Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-08-14
0ne-FiNh Of the Porto Rican Towns
Are Destroyed
SUFFERING Is VERY GREAT.
Deaths from Failing walls aud
Drowning wIil humber More
Than Thousand.

Washington. Aug i3-Two dis
patches from Governor General Davis
Of Porto Rico. giving details OF the
fearful havoc wrought by the hurH-
cane OF last week. were received at the
war department today, These were lm-
modlatcly sent 90 Secretary Root who
already has taken measures Cor disc
patching relief 60 the people % the iai-
and.
The secretary expects tho transport
Mcpherson. with large quantity
of rice ana beans viii leave New York
tomorrow and VIII be followed by vcr.
Hcls aB fast 40 arrangements can boz
made Tor sending supplies, Tie thinks
lt II the duty OF the government to-
make provisions FOR feeding the people
until the aid voluntarily given by the
citizens Of the country rcachea them.
and he will exhaust every means az his
disposal to this cnd.
The SECRETARY c0utcfnplatcs supple
mentlng the appeal made last week to
the mayou 10 assist ia raising SUBJ
uCriptlona and tomorrow viii issue an
appeal to the governors of States. with
a view 70 rousing general interest in
the relief work The dispatches re-
ceiyod from Gen. Davis were sent 20 the
President az Lake CHAMPAIGN tonight
They follow:
FIRST DISPATCH.
San Juan, Porto Rico. Aug. i3.-vla
Haiu.-The true state ot affairs
throughout the island Is not yet known.
because OF the total destruction of all
Geographic connections ana great de-
utruction On all r0ads. not more than
oue-fourth " the towns yet heard from,
but enough Is known % warrant the
statement that ono-nfth OF the dwell
and their owners are without any shell
ter whatever or any food beyond what
has been saved from the debris
The coffco crop and most OF the trees
are ruined, and thus reliance Tor sup
port 10 gana. Fully onc-thlrd Of the
people pubalat entirely on fruit and In a
small degree on tubas, All the former
b. destroyed and much OF the latter ~
rotuu1 IN tho ground. Great many
Thousands Of cattle are drowned, and
the debris carried down tho rivers ~
strcwn over the ocean with the wreck
OF the storm and tho dead bodies u
animals, The deaths from falling walls
snd drowning viii number more than
thousand ana may be- several times thiB
number.
The state OF distress IN very great.
ana when green fruits saved from tin
debris are consumed the suffering Will
be very great I am relieving the SUE
fcring everywhere In reach ua much nH
possible, Ia 0ut-uf. thc-wuy places uro
many thousands who cannot De- reached
Tor some time. The supplies ordered
sent by the government viii help much,
but viii last only for "a few days while
dcstltutiuu must continue Tor many
weeks, OF some months, until the
bananas grow up from the ground. for
which hvc months at least are needed.
Food OF an kIudp ia needed. especially
rice, beans ana Goldfish, which have been
the main support outside OF fruit
Cheap cotton clothing 10 also needed. Tor
thousand rushed naked from their
dwellings al night when the gale broke.
Medicines ARE also needed most press-
ingly, especially quininc and other sim
liar medicines.
| estimate that AZ least 100 tons 0f
food viii be required weekly Tor acN-
rral weeks, l have constituted boards
al over the island 10 regulate assist
i.ncC, ana a general board here 10 COM
duct the relief work. while ! have not
yet iull data, I repeat the estimate that
AT least 100000 people are homeless and
destitute.
Rcllnf ration proposed. one pound Of
food per day, composed OF seven ounces
OF beans seven ounces pf rice and two
ounces Of goldfish, In addition 10 tho
food ordered by the Mcpherson. I ask
that 1900 tons, above proportions
should be shipped next week Before
this IL consumed ! will have full data
respecting future needs. but ! fear oN-
tcnsiNe issues Of provisions Will be- ucC-
easnty lot several months. ! shall push
work ON the roads and give employment
70 Ne many as possible / hope the char
table prople o. the States viii contrib
ute food, clothes medicines and money.
Col, Hotcr, chief surgeon OF the depart
mcut, 81 chairman OF the relief board.
ard auxiliary boards Hrn organizing IN
an the towns, Five military posts not
yet heard from.
nANHTa