The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-02
PORTO RICO OURS
Inhabitants Won by Kindness
of Americans.
No Danger of Revolt Against
Authority of Government.
WIDE SPREAD DAMAGE
Sufferings AmelioSated by the
Prompt Action
System Used In Distribution of
Aid.
WIDE SPREAD DAMAGE

Ponce, Porto Rico, Sept. 2.-The hur-
ricane, sad as is the havoc it wrought,
great as the misery it caused, has ac-
complished in a day what would have
taken diplomacy years to bring about.
1t has taught the natives that the
Americans are their real friends. The
Americans, by their prompt and gen
erous assistance, have wiped out all
lingering pre5udices.
The homeless today number about
One-third of the whole population OF
the island, I have passed through eV-
cry district from the capital to Ponce
and often ridden for miles without see
ing house left standing. Where the
houses withstood the wind, the roofs
were gone and furniture and clothing
We're ruined
AS regards the actual financial loss
to the island occasioned by the hurrl-
cane, estimates vary SO far as can
figure it out. the loss of the whole is
land win amount to about 45,OO0,OOO
pesos, or more than $50, 100000.
This amount covers damage to build
ings and machinery, damage to ware
houses and stores of coffee, tobacco
and sugar; damage to this years cane,
coffee and fruit crops, including eSt1-
mated losses on the next three years
crops; damage to live stock and dam
age to railways and shipping. II does
not cover the loss sustained by the pub
lie works department, which viii be
heavy; nor does it cover the loss to the
expected to seek investment here this
winter and which may now be fright
ened away.
The loss of growing crops is beyond
question the most serious item in the
islands list of miSfortunes. Every
thing has been more or less destroyed.
What the hurricane left the floods car
Fied away. The mango, bread-fruit
and avocats trees, upon which the ma
tives depend to a great extent for sub
sfstence, have been swept bare or
broken down Only the most sheltered
banana groves are left standing. The
coffee crop is wholly ruined, and all
but the smallest of the trees have been
destroyed. coffee plant takes five
years to mature. The half-ripe orange
crop is on the ground a few cane
fields have escaped, but, with the fac
tories demolished, these are only Valu-
able for fodder.
In Porto Rico. as in other West In
dian islands, the custom Of mortgaging
crops has prevailed. Once a year the
planter goes to a banker or private
money-lender and bOrrOws enough to
enable him to employ labor and culti-
vate. When his crops mature he re-
pays the loan, together with interest
at the rate of 10 or u or even 20 per
cent. Now that the hurricane has des-
trOyed his growing canes or fruits, he
finds himself with a heavy mortgage
on his land and no money to go ahead
and plant again Thus the planter
suffers, the Iaborer suffers and the
whole commerce of the island suffers.
The Wholesale, indiScriminate diStri-
button of food is being stopped, else.
the whole population would become
pauperized. In all centers that l visit
ed, rations are now being distributed
to the old and infirm and to young chill
dren. To all able-bodied adults is Of
fered work.
Here in Ponce 455 bodies have been
inferred by the authorities Lieuten-
ant EameS of the Eleventh infantry,
the president of the board of health
narrowly escaped death on the night
of the hurricane The lieutenant awOke
to find water in his quarters as high
as the edge of his bed. He awoke his
wife and she dressed in his uniform.
Together they CROPPED through the
darkness to the barracks in water up
to their neckS.
The first care of the military authori-
ties has naturally been for the troops.
In Ponce, the IS 600 granted by General
Davis to the commander has been spent
in cleaning up the quarters. At every
country station the troops are living
under canvas. In most cases the bar
racks have been blown down. At
AibOnito not one wall of the whole bar
racks is left standing. The soldiers
lost everything they had and those in
the hospital had a narrow escape with
their lives. The barracks collapsed
during the first hour of the storm. and
the men had to get out of the mael-
strom of water and wreckage as best
they could.
The only town on the whole route
from San Juan to Ponce that did not
suffer is Coamo. The hurricane ap-
parently never touched it. This.
think, is the only district in the island
that escaped.