Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1899-08-17
HURRICANE VICTIMS.
Porto Ricans Have Little Left to Live
on and Need Help.
An APPEAL TO STATE GOVERNORS.
Secretary Root VIII Ask the Chief Exec
utives to Help in Relief Work. orto
Ricans Making the Best of It
Storm at Santo Domingo.

Washington. Aug. 1.-two dis
patches from Gov. Gen. Davis, of Porto
| Rico, giving original details of the
fearful havoc wrought by the hurrf-
cane of last week, We're received at the
war department yesterday. They were
Immediately sent to Secretary Root,
| who already has taken measures for
dispatching relief to the people of the
island. The secretary expects that the
transport Mcpherson, with a large
quantity of rice and beans, will leave
New York to-day, and this will be fol-
lowed by other vessels as fast as ar
rangements can be made for sending
supplies. He thinks it is the duty of
the government to make provision for
feeding the people until the aid volun-
tarily given by the citizens of the coun-
try reaches them, and he will exhaust
| every means at his disposal to this end.
The secretary contemplates supple
mentlng the appeal made last week to
the mayors to assist in raising sub
scriptiOns, and to-day will issue an APP
peal to the governors of the states,
with view to arousing general inter
est in the relief work. The dispatches
received from Gen. Davis We're sent to
the president at Lake Champlain last
night. Gen. Davis says that not more
than one-fourth of the towns have been
heard from, but enough is known to
warrant the statement that one-ffth of
the dwellings in the islands are totally
without any shelter whatever or any
food beyond what has been saved from
the debris. The coffee crop and most
of the trees are ruined and thus reliance
for support is gone. A great many
thousands of cattle are drowned and
the debris carried down the river
is Strewn over the ocean with the
wreck of the storm and the dead bodies
of animals. The deaths from falling
walls and drowning will number more
than 1000 and may be several times
this number. The state of distress is
very great and when green fruits saved
from the debris are consumed the suf-
fering will be very great. Food of all
kinds is needed, especially rice, beans
and Goldfish, which has been the main
support outside of fruit. Cheap cotton
clothing is also needed, for thousands
rushed naked from their dwellings at
night when the gale broke. Medicines
are also needed most pressingly, espe-
cially quinine and other simple medi-
cines. Gen. Davis estimates that at
least /, 900 tons of food will be required
he has not yet full data, he estimates
less and destitute.
PORTO RICANS MAKE THE BEST OF IT.
Ponce, P. R., Aug. 14.-Although the
disasters which followed the hurricane
have not been over-estimated, the peo-
pie are peaceful and endeavoring to
make the best of the situation. Dead
bodies are buried where they are found.
Food supplies are being distributed
and repairs to bridges and roads are
being pushed forward under military
supervision, with daily payments to
the workmen. It is gathered from in
terviews with merchants and planters,
some of whom owe European houses,
that there will be numerous failures.
The steamer Australia with cargo was
wrecked during the hurricane off
Arroyo, on the southeast coast, and
the Vasco off Arecibo, on the north
coast.
THE STORM AT sANTo DOMINGO.
Santo Domingo, Aug. 14.-The storm
on the 9th did comparatively little
damage in the city of Santo Domingo.
The wind, which was accompanied by
a terrific rain, lasted SO hours, causing
the river to overflow and carrying
half the bridge at Ozama. At Macoris
there was not mnch damage done on
the shore, but the rise of the river
caused the loss of many lighters. No
reliable news has been received from
the interior, the telegraph service hav-
ing been interrupted. It is known,
however, that everywhere throughout
the country the rivers overfowed their
banks, stopping communication and
drowning many cattle.