The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-08-11
HURRICANE VICTIMS
The Death List Will Probably
Reach Into the Hundreds.
THE DAMAGE IN PORTO RICO.

Many Deaths Reported and Serious
Loss ssorProperty-Pcop OF Threatened |
with StarvRtion-On GuadaIoupc Isl- |
ana Ovcra hundred Reported Killed.
San Juan de Porto Rico, Aug. IA |
hurricane broke over the south coast |
at / O'Clock Tuesday morning and
swept northwest. There was no abate-
ment tor nine hours. the greatest dam
age being done between and 10
O'Clock a. m The wires were down
and communication with the interior
was for a time impossible. II is now
chiefly carried on by Couriers.
At San Juan four natives were
drowned in the harhor. so houses were
demolished and hundreds were un-
rooted. The damage TO property is es-
timated at 100000. Commissary storel
to the value of $4,000 we're destroyed.
A dispatch by cable from Ponce says
the town was almost destroyed. Al
most all the frame buildings are down,
| the bridge Is swept away, and there is
no communication between the port
and the city proper. The damage to
the port is estimated at S250,000. Two
natives are known TO have been drown
ed. The records and property of the
/ custom house are ruined and all the
| vessels are ashore.
At Aibonito very little remains
| standing except the cathedral and the
! barracks Four natives perished, and
! three United States soldiers were badly
| injured. AS the town is without food
| government relief has been dispatched
thither
lei Cayey was levelled 10 tho ground.
! 200 houses being demolished. Two
| United States soldiers were injured
there and many cavalry horses killed.
At Catano the entire plant of the
Standard Oil company was ruined. The
loss on the property is 100000.
At Bayamon a majority of the
houses were destroyed, and the rest
we're flooded Two hundred cattle
were killed, and the railway was serl-
ously damaged.
The village of Carolina was literally
razed. At Caguas four persons were
killed
courier who has just arrived from
Humacao, capital of the province of
that name. on the eastern coast OF the
island, reports awful destruction
there. The loss to property is esti-
mated at $4,000 but this is the least
item in the disaster. The courier
brousht an official report from Captain
Eben Swift, of the Fifth United States
cavalry, who says:
"Humacao was totally destroyed by
the hurricane. FOrty-siX bodies have
been recovered, and there are many
more in the debris. Eight privates Of
Troop were injured, two fatally.
Sergeant King, of the Eleventh in
fantry was injured North, a dis
charged private, is missing. At the
port of Humacao Is bodies have been
recovered. Eight hundred people are
starving here"
Three persons were killed at Las
Piedras and five at Junco.
COuriers from the other districts are
anXiously expected at the palace. The
steamer Slocum Captain Thomas, en-
route from Mayaguez to San Juan, was
caught in the storm, but her passengers
and crew were saved through the hero
ism of Mr.. Single, the first officer
The coffee crop is ruined, and the
loss will reach millions. Very great in.
jury has been done also to the orange
crop.
No definite returns have yet been re.
ceived from the southern section of the
island, apart from Ponce. 1t is certain
however that the food supplies in the
stricken districts have been destroyed
and in these quarters the quantity OF
government stores on hand is small
Relief wagons have been sent out in
various directions.
General George w. Davis, the COVER
nor general, has cabled to the war de,
partment an appeal for assistance.