The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1899-08-16
WORK OF A CYCLONE.
Terrible Loss of Life Wrought by
Storm In Porto Rico
Number of Victims VIII Aggregate
1,OO0-scenes of Terrible De-
struction in the cities
and villages.

San Juan, Porto Rico, July 12.-Five
hundred bodies lie in improyised
morgues at Ponce awaiting identified
ton. The deaths in the vicinity OF
Ponce will aggregate 1000. Couriers
from the south who have brought the
governor news of the state of affairs
say that the city of Ponce is scene
of awful destruction.
People erased with Thirst.
The flood of salt water has polluted
crazed with thirst besiege Gen. Davis,
commanding the American forces in
the island, at every hour of the day,
demanding water, food, clothes and
shelter.
At Humacao, which is AZ miles from
San Juan, over 100 of the 6,700 inhab-
itants persisted. The news of the disas-
ter at Humacao reached this place by
courier who came to ask for assist
ance. He said that besides the terrible
loss of life the city was practically al
most destroyed. All the churches are
reported in ruins.
Guayama's Great Loss.
At Guayama, a village of $500 people,
40 miles from San Juan, on the south
coast, seven were killed. Twenty were
killed at Cayey. which is little village
Il miles from Guayama, and the wagon
road connecting the two cities is flood
ed with water and blocked with the de-
bris of the destroyed buildings.
The dead in Arroyo. in the southeast
part of the island, and five miles from
Guayama, number 16.
Four Towns Entirely Destroyed.
The couriers bring word that four i'm
portant towns have been destroyed en-
tirely by the hurricane-Guayanilla,
town having 500 inhabitants, IA miles
from Ponce; Guanica, a village of 1000
inhabitants on the southern coast six
miles from Yauco. which was also de-
stroyed, and Tallaboa, which lies be-
tween Guayanilla and Ponce.
Porto Rico Devastated.
Ponce, Aug. 1.-THE worst storm
ever experienced here struck this place
Tuesday morning at nine O'Clock and
lasted two hours. 1t came from the
northeast. Ponce was flooded at
midnight and at least 300 persons were
drowned.
Two hundred bodies, mostly those of
poor people and including many chill
dren, have been recovered.
All the buildings are damaged. and
hundreds have been destroyed.
Loss of Life Elsewhere.
San Juan de Porto Rico, Aug. 12.-
Arroyo, on the south coast, has been
DESTROYED, 16 lives were lost there, and
the town is still submerged in water.
At Guayamo the houses are still
standing. Seven persons were killed
there. A number of houses were pill
Iaged. Squads of soldiers were unable
to maintain order, and starvation
threatens the population.
Worse Than First Reported.
Washington, Aug. 12.-The war de-
partment Friday received a cablegram
from Gen. Davis, giving fuller details of
the damage done in Porto Rico by the
hurricane.
Gen. Davis says a famine is impend-
ing, and asks authority to issue rations
10 the destitute
To Send Relief mt Once.
Washington, Aug. 12.-The war de-
partment has taken prompt action on
Gen. Davis report.
The army transport Mcpherson has
been ordered to sail from New York to
San Juan and Ponce with supplies to
relieve the destitute in Porto Rico.
hoc
ordered the purchase in New York of
10000 pounds of rice and 100000
pounds of beans to be shipped on the
Mcpherson. Such other food supplies
as may be obtained at the time the Nc
Pherson sails will be sent on that ship.
Montserrat Completely Devastated.
st. Thomas. d. w. L.. Aug. 1.-THE
island of Montserrat, British West In
dies, was completely devastated by a
hurricane Monday. All the churches.
estates and villages were destroyed
and nearly 100 persons were killed. In
addition many were injured and rem
dered homeless and terrible distress
exists among the sufferers.
At La Pointe-a-Pitre, Island of Guade-
loupe, immense damage was wrought,
and according to a report not yet con-
firmed, 1O2 persons were killed. In the
island of ST. Croix, the largest of the
Virgin islands, the destruction was ap-
palling. 1t was chiefly wrought at the
west end, where the smaller houses are
tangled mass of wreckage. Thirty
persons were killed. and the inhab-
itants are in great distress.