The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-20
SWEPT AWAY.
FrightfuI Work of an Austria
liam Hurricane.
Shore StreWn With Bodies of
Men and Animals.

Victoria. B. c., May 20.-Shortly be-
fore the just arrived steamer Miowera
left Sydney for this port the cutter
Mystery returned to Cookstown from
the scene of the recent disaster by
hurricane on the north Queensland
coast by which practically every vessel
engaged in the pearl fishery was wreck
ed and much property lost afioat and
ashore. The sights that met the eyes
of the relief expedition along the desc
late coast were horrifying beyond
description. At one place where a pic
turesque fishing village with a popula-
tion of 300 had stood neither house nor
tree nor living thing was left. The site
of the little settlement looked like new
pIowed land and the survivors among
the fishing folk had fled for safety to an
There and further along the coast.
mangIed bodies of men and domestic
animals were found. Several were Sc
cured with some difficulty, wedged in
the branches of trees that had defied
the storm, where they had been blown
from distances as great as a quarter of
a mile. The Mystery's officers and
crew recovered in all So bodies, of
which eighteen were identified and
claimed by mourning relatives. OF the
remaining forty, thirty-six were ma
tives whose remains were given respect
able burial in one great bunch.
The Mystery party found large fish
and wreckage thirty and forty feet
above high water level, and trees and
vegetation levelled for upwards of fifty
miles along the coast. An official report
says that Sc vessels were wrecked and
that 3S5 persons lost their lives.
A YACHTING FATALITY.
Mail advices received from Melbourne
says yachting fatality was brought
to light by the discovery of the top
mast of the missing yacht Queenie in
the water of the entrance to Waribee
river. The Queenie left Queens Cliff
for Golong. She was sailed by her
owner, John Clark, manager of the
Melbourne Steamship company's works
at Williamson. He was accompanied
by his four sons. the eldest aged % and
the youngest II years, and also by a
young man named Reginald johnson
and man named Michael Allan, a resi-
dent of Williamson. All We're drowned
f. c. Andrews. B. A. who was late
ly commissioned by Prof. Agassiz of
Harvard college, U. s. A, to make a
coral reefs in the Fiji group, has re-
Gently returned to Sydney after an alb
sence of about six months. A greater
part of the time has been spent in ex-
ploring the Fiji islands A few weeks
were devoted to the Tonga group. An
drewS had opportunities of studying
geology and manners and customs of
the natives in the islands little fire.
quented by white men.
He has collected a large amount of
valuable scientific facts; he made a
careful survey of the whole geological
structure of the islands. which will be !
transmitted to the British museum.
The steamer Menmuir, which arrived |
at Sydney April %. reports speaking the |
1ndo-China steamer Canton under com |
mand of Captain Wilde who stated that |
some twenty miles north of Fuyan is |
lands he was steaming through Junk |
wreckage.
The officer of the watch observed |
to one of the fragments four
Chinese sailors, crying for assistance
Ihey We're picked up Diligent search |
was made for others. but none was |
seen. One of the men picked up was |
dellrious and the others were in a sad
ly reduced condition. 1t was under
stood from them that on the previous
night the junk, with a crew of 81 all |
told, struck on the rocks at the north
east of the island. 1t was almost Ger
tain that the remainder of the crew
had perished.
oyster Bank that fatal stretch of
submerged sand at the entrance to the
port of Newcastle, N. S. W, was the |
scene of another shipping disaster /
when the fine iron bark Regent Muir
ray from Mauritius. was wrecked in |
close proximity to the spot where the
steamers Carrawa. Colonist, Wendoura8
and other vessels were lost No lives1
were lost.
NEW GOLD FIELDS.
New gold fields have been discovered |
in New Guinea and miners are rushing
there.
The German scientific expedition
which left Cape Town sometime since |
on the steamer Vandiva. has been
IedTQ IEODl Alter IeaNlnS the CaU6kth6 /
Vandiva shaped due southerIy course |
and passed no fewer than $50 iceberes. |
taking soundings out from 5000 to g. 900 |
meters and fishing and sealing opera
tons were carried on with much sue
sess The Bouvet islands were discov-
ared, the vessel being then in the vi
Unity of the Antarctic. Dr. Buchanan
medical officer of the expedition died at
sea.
There has been a big agitation in
west Australia, against Sunday labor
n the mines at Perth a mass meeting
attended by 1900 was held to discuss |
he question. Addresses were delivered
by ministers of various denominat tions
md others. A resolution was adopted
asking parliament to prohibit unneces-
;ary Sunday work
News South Wales is excited over the
federation question 1t has been decid- |
ID that a referendum shall be taken in |
he colony June 20. South Australia |
avors federation. The referendum was
passed there by 5000 votes against H.
100.