concussion.
From the British island of Antigua and
the French island of Guadeloupe, loud de
tonations from the southeast are .reported.
Another report which has reached here
from the British island of Dominica is to
the effect that at half-part 5 o’clock
Tuesday morning a curious, awe-inspiring,
fiery cloud, surmounted by a fleecy white
cap. resembling highly polished silver was
seen from Roseau (on the west coast of
Dominica, in the southeast. This phenom
enon caused alarm in Dominica, especially
as lightning followed in its wake.
REIGN OF TERROR ISON
BECAUSE OF ERUPTIONS
PARIS. May 3.—Governor I’Heurre, of
the Island of Martinique, received a dis
patch from Martinique dated Tuesday, May
20th. confirming the Associated Press dis
patches of yesterday, saying that at 5:15
o’dock yesterday morning the phenomena
appeared as oa the morning of May B—a
rain of stones, flashes of lightning and
sounds of explosions In the direction of
Mont Pelee. The population of Fort de
France was panic stricken.
Later dispatches under yesterday’s date
say that fire was falling at Le Carbet and
that tbs Inhabitants and troops bad avac
os’ed the place. No further fatallUos bad
■feCtfusd. ■The-'dttpaWhct rmef'Tsd^Tferfi 1
also refer, to the departure of Governor
I’Heurre, accompanied-by Senator Knight,
president of the legislature of Martinique,
yesterday morning on the French cruiser
Suchet to reconnoitre in the direction of
the volcano. The officials of the ministry
of the colonies were much disturbed by
this morning's dispatches from Fort de
France. They thought the worst was
over, but the cable messages seem to in
dicate another catastrophe is Impending.
No confirmation had been received here of
the dispatches reporting that Fort de
France Is being evacuated.
CITIZENS OF FORT DE FRANCE
ARE FLEEING IN TERROR
CASTRIES, Island of St Lucia, May 3.
—Reports received here today confirm the
dispatches announcing that a panic pre
vailed at Fort de France, Martinique, yes
terday. The town was covered with ashes,
stones were falling and a tidal wave add
ed to the terror of the population, which
was fleeing to the hills.
Three hundred refugees have just ar
rived here and thousands have embarked
for the neighboring Islands.
NEW VOLCANO ACTIVE
IN WINDWARD GROUP
NEW YORK, May 3.-Captain Magras,
of the French sloop Iscelllna, in from St.
Bartholome ports, says a Herald dispatch
from St. Kitts. W. 1., reports that when
passing Montserrat, a small volcano is
land, lying northwest of Guadeloupe, he
heard an explosion and saw flames burst
from the side of one of the mountains..
SOUFRIERE GROWS CALMER
AFTER DAYS OF ACTIVITY
PORT OF SPAIN. Island of Trinidad,,
Monday, May 19.—The further outbreak of
the Soufrtere volcano, on the island of St.
Vincent, yesterday is now apparently mod
ifying. While it lasted there were heavy
explosions and discharges of electric fire
at night. t
MONT PELEE STREWS
LAVA ON EVERYHAND
FORT DE FRANCE. Martinique. Tues
day, May 20.—Yesterday's eruption
from • Mont Pelee . was violent
in the extreme. Colossal columns of
volcanic matter were ejected from the vol
cano, which rained huge, red hot bould
ers, many feet In diameter on the ruins of
St. Pierre and the country near It from
an enormous elevation and with fearful
velocity. The volcanic clouds advanced
until they reached Fort de France.
The spectacle was appalling and beyond
description. The whole population of Fort
de France was thrown into a frenzy of
panic, during which soldiers, police, men
and women, all terrified, frantic, weeping
and praying, rushed through the streets,
while over head, the glowing fiery clouds
rolled relentlessly and rained down
stones, still hot, amid the swirling ashes.
The steam launch of the I'nited States
cruiser Cincinnati took some refugees to
the French cruiser Suchet and nearly a
hundred persons sought refuge on the Cin
cinniti and on the United States special
steamer Potomac. At 10 o'clock the Poto
mac went to investigate matters, and all
reports agree that Lieutenant Benjamin
McCormick, the commander of the steam
er, did great work He went in close to
St. Pierre and found that city had been
bombarded with stones from the volcano
and that the ruins left standing after
the first great disaster had been nearly
raxed. Millions of pounds of ashes then
fell.
