The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-08-14
HAVOC OF HURRICANE
General Davis Gives Details Of
Damage in Porto Rico.
100. 600 HOMELESS AND DESTITUTE

ThOusapdSt OF CATTLE Drowned ana tho
Debris Carried Down by the Rivers
and strewn Over the Ocean-Imme-
diate Reliof Necessary.
Washington, Aug. 14.-Dispatches
from Governor General Davis Of Porto
Rico giving additional details Of the
fearful havoc wrought by the hurri-
cane of last week. were received at the
war department yesterday. They were
Immediately sent to Secretary Root
who already has taken measures for
dispatching relief to the people of the
island. He thinks 1t Is the duty Of the
government to make provision for feed
ing the people until the aid voluntarily
given By the citizens of the country
reaches them and he will exhaust
every means at his disposal to this end.
General Davis says: 1.-THE true state
of affairs throughout the island is not
yet known because of total destruction
of Geographic connection and destruc-
ton on roads. The coffee crop and most
of the trees are ruined. and thus re-
lance for support is gone. Fully one
third of the people subsist entirely on
fruit and a small degree on tubas. All
the former IL destroyed and much OF
the latter are rotting in the ground.
Great many thousands Of cattle are
drowned and the debris carried down
by the rivers Is strewn over the ocean
with the wreck of the storm and the
dead bodies CT animals The deaths
poI lie, ~ rtr,u xIyil
number more than thousand and may
be several times this number. The
state of distress is very great and when
green fruits saved from the debris are
consumed the suffering will be very
great. am relieving the suffering
everywhere within reach as much as
possible, but in out OF the way places
are many thousands who cannot be
reached for some time. The supplies
ordered sent by the government will
help much. but will last only for a
few days while restitution must con-
tnue for many weeks or some months
until the bananas grow UP from the
ground, for which five months at least
are required.
Cheap cotton clothing is also need
ed for thousands rushed naked from
their dwellings at night when the gale
broke. Medicines are also needed most
pressingly, especially quinine and other
simple medicines. l estimate that at
least 1000 tons of food will be re-
quired weekly for several weeks. have
constituted boards all over the island
to regulate assistance and a general
board here to conduct the relief work.
While | have not yet full data l re-
peat the estimate that at least l0O,-
600 people are homeless and destitute.
money will be applied In assisting
to rebuild houses and huts and hire
of help. | recommend that bags for
sugar and coffee. all kinds of rough
lumber for building and fencing, hooks,
slaves and hoops for sugar packing
and galvanized iron and nails for roof
ing purposes be placed on first list. l
have authorized employment of labor
for rebuilding barracks at Cayeya and
Aibomao wholly destroyed. Five mill
tary posts not yet heard from"
A dispatch from Ponce, P. r.. says:
Although the disasters which fol-
lowed the hurricane have not been
overestimated, the people are peaceful
and endeavoring to make the best OF
the situation. Dead bodies are buried
where they are found. Food supplies
are being distributed, and repairs to
bridges and roads are being pushed
forward under military supervision
with daily payments TO the workmen.
1t is gathered from the interview
with merchants and planters, some of
whom owe European houses, that there
will be numerous failures.
The steamer Australia with cargo
was wrecked during the hurricane off
Arroyo. on the southeast coast, and
the Vascue of Arecibo. on the north
coast