The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-08-15
Great Loss Of Life In the
Storm In Porto Rico.
ABOUT 600 DROWNED AT PONCE.
Claimed That the Weather Bureau Failed
to Warn That Place--Root Issued an
Appeal For Aid--Gen. Davis Sent Fur
ther News of Storms Ravages.

PONCE, Porto Rico, Aug. 12.-During
the hurricane Ponce was flooded
at midnight and at least 300 persons
were drowned. Two hundred bodies,
mostly those of people and including
many children, have been recovered.
All the buildings are damaged and
hundreds have been destroyed.
The soldiers and fremen worked all
night, heroically saving lives.
There is no drinking water, gas, ice
or electric light.
The commissary stores at Playa were
destroyed, the city is short of food and
the army officers are distributing
rations.
Fifteen vessels in the harbor were
driven ashore.
The weather bureau predicted the
storm, but it is claimed Ponce was not
warned.
Amob of 1000 threatened the alcade,
Porrata 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 popu.
lar demand.
The sum of $5 1000 will be needed to
clean the streets. The sanitary condi-
ton is serious and assistance Is needed.
All the crops are totally ruined, the
wires are all down and little news is OBJ
tainable from the interior.
Abonita, including the barracks, has
been destroyed; but no lives were lost
there.
Juan Diaz has been devastated. Forty.
six lives were lost there.
Arrayoa, Salinas and San Isabel are
reported to have been totally de-
molished.
The railroad between Ponce and
Yauco has been destroyed and the mill
tary road is impossible. The river is
flowing over the road for two miles.
Mayaguez escaped serious injury.
Bananas are the sole food here.
The poems have gone to San Juan and
its vicinity, which are comparatively
uninjured.
WASHINGTON, Aug. lathe war de.
| partment took prompt measures for the
relief of the hurricane sufferers in
Porto Rico. When the press dispatches
and General Davis advices made known
the extent of the disaster steps were
Immediately taken to send supplies, anc
the transport Mcpherson was ordered
put in readiness to sail from New York
on Monday next. She will carry ra.
tions and other necessaries. Secretary
of War Root sent the following appea
to the mayors of all cities of more thar
10000 population:
SIR-The governor general Of Porto RicC
confirms the report that upon the Sth inst.
hurricane swept over the island entirely de
| molishing many of the towns destroying
many lives and reducing so far as he can esti
mate not less than 100, 100 inhabitants to tn
condition of absolute destitution, withou
homes or food. Unless immediate and effect
i've relief is given, these unfortunate peopl
| will perish Of famine
| Under these conditions, the president deem
| that an appeal should be made to the hu
manity Of the American people. 1t Is an ar
| peal to their patriotism also, for the inhabit
| ants of Porto Rico have freely and gladly sub
| mitted themselves to the guardianship Of tn
United States and have voluntarily surrer
| dered the protection of Spain, to which the
| were formerly entitled, confidently relyin
| upon more generous and benificent treatmen
at our hands. The highest consideration G
honor and good faith unite with the prompt
ings of humanity to require from the Unite
State generous responseto the demand c
Porto Rican distress.
This department has directed the immediat
distribution of rations to the sufferers by tn
army in Porto Rico, 30 far as 1T is within th
power Of the executive, but in the absence c
any appropriation we must rely largely upo
private contributions.
/ beg that you will call upon the publ,
spirited and humane people Of your city I
take active and immediate measures in tn
exigency.
The government transport Mcpherson wi
be sent directly from the port of New York
Porto Rico on Monday, the l4th inst, to carr
all supplies of food which can be obtained
Further transports win be sent at futuI
dates, Of which public notice will be gwen.
ANY committee charged with the raising
funds will receive full information and ~
vice upon communicating with this depar
ment. Very respectfully,
ELIHU Roof,
Secretary ofWar.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12.-The war d
partment received a cablegram frol
General Davis, giving fuller details
: the damage done in Porto Rico by IL
| hurricane. General Davis said far
, inc was impending and asked authorit
, to issue rations to the destitute. I'll
message said:
, Later reports show that the hurricane W
far more severe in interior and southern pa
D of island than here Data for estimate
DuInDer Oh IOrIO hlcdnS VINO nave lOSU ever
a thing Is deficient, but an forced to belle
the number on the island cannot fall belC
10000 souls and famine is impending. a
= that 2,5OO,OO0 pounds of rice and beans, eqT
= quantities OF each, be Immediately shipped
transports TO Ponce Some here Urgent
peals TO all post commanders for food for {
q destitute. Am authorized to relieve distr'
O by food issues? Rice and beans only desr,
There have been many deaths of natives
falling walls. so far only one soldier report
y dangerously injured. Several towns report
8 entirely demolished. AS yet have repo
n from only four ports. Complete destructi
:, of all barracks at two, and at two others c
II company Of each had barracks destroy
7: Troops are in canvas. No reports yet tr
T the largest ports, Ponce and Mayaguez |
they were in the vortex of the storm. At le
. half of the people in Porto Rico subsist
: tirely on fruit and vegetables, and storm
: entirely destroyed this source OF supply.
nAvT'
n II suffered from piles for twenty Il
years, and after all so-called cures n
failed, was permanently cured by o
n pox of DeWitt's Witch Hazel Salv'
= says ELI Hile, of Lumber City, Pa.
sure you get "DeWitt's." There 8
70 injurious and dishonest counterfeit