Further south smaller stones had de
stroyed the houses of the brave villagers
who had stuck to their homes.
Lieutenant McCormick was on board the
Potomac and brought to Fort de France
180 refugees, the oldest oi whom was 72
years and the youngest three dajg old.
This work of rescue was difficult and dan
gerous. It is reported that the whole pop
ulation of the island is fleeing towards
Fort de France. The consternation pre
vailing is indescribable. Mont Pelee is still
very threatening.
The French cruiser Suchet went on an
other tour round the island and does not
take part in the rescue work oft he Po
tomac.
FRENCH HONOR CLAIM OF WAR
DEED OF HERO NOW SETTLED
French Battleship Arrives
at Annapolis With Dis
tinguished Delegation
On Board:
ANNAPOLIS, Md., May 3.-The United
States commissioners, comprising Colonel
Theodore Abindham, U. 8. A. Cofnmander
B. R. Rodgers. U. S. N., and assistant
Secretaary of State Pierce, who welcomed
the French commissioners, who have come
to attend the unveiling of the Rocham
beau statue, reached Annapolis on a spe
cial train at 9:15 this morning.
They first proceeded to the house of
Superintendent Wainwright in the naval
academy, where they were formally re
ceivxed by that official.
From there they proceeded to the Santee
at the Annapolis wharf where they await
ed the-arrival of the Gaulois at her an
chorage at the mouth of the Severn. Ac
companying the commissioners are a num
ber of naval attaches from the French
embassy at Washington and M. Pierre
Margerie, councillor to Ambassador Gam
bon. The Gaulois arrived off Annapolis
at about 1 p. m.
BIG AMERICAN SHIPS
AN ESCORT OF HONOR
COVE POINT. Md.. May 3—The
French battleship Gaulois. having on
board the French commissioners sent to
be present at the unveiling of the
Rochambeau statue in Washington,
weighed anchor at 9:10 a. m. She 'was
accompanied by the escort -of American
naval vessels, the Olyropia-h K ear Barge
and Alabama: When last seen from this
point the squadron was moving slowly
towarff Annapolis.
FROMJAWSOF DEATH
RESCUE PARTY FLEES
As Body of Consul Pren
tiss Was Discovered
Mont Pelee Burst
Fortti in Flame.
-' _ |
PORT DE FRANCE, Island of Martini
que, May 19.—The expedition sent to re
cover the bodies of the American and
British consuls at St. Pierre today nearly
resulted in a fearful horror.
The vessels taking part in the expedition
were the United States steamer Potomac
and the British crusier Indefatigable.
The Potomac, under (he command of
Lieutenant Benjamin B. McCormick, ar
rived there first at 11 o’clock in the morn
ing and landed working parties.
'One party went to the site of the Amer
ican consulate and the other, headed by
Lieutenant McCormick, went to the north
end of the town, to the spot where the
British consulate stood, and where the
lieutenant could see Mont PeleA and no
ticed that a huge column of smoke and
gas was pouring out of the crater in a
manner similar to the eruption of May 6
last.
He rushed to the site of the American
consulate and ordered all hands to the
boats.
The American sailors picked up a heavy
metallic coffin in a wood case, containing
the remains of the United States consul,
Thomas T. Prentias, and carried It to a
boat. The American party was in immi
nent danger.
In the meanwhllb the Indefatigable had
arrived off St. Pierre, to the left of the
shore, heading for tha sea, blowing her
siren.
At that time a huge stream of molten
matter was pouring into the sea, raising
columns of steam, and the whole sea was
hideous, having turned a yellowish green
color, while what was apparently snqoke
was rushing from the mountain.
The detonations were continuous and
were accompanied by a fearful storm of
lightning, thunder and rain.
The flashes were of terrific violence, and
during the storm new craters opened in
Mont Pelee.
Fortunately the wind kept the clouds of
smoke and gas from enveloping tne
Amerlban and British warships and the
working party.
Coolness and courage of the American
sailors were most noteworthy.
The body of Mr. Prentiss is now here.
