Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-11
GREAT STORM DAMAGE
Havoc Wrought by the West
Indian Hurricane,
HUNDREDS OF LIVES LOST.
Towns Wiped Out and Whole Islands
Devastated.
GREAT DISTRESS SURE TO FOLLOW
sppeaIs for Aid from Porto Rico and
Other IsIands-United states Sol
diers Injurcd-storm Due ut Nassau
To-Day
GREAT DISTRESS SURE TO FOLLOW
To-Dn "


SAN JUAN DE PORTO RICO, August
lO-A hurricane broke over the south
coast at l o'clock Tuesday morning and
swept northeast There was nc abate-
ment for nine hours, the greatest damage
being done between and 10 o'clock A. NJ.
The wires are down. and communication
with the interior was for a time impOssi-
bic. 1t is now chiefly carried on by cou-
riers.
At san Juan four natives were drowned
in the harbor; eighty houses were demol-
ished and hundreds were unroofed; the
damage to property is estimated at $780,
COO and commissary stores to the value
of 5000 were destroyed.
PONCE ALMOST DESTROYED.
A dispatch by cable from Ponce, sent
at 10 o'clock this morning, says the town
was almost destroyed. Almost all the
frame buildings are down. The bridge is
swept away, and there is no communtca-
ton between the port and the city proper.
The damage to the port is estimated at
$4,000 Two natives are known to have
been drowned The records and property
Of the custom-house are ruined, and all
the vessels are ashore.
At Aibonlto very little remains stand
ing except the cathedral and the bar
racks. Four natives persisted, and three
United States soldiers were badly in
iured As the town is without food. gov
eminent relief has been dispatched
thither.
SOLDIERS INJURED.
FL Caey was levelled TO the ground, 300
houses being demolished. Two United
states soldiers were injured there and
many cavalry horses killed.
At Catano the entire plant Of the Stand
ard oil Company was ruined. The loss
on the property is 100000.
At Bayamon a majority Of the houses
were destroyed and the rest were flood
ed. TWO hundred cattle were killed, and
the railway was seriously damaged.
The village Of Carolina was literally
RACED.
At Caguas four persons were killed.
A 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
10 property is estimated al 10000, but
this is the least item i'm the disaster.
HUMACAO WIPED OUT.
The courier brought an official report
from Captain Eben Swift of the Fifth
United States Cavalry, who says; "Hu-
macao was totally destroyed by tho hur-
r.cane. Forty-siX bodies have been re-
covered, and there are many more in the
debris. Eight privates Of Troop were
inJured-two fatally. Sergeant King. OF
the Eleventh Infantry. was injured.
North. a discharged private, is missing.
At the port Of HumacaO eight bodies have
been recovered. Eight hundred persons
are starving here:'
Al Las Piedras five persons We're killed.
Couriers from other districts are anX-
iously expected at the Palace.
The steamer Slocum, Captain Thomas,
en- route from Mayaguez To San Juan,
was caught i'm the storm. but her pas
sengers and crew were saved through the
heroism Of Mr.. Singleton, the first officer.
CROPS RUINED.
The coffee crop is ruined. and the loss
Will reach millions. Great injury has
been done also to the orange crop.
80 definite returns have yet been re-
ceived from the southern section Of the
island apart from Ponce. II is certain.
however, that the food supplies in the
stricken districts have been destroyed.
and i'm these quarters the quantity of
government stores on hand IS small Re
lief wagons viii be sent out tomorrow
In various directions.
General q. ". Davis. che Governor
cabicd TO the War Department an appeal
for assistance.
APPEAL FROM MONTsERRAT.
ST. THOMAS, August l0.-As later adj
vices come In from Moutserrat, it is
seen that the first reports conveyed only
"A faint idea Of the sufferires OF the peO-
pie and their deplorabie condition. The
administration appeals for help.
At Pointe "a Pitre, Island Of Gaude-
loupe. immense damage was wrought, and
according 20 a report not yet confirmed,
l02 persons were killed.
In the Island Of -. Croix, the largest
Of the Virgin Islands. the destruction was
appalling. 1t was chiefly wrought at the
west end where the smaller houses are
a tangled mass Of wrcckage. Thirty per-
sons were killed. and the inhabitants are
in great distress.
STORM HEADING FOR NASSAU.
WASHINGTON. August l0.-The West
India hurricane which has been raging
since early I'm the week has been lost for
the time being in the waters 90 the north
OF the eastern extremity OF cuba, where
the Weather Bureau officials reported 1t
this morning.
II il keeps in its present course tho
storm will reach Nassau in the Bahamas.
tomorrow It's progress has been very
slow. averaging about five miles an hour,
with a diameter appr0Nimating probably
800 miles. Warnings have been sent 10
cities on the South Atlantic coast, on the
northern coast OF Cuba and in the Ba-
hamas. advising that all shipping remain
in their harbors until the storm has pass
ed.
TURKS ISLAND EXPERIENCE.
KINGSTON. JAMAICA. August 10
Turks Island reports that the cyclone
passed during the night. after doing
trihing damage. The centre of the dis
turbanc6 is apparently progressing north
ward towards the American coast.
MONTSERRAT LAID WASTE.
