The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-02-23
BY RAGING WATERS
City of Azores Wiped Out
by Waterspout.
Terrible Destruction of Life and
Property - Calls For
Assistance.

a recent issue of the Boston Tran
script gives the following story of ter
rible destruction in the city of Povoa-
Gao, situated 80 miles from Ponta del
Jada, which is the capital of ST. Mich
aels:
petition has just been received at
the Portuguese Consulate in this city
from the Island of ST. Michael, in the
Azores, belonging to the Kingdom of
Portugal, signed by the royal Governor
of the province of Dom Jacintho de
Teres Adao and 19 other of the prin-
cipal inhabitants, asking aid, and mar
rating the particulars of the great ca
lamity which has recently fallen on
the people of part of the province.
The petition sets forth that on No
vember 25th a great waterspout, which
currents of the sea and sky had COM
bined to make terrible, was whirled
from the ocean over part of the ISL
and of ST. Michael, and there broke,
letting down tons of water in a tre-
mendous cataract from on high direct
ly over the city of Povoacao, of about
% 900 inhabitants. Almost in an in
roofs of the houses, after tearing up the
pavement of the streets in its course,
and digging trenches in them, in some
places Is feet below their ordinary lev
ell. 1t was in the night that the wa
terspout broke, and the great torrent,
rushing down the slopes to the sea,
tore wide channel through nine miles
of country, bearing away the homes of
thousands of people.
All the public buildings, with their
archives, recorded deeds and property
transfers. all the churches and houses,
in some of which were the inmates;
cattle from the hillside were hurried
down into the flood, which brushed
from it's path the town of Ribeira
Quente. of 5000 population, and several
outlying parishes. From one of the
heights where those of the affrighted
people had gathered, they saw famil
les in their beds floating for awhile
amidst the chaos of cattle, lumber and
rubbish and then disappear.
All along the coast the fishermen
have been left destitute of boats, which
have been destroyed by the raging wa
ters, while the shore has been Uttered
by the corDses of many who have per-
ished in the food The authorities have
done what they could to relieve the
misery of the more unfortunate, but
so great is the suffering for food, cloth
ing and shelter, that they have felt
warranted to print the above-mentiOn-
ed call for aid and send copies TO va
rious localities. one of which has been
forwarded to the Portuguese Consul at
Boston.
The Consulate. 3S2 Hanover street,
therefore. is open from 10 A. NJ. to
10 P. NJ. to receive subscriptions from
those who desire to send aid Churches
also. are asked to contribute. Aid may
he sent through the consul in the shape
of provisions in bulk and clothing. The
steamers running to st. Michaels will
transport for the sufferers free of
charge. No calamity in the history of
the Azore Islands, not even the burst
ing of one of the volcanoes, which hap
pened years ago and created some de-
struction. has been so devastating as
this. 1t is of it's kind, unprecedented
in the history of the world-the carry
ing away of city, town and several
villages OF the bursting of water
spout.