There will be a funeral service on board
the United States cruiser Cincinnati to
morrow. the 20th. The burial will take
place ashore. There will be no special cer
emony. . ,
The volcanic mountain is apparently in
greater activity and the escape of the
vessels, and particularly of the shore
party, was exceedingly narrow.
PARIS. May 19.—Governor L’Huerre, of
Martinique, has cabled to the Colonial
minister, M. DeCrais. announcing that
Mont Pelee continues to throw up im
mense quantities of cinders, which, owing
to change in the direction of the>wind, are
now covering the southern districts of
the island.
Violent explosions have been heard at
Lecarbet.
-„e governor further declared there is
no danger of an outbreak on the part of
the population of the northern districts
of the island as alleged in consequence of
the people being out of work.
MUD FLOWS LIKE FLOOD;
PERFECT DOWNPOUR OF ASHES
FORT DE FRANCE. Island of Martin
ique May 20.—A severe inundation at
Basseponte. on the northeast coast of this
island, at 2 o'clock this morning, swept
away twenty houses and flfty other build
ings were damaged by the flowing mud,
which has swept over the Vallee de la Riv
iere. There was no further loss of life.
Basseponte having been abandoned several
days ago.
BRITISH AND U. S. CONSULS
FOUND IN RUINS OF CITY
NEW YORK. May 19.—The first official
estimate of the of the explosion
of Mont Pe.ee have been increased, says
a Fort de France dispatch to The World.
This gives 28,000 as the number of people
buried in the ruins of St. Pierre. Six thou
sand persons were rescued by steamships
or fled to places of safety. Three thou
sand probably were drowned. This is the
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, THURSDAY,- MAY 22, 1902.
MOTHER PUIfING
WITH RIFLE KILLS
HER CHILD
-
SHE POINTED WEAPON, IN PLAY,
AND PULLED TRIGGER, CAUS
ING ALMOST INSTANT
death.
VALDOSTA, Ga„ May 2L-News of a
terrible accident comes from White
Springs, Fla. The Mttle son of Mrs. Bul
lard. of that platfe Was playing with a
parlor rifle when the mother took the
gun from his hand e»d pointed it toward
her six-year-old daughter. .saying:
"Look out, I’m going to shoot.” not
knowing the weapon was loaded.
The gun fired, sending a bullet into the
child's side, causing i wound that proved
fatal in five minutes. ,
The mother is erase 1 with grief, and has
begged the doctors t<« let her destroy her
self, but she has tsen prevented from
doing so. i « '
prisonefFkiwc guard
AND WO9NDS ANOTHER
CANTON, 0.. M'ayEl.—ln a mutiny at
the 'Starks county wfrkhouse this morn
ing Guard Jacobs wfa killed and Guard
Homer Stone was lAngerously shot. A
prisoner named Gigarite did the shooting.
most complete estimate made so far.
The relief steamer# now on the scene
are the American ships Cincinnati, Sterl
ing, Potomae and London Fellow; the
French cruiser Buchet and the British sup
ply boat Martians. OwiijM to red tape it
has been found Imptr Ml#*. up to the pres
ent time, to unload (*R ruppiiesby the
chamber of MSmrfo of NF* YBrtf. The
bodies of Thomae'T. Prentiss, American
consul, and James Japp, British consul,
have been identified, and will be brought
here for shipment. Both bodies are bruis
ed by the fall of lava and stones almost
beyond recognition.
ASHES FROM VOLCANO
FELL LIKE HEAVY FOG
WASHINGTON, May 19.—Secretary Hay
today received the following cablegram
from United States (Consul McAllister, at
Barbadoes, W. 1., dated today:
“Sixteen hundred deaths at St. Vincent;
four thousand destitute. Immediate wants
supplied. Aid needed for six months. Thia
authentic.”
The navy department received the fol
lowing dispatch from Commander Mc-
Lean, of the Cincinnati:
"FOR DE FRANCE, May 19.—Water
barge not needed. Ashes and volcanic dust
falling thickly here. Now like thick fog.
Decks covered.”
The Potomac is reported to have reached
St. Lucia Saturday.
DOfEOffICE
HOVERS O’ER
THE BOERS
CONFERENCE AGREES TO ASK
FOR PEACE AS SOON AS POS
SIBLE ON AS GOOD TERMS AS
CAN PROCURE IT.
