Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-08-16
THOUSANDS DROWNED.
Further Details of the Hurricane
in Porto Rico.
RIVERS FLOWED THROUGH PONCE.

The Town Was Wholly Destroyed and
Men, Women and Children Floating in
the Water In the Streets-Remains of
500 Victims Already Recovered-steps
for tho Relief of tho Stricken People.
Ponce, Porto Rico. Aug. l4.-N Is j
now plain that Ponce was the greatest
sufferer by the hurricane. The rivers
Portuguese and Canas flowed through
the city, drowning thousands of people.
Five hundred bodies have already been
recovered. The town is wholly de-
stroyed and will have to be rebuilt
There is scarcely whole building left
standing, and the great majority OF the
larger structures are mass of ruins.
1t will be several days before an ac-
curate- estimate of the number OF
deaths can be made. An eye witness
who was on the top Of large stone
building in the Alambra plaza saw the
bodies of men, women and children
floating in the water in the streets.
Every one was paralyzed with fear and
unable to render any assistance. The
storm of 1867 killed 5000 people. 1t is
feared the number of deaths is greater
now.
The southern coast was swept clean
as far as Yauco, eighteen miles. The
towns of Tallaboa, Arroyo and Juana-
diaz We're destroyed. Only the large
church edifices are left standing. There
is not drop of water in Ponce to
drink. No gas or electric light is
available. The cisterns are full Of salt
water from the ocean, and the stencil
arising from the dead bodies Is dread
full. The sanitary condition is seri-
GUS and widespread sickness is sure to
follow. The soldiers and firemen rem
dered heroic service in saving lives.
Fifteen vessels in the harbor were
driven ashore. The weather bureau
predicted the storm, but 1t is claimed
Ponce was not warned. A mob OF l.
900 persons threatened the alcade, Por-
rata Doria, but they were dispersed
by the Fifth cavalry. The alcade has
been deposed on account of negligence.
Major Myers of the Eleventh infantry
is acting as alcade in response to pop
| ular demand. st
Crops Totally, Rulned.
All the crops are totally ruined, the
| wires are all down, and little news is
| Obtainable from the interior. AibOnttO,
including the barracks. has been de-
stroyed but no lives were lost there.
Juanadiaz has been devastated. Forty
six lives were lost there. Arroyo.
Guayama, Salinas and San Isabel are
| reported to have been demolished. The
railroad between Ponce and Yauco has
been destroyed and the military road
is impossible. The river is flowing
over the road for two miles. Maya
guez escaped serious injury. Bananas
are the sole food here. The poems
have gone to San Juan and its vicinity.
street Car Blown Up.
Cleveland, Aug. 10.-A Big Consoli-
dated street car was wrecked at 2
o'clock in the morning on the Wade
Park avenue line, near Cactus drive, q
lonely spot adjoining Wade park. The
car was blown from the track and bad.
ly demolished. The frightened motor.
man was hurled from the vestibule
and the conductor from the platform
They were uninjured. The one pas.
senger aboard also escaped unhurt
The bottom and forward part of the
car were completely wrecked by the
explosion, the forward trucks being
blown to atoms Every pane OF glass
in the windows and doors of the cal