New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-14
DAVIS CONFIRMS REPORTS.
ENORMOUS DAMAGE DONE BY HuRRi-
CANE IN PORTO RICO.
LOSS OF LIFE AT LEAST A THOUSAND. AND
MAY BE MUCH LARGER-oNE-FIFTH
OF HOUSES DEsTRoYED-AP-
PFkIS FOR AID.
PFbLS FOR AID.

MAY RE MUCH LARGER-ONE-FIFTH
OF HOUSES DEsTRoYED-AP-
PEALs FOR AID.
Washington Aug. 13.-Two dispatches from
Governor General Davis OF Porto Rico' sNihe
additional details OF the fearful havoc wrousn'
by the hurricane Of last week. were receiVeu a'
the War Department to-day. They were III"
med,atelv sent to Secretary Root. who already
has taken measures for dispatching reheI 'o 'iie
people OF the island The Secretary expects that
the transport Mcpherson. with a large quant'y
Of rice and beans will leave New-York to-mor-
row and this will be followed by other vessels
as fast as arrangements can be made for sehd-
ing supplies He thinks It is the duty OF the
Government TO make provision for feeding the
people until the aid voluntarily given by the
citizens OF the country reaches them. ana ne
will exhaust every means at his disposal to this
end
The Secretary contemplates supplementing the
appeal made last week TO the Mayors 70 ASSIST
in raising subs 'riptons, and tomorrow VIII
issue an appeal TO the Governors Of the states
with view arousing general interest IN tne
relief work The dispatches received from Gen
eral Davis were sent to the President at Lake
Champlain tonight
THE GENERALS TWO DISPATCHES.
The following are the dispatches received by
the War Department from General Davis TO-
day:
San Juan Porto Rico. via Haytl.
The true state Of affairs throughout the islahu
not yet known because Of total destruction oi a., az
telegraphic connections and great destruction on
all roads. Not more Than one-fourth OF INC
towns yet heard from, but enough Is known "
warrant the statement that one-nfth OF the
dwellings in the island are totally destroyed, and
that their owners are without any shelter what,
ever or any food beyond what has oeen saNeu
from the debris. The coffee crop and nost %
the trees are ruined and thus reliance for sup
port is gone. Fully one-third Of the people SUD
sist entirely on fruit and a small degree on
tubas. All the former is destroyed and many oi
the latter rotting In the ground. GIeat
| many thousands Of cattle are drowned, ana the
| debris carried down by the rivers is strewn over
the ocean with the wreck OF the storm ana tne
| dead bodies OF animals The deaths from ran
| ing walls and drowning will number more than
| thousand. ard may be several times this num-
ber The state OF distress is very great ana
| when green fruits saved from the debris are
| consumed the suffering Will be very great
I am relieving the suffering everywhere with
| in reach as much as possible. but In out OF the
way places are many thousands VINO canno.
be reached for some time. Ihe suppHts oluel eu
sent by the Government will help much. but VIII
last only for a few days. while destitution must
continue for many weeks or some months uhtII
the bananas grow up from the ground. TOT
which five months at least are required. foou OF
all kinds is needed. especially rice, beans anu
Goldfish. which has been the main support out-
side Of fruit. Cheap cotton clothing Is also
| needed for thousands rushed naked from tnelr
dwellings at night when the gale broke. Medi-
cines are also needed most pressingly, especially
] quinine and other simple medicines. estimate
that AT least thousand tons Of food will be re-
Quired weekly for several weeks.
MEASURES FOR RELIEF.
have constituted boards all over the island to
| regulate assistance. tud general Board here
| IN conduct the relief work While | have not
f,,II dot I he
| 100 600 people are homeless and destitute re
| lief ration proposed one pound OF food per cay
composed of seven ounces OF beans seven ounces
| Of rice and two ounces Of Goldfish. In addition to
the food ordered by the Mcpherson. | ask that
2.500 tons. above proportions should be shipped
next week Before this is consumed | VIII nave
full data respecting future needs but fear ex-
tensive issues Of provisions VIII he necessary Tor
several months. | shall push work on the roads
and give employment to as many as pos
sible hope the charitable people Of the States
will contribute food clothes medicines and
money Colonel Hofer. chief surgeon Of the de-
partment. is chairman Of the Board Of Relief
and auxiliary boards organizing In all the
towns. Five military posts not yet heard from
DAVIS
General Davis's second dispatch is as follows:
San Juan, p. r.. via Hayti, August 13
Further, but still incomplete, reports confirm
previous cable reports as conservative. Sug-
gest an appointment OF officer in NewYork to
receive relief funds and supplies, cabling guam
titles and kinds shipped on each boat. Colonel
Hofer Medical Department, charge RELIEF work
| here. Should be shipped this week not less than
300 tons food. Best to be sent beans rice and
cheap grade Goldfish. Cotton clothing and coarse
cotton goods in piece, needles and thread also
needed. Money Will be applied in assisting to
| rebuild houses and huts and hire OF help.
| recommend that bags for sugar and coffee, all
kinds Of rough lumber for building and fencing
| hooks. slaves and hoops for sugar packing and
! galvanized iron and nails for roofing purposes
! be placed on first list. ! have authorized en-
| ployment Of labor for rebuilding barracks at
! Cayeya and Aibomao. wholly destroyed.
DAVIS.