LONDON, MAY 20. —Business on the
stock exchange was very buoyant this
afternoon owing to reports of the re
ceipt of the approval of the agreement
announcing that the Boer conference
at Vreeninging had voted in favor of
peace on the best terms procurable by
a delegation to be sent to Pretorla'to
confer with Lord Kitchener and Lord
Milner, the British high commissioner.
EDITOR~GODKiNIi _
DEAD IN ENGLAND
NEW YORK, May 21.—Edwin Lawrence
Gcdk.’n, editor imerltus of The Evening
Post, died in Brlxham, Sputh Devonshire,
England, last night.
The Immediate cause of his death was
a hemorrhage of the brain, w’hich occur
red on Saturday, the 17th. Mr. Godkin
suffered a similar stroke two years ago,
but recovered sufficiently to go to England
in 1901. He spent last winter in Torquay,
and moved to Rrixham on the 2d of May.
He was In his 71st year.
Mr. Godkin was twice married. His first
wife was Miss Foote, of New Haven,
Conn., by whom he had one son and one
daughter, the latter dying in infancy. His
second wife (Miss Katherine Sands, of
New York,) survives him. His son, Law
rence Godkin, is a well-known member of
the New York bar.
CATTLE, BY WHOLESALE,
ARE DYING IN MONTANA
BILLINGS, Mont.. May 21—George Kirby,
an extensive cattle grower near here, has
within the past two days lost about 1.000 head
of cattle The cattle had just arrived from
Texas and were thin and weak from the long
trip. Thev perished as the result of the cold
rain. Kirby has several train loads of Texas
cattle now on the trail on their way to another
! northern range. t
Dallas Conference Decides
To Rebuke Agents and* 1
Keep Money Unless
Senate Asks It Back.
DALLAS, Tex., May 21.—Immediately
after the morning routine in the general
conference of the M. E. church, south,
had been disposed of Bishop Galloway,
presiding, laid the war claim matter be
fore the body, the pending business being
the McMurray compromise paper as
amended last night after the adoption of
what was known as the Jordan clause.
Mr. Jordan presided and made a new
clause to clear up alleged vague
and negative features of the clause
adopted last night, but in a par
liamentary tangle this paper was not
acted upon. A motion to lay the entire
McMurray paper, amendments and all, on
the table was defeated by a large majori
ty on a rising vote. The paper was then
adopted as a whole and became a sub
stitute for both the original reports of the
majority and minority of the publishing
committee. The effect of the paper adop
ted is to censure any agents of the church
who acted improperly in procuring tha
appropriation from congress. endorses
the offer of bishops to return the entire
sum to the general government if the
senate of the United States says it should
be; makes the action of the bishops the
action of the general conference and of the
M. E. church, south, and legalizes their
future action in the premises.
The Majority Report.
The -majority report is a very tame af
fair. After the preamble which was a
brief summary of the contentions, it clos
es with the following resolutions:
"That we condemn any departure of the
attorney of the book committee from the
explicit instructions given to him by the
book committee in regard to the collection
of our claim against the government,
from which instructions he did depart ac
cording to his own statements made to the
senate committee appointed to investigate
the matters.
"That we disapprove of any language
used by our book agents in their telegrams
to Senators Pasco and Bate which as
these senators state, misled them as to
the amount of the fee the attorney was to
receive for his services in collecting the
claim.
“That we approve the conditional prop
osition of our college of bishops to ’take
the proper steps to have the entire amount
returned to the government if the senate
by affirmative action declares that the
passage of the bill was due to misleading
statements.’
"That inasmuch as the senate after re
ceiving the conditional proposition of the
bishops above referred tp, by official ac
tion discouraged the return nf the
and since eighty of the present member*
Os the senate haVe very recently signed a
paper addressed to Bishop Candler furth
er discouraging and advising against any
effort upon the part of the church to re
fund the money; and furthermore since
the senate has declared officially that the
church is absolutely blameless in the
whole transaction, we recommend that
this be and is hereby a final settlement
of the whole matter.
"(Signed)
"JAMES M. ROBERTSON,
"Chairman.”
The Minority Report.
