Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-08-16
POOR PORTO RICO
Details of the Disaster Which Has
0vertaken the People Of the
Island.
DEATHS OF MANY HUNDREDS
Food and Employment Are Needed by the
Citizens Of the Unfortunate Country
Farmers Unable to Furnish Work
for Idle Men,

New York, August 16-A dispatch tc
| the Herald from San Juan says: Com
munication with the distressed districts
is still but partly open. Arecibo was
devastated by the hurricane and latel
| flooded by the Arecibo and Manati riv.
ers. Two hundred bodies have already
| been recovered, and hundreds more arc
missing. 1t is thought they were swept
into the sea. The town was inundated
to depth of feet. After the water
subsided the dead We're found lying
everywhere. The bodies were buried
where found The town is now rapidly
filling up with starving persons from
the country. Only four soldiers were
drowned but all are without shelter
| Captain McComb and men did valiant
service in saving life Forty persons
were rescued from floating wreckage. A
thousand head of cattle were lost there
At Naranzito twenty persons are
known to have been killed. A thousand
are homeless and starving. Moravs was
totally destroyed. At Cieles twenty per-
sons were killed. Many are missing at
Barcelonita. Seven residents were
killed. At Cayey the death roll is at
least ninety.
1t is impossible to estimate the loss
of life and property in the country dis
tricts. Every river is still swollen, and
passage is well-nigh impossible. Crops
are totally destroyed. Children are dy-
ing by hundreds from starvation and
exposure. All the people are flocking to
Bayamon for food and shelter
courier has just arrived from va
bucoa. He says the town was demol-
ished by the storm. Already eighty
bodies have been recovered. 1t is esti-
mated that 200 persons perished. Many
were wounded.
Medical assistance is scarce in all
parts of the island. What makes the
present distress greater is the fact that
month ago all public improvements
were stopped, owing to lack of appro-
priations. Thousands of persons were
then thrown out Of employment. Re-
newal of public works would be great
relief, as many planters and merchants
are ruined and cannot give employment.
General Davis says the latest reports
show the disaster greater than he antic-
ipated, and extends over the whole is
land. He is doing everything in his
power to alleviate suffering, and has
every confidence in generous results
from his appeals to the American peo-
pie. Where possible troops that lost
shelter in the hurricane have been Or
dered to San Juan. Mayaguez is suffer-
ing but slightly. All vessels in the har-
Dor are ashore.
RELIEVING THE NEEDY.
Washington, August 16.-Appalling
conditions existing in Porto Rico We're
made more fully known to the war de-
partment to-day by General Davis in a
dispatch which says the deaths outright
in the island will reach 1000, while
many are dying daily from injuries and
privations. The general adds:
DRY split peas are very acceptable.
Canned peas involve too much trans
portation in proportion to nutriment
but can be used near the seacoast, al
though there is much destitution in the
interior, and deaths are occurring from
lack Of food. 1t will mot be possible to
reach those points with packs before
next week, for in many cases roads and
rails are so destroyed that only men on
foot can get to and from those districts.
Stores coming on the Mcpherson will be
in time, for I am supplying the most
pressing needs at all accessible points
with stores now on hand. So great is
the destruction of roads that there is no
communication yet with one-third of
the island. The commanding officer of
each Of the twelve posts Is inspector of
relief for his district, and he has de-
tailed man in every municipality for
collecting data and relieving the most
pressing needs. I have furnished each
inspector funds and given authority to
issue food from army supplies. One SOL
dier died of injuries; others injured will
recover. A great many wagons were
overturned and broken, but are being
repaired. Many thousands of private
cattle and horses were drowned. The
larger part of deaths of natives are
from drowning"