The minority report is an exceedingly
hot affair and took a full hour In reading
and covers 25 to 30 pages of typewritten
matter. The publishers of The Christian
Advocate, which is being issued dally
during the conference, refused to
publish it, pleading lack of space, but it is
thought as a matter of fact that they are
afraid of libel. The report was submitted
by L. Blaylock, proprietor of The Chris
tian Advocate, to a lawyer, who rendered
an opinion that It is libelous. The confer
ence ordered that both reports should be
printed in pamphlet form for distribution
to the members of the conference on Mon
day, the 20th. The minority report char
acterizes Major E. B. Stahlman as being
guilty of deception and the passage of
the war claim as being the work of a
vicious ring. It also censures Major
Stahlman and the book agents in the most
unmeasured terms. Messrs. Barbee and
Smith are both, according to the report
guilty with Stahlman. and the report
cites the famous letter of Barbee and
Smith to Congressman Gaines, of Tennes
see, which is as follows: "Mr. Stahlman,
who in connection with a large number of
others, has been giving our matter some
attention, will be in Washington again
within the next few days and will be glad
to talk to you about the matter.”
The report further says: "Gaines had
Interviews with Barbee and Smith, he
says, and they assured him they had no
contract with Stahlman, that they owed
no one a cent and would pay no money
for the collection of the claim. Gaines
says he had this direct from Barbee and
Smith and repeated it to Senator Hoar.”
The minority then condemn severely the
attorney and the book agents and con
clude by recommending:
"1. That the entire sum $228,000 be re
turned to the government.
“2. That a committee of nine members
of the conference be appointed to repre-‘
sent this conference in preparing a plan
whereby the money may be returned.
"3. The letter of the bishops offering to
return the money be indorsed.”
The report was signed by James Cannon.
Jr., of Blackstone, Va., as chairman, and
by eighteen others.
The majority report was signed by twen
ty-six delegates and members of the com
mittee.
A committee of five was ordered appoint
ed by the chair to enroa and engross the
clear and correct grammatical defects,
clear up vague contradictory, or nega
tive features, that committee to report as
soon as possible to this general confer
ence.
Bishop Galloway appointed J. E. God
by, Arkansas; T. W. Jordan, Tenn.; Paul
Whitehead. Virginia; W. S. Winton, Mon
terey, Mexico.
The report of the committee on Epworth
League was next taken up and after a
brief discussion adopted with only one
material amendment, that providing that
laymen shall be eligible to the office of
chief secretary. The war claim was once
more and Unexpectedly forced into the
general conference. W. W. Baker, of St.
Louis, moved that the minority report of
the publishing committee on the war
claim, which has never been printed in
the official organ of the general confer
ence, be printed in pamphlet form at the
expense of the official organ and that
every member of the conference be given
a copy; also that all expense heretofore
incurred In the publication of the minor
ity report at private expense be borne by
the general conference fund. A spirited
discussion followed which was finally cut
off by a demand for the previous question.
The general conference refused to adopt
the Baker resolution and the contemplat
ed publication was therefore not author
ized.
Bishop Isaac Lane, of Jackson, Tenn.,
EXPLOSION IN MINE;
226 MINERS KILLED
•. A* I s \ * •' » • « i
fraternal messenger from the colored M.
E. church in America, was Introduced and
delivered his message. \
Bishop Galloway referred brieflyto the
report of the committee on mission* and
ordered it taken up out’of'its ordfer. as
it was desirable to dispose of it before
the election of two new bishops and cOn
nectional officers set for tomorrow. 1
NAPIER’S RESOLUTION
RESULTED IN SETTLEMENT
DALLAS, Texas, May 3.—The war
claim is settled, George M. Nqpler’s (of
Monroe, Ga.) resolutions, introduced
at- yesterday’s conference, were adopted,
with some modifications : at last night’s
session of the conference. The compro
mise resolutions were taken up and dis
cussed at length. Dr. T. W. Jordan of
fered an amendment endorsing the con
ditional proposition of the bishops to re?
turn the money to the government and
to make such offer the act of the general
conference. Another amendment -which
was passed was to make certified eppy <ft
settlement to lay before congress, And to 1
be published in the Congressianl Record.
After the preamble, which was set out,
the letter of the bishops and their prepo
sition to congress and the, discussion of
same, it was resolved first. "That we in
dorse the purpose of our bishops in their
communications to the senate and hereby
ratify and confirm their conditional ten
der of the money and; make their action
the act of this conference, and declara
tory of the mind of the church and this
action be entered upon journal as final
disposition of the whole matter.
Resolved, by the general conference that
the church distinctly repudiates all the
acts of concealment, mlastatemenf or un
fairness on the party of any persons rep
resenting the church in the prosecution
of this claim before congress, either in
tentional or otherwise, and whether same
did or did not affect vote or opinion of
any congressman or senator.
Resolved, that this action be entered up
on the journal of conference as final dispo
sition of the whole matter, and that set
tlement .ba certified to congress of the
United States by bishops and secretaries
and printed in Congressional Record.
This settlement seems to be satisfactory
to all concerned, and very little likeli
hood of the matter ever coming up again,
as publishers of religious papers say they
win not discuss the matter further. The
election of bishops and connectlonal offi
cers comes up tomorrow morning. Walter
Pierce, grandson of Bishop George H.
Pierce, of Georgia, is prominently men
tioned for junior book agent. He is now
superintendent of the publishing house
at Nashville.
ROOSEiELT WILL DE
USKED ID «ISIT
MACDN
MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE
CENTRAL CITY WILL INVITE
PRESIDENT TO ATTEND
FARMERS’ CONGRESS.
MACON, May 3.—The mayor and coun
cil last night at the regular meeting re
solved to Invite President Roosevelt to
come here during the Fanners’ National
congress in October, from the 7th to the
10th. The mayor was authorized to name
five aidermen and to ask fifty citizens to
constitute themselves an invitation com
mittee to ask the president to become the
city’s guest on’ that occasion.
TWO MINERS MANGLED
IN ALABAMA MINE
BROOKSIDE, Ala., May 3.—Henry
Roberts and another party, whose name)
was not learned, were caught under fall
ing slate at mine No. 1 at 11 o'clock, and
instantly killed.
FORJUSTONEBREATH
DYING MINOR PRAYED
“Oh God, For Just One
More Breath,” He Wrote,
As He Was Strangled
To Death by Gases.
KNOXVILLE. Tenn., May 3.—The
latest estimates as to the loss of life >n
the Fraterville coal mine disaster at Coal
Creek Is 226, including contract miners,
day laborers and boy helpers.
The last find reported was that of thir
teen bodies in an entry, and with these
thirteen, all of whom were dead, were
found six letters written by five men be
fore they became oveneome.
One of these letters gave the time of
day it was written as 2:30 o’clock Mon
day afternoon, thus indicating that these
and perhaps other entombed men lived
many hours after the terrible explosion,
which occurred Monday morning at 7:30
o’clock.
The letters gave a general suggestion
of the suffering that was undergone, in
dicating ti\at the men were gradually
being strangled to death by the foul air
that was entering the mine and gaseous
air that was filling the mine. One pite
ously read:
"My God! For another breath!”
The letters in the main, were directions
to families as to what dispositions should
be made of the writer’s body and his
business affairs and instructions as to
raising his family.
One unfortunate, who leaves neither fa
ther, mother, brother nor sisters, address
ed his letters to "everybody," and
pleaded that they change their way of
diving.
President J. W. Howe, of the United
Mine Workers of America tor district 19,
went into the mines today to make
an inspection as the representative of
that organization ana to assist in the res
cue work. He has received a message
— ; ; ■*
NO. 72.
One of the Worst Disas
ttrs on Record at Coal
Creek— Entombed
Men Left Letters
■
KNOXVILLE. Tenn., May 11— The staff
correspondent of The Knoxville Sentinel,
whp is at Coal Creek Tpnn., wires his
paper as follows:
A terrible disaster occurred near this
place ’ this morning at 7:30 ©’block, when
perhaps 300 men were killed in the Ffater
ville coal mine, two miles west of tha
town.
Superintendent George Camp states that
he is positive one hundred and sixty
men. were in the mine and there may have
been from 250
This he cannot determine until after an
investigation is made. Out of that num
ber only five have been recovered.
Soon after the explosion a party was
organized and started in the hope of res
cuing part of the men at least. The party,
was. however, unable to go more than 500
yards on account of slate having fallen in
the main corridor, and on account of stif
ling smoke and gas and very excessive
heat.
The latter Indicates that the mine is
burning.
It is three miles from the mouth of tha
mine to the point where the men were at
work, and this distance would have to ba
traversed to get to them.
Probably upheavals of earth, coal and
alate will have to be excavated in order
to reach the objective point.
Experienced miners say that even if the
entombed men are alive they will more
than likely die from the effects of tha
1 fire damp before they’ can be rescued.
However, the disaster was so appalling
that it is feared they are -iJrwady dead.
Women Are Frantic.
The scene at the entrance to Fraterville
mine is heartrending.
Fully 10.000 women and children are as
sembled there, many of them undoubtedly
having been made husbandless and father
less by the horrible catastrophe of a few
hours ago.
They are mad in their grief, and ap
pealingly beg friends to go into the prob
ably burning furnace and rescue their
loved ones, if rescue is possible.
Many Os these women and children ara
in want, and a massmeeting has been
called to be held here tonight at which
time leading citizens will take steps to
relieve the needy. It may be that the out
side world will be asked to help.
It was at first reported that an explosion
also occurred in Thlstla mine which ad
joins Fraterville mine almost on the oppo
site side of the mountain.
Thistle mine, has it is stated, practical
ly been • abandoned and it is understood
to have teen the intention of the Coal
Creek Coal cbm’pafi>, who o#nK the prop
erty, to abandon Fraterville at an early
date, on account of it having been worked
continuously for over 30 years.
No men were at work iq Thistle mine,
thus confining the disaster to Fraterville,
as far as casualties are concerned.
Superintendent George Camp was asked
for an official statement for publication.
Beyond the figures given above and the
opinion that the explosion was probably
caused from gas Igniting, he had nothing
to say. He will probably issue a state
ment later, giving the name of all the
men who were known to be in the mine.
At 12:30 o’clock a man was taken out of
the Fraterville mine. He was an unrec
ognizable mass of flesh.
A special to The Sentinel says:
Two rescuing parties were started into
the Thistle >and Fraterville mine entran
ces as soon as possible after the explo- ,
sion.
The Thistle party was unable to make
any headway whatsoever, as the gas
stifled the men almost as soon as they
entered the shaft.
The Fraterville party went as far as
the "Parting of the Ways” into the mine,
where a heavy fall of slate was encoun
tered.
This has cut off any further progress
into the mine until the slate obstacle can
be removed. The intense heat indicate*
that the mine is on fire.
At 11 o'clock there was no longer any
question but that the Thistle miners suffo
cated in the disaster.
of condolence from President John Mitch
ell of the Mine Workers of America, who
stated he had sent SIOO for the relief funa.
Mr. Howe today announced that the
Mine Workers of America would at once
expend SI,OOO for the needy families of
its members who died in the mine and
more will be available if necessary.
State Mine Inspector R. A. Shiflett has
announced that he will postpone his offi
cial examination until the bodies are res
cued and the mine is cleared of some of
the debris.
Mr. Shiflett is physically impaired on
account of his recent hard work in in
specting the Nelson mine at Dayton,
Tenn., where he was exposed to noxious
gases.
Mrs. George Adkins, wife of the mine
forejnan, who was lost in the disaster,
has completely lost her mind. She is
raving and is kept in custody with great
difficulty, so intense is "her grief for her
husband.
The rescuing parties that went in Mon
day are completely exhausted and new
men have been sent into the mines today.
Physicians positively forbade any of the
first rescuers returning. They have been
in contact with the gaseous air for so
long that they have become weakened,
and it is feared they cohid not survive the
arduous work.
Many hardy miners from other sections
are here and from these the rescuing
parties were made up this morning.
There are hundreds of people at Coal
Creek and every one is ready to do all
possible for the relief of the suffering.
Money is the crying need and the out
side world is urged to send in contribu
tions to R. M. Lindsay, chairman relief
committee. Coal Creek. Tenn.
The inquest was resumed this morning,
but upon request of Major E. J. Camp,
president of the Coal Creek Coal company,
it was postponed, and the coroner fixed
June 9th as the date for it to be recoiled.
An investigation will be made as to the
cause of the deaths of the men and the
Continued on Page Two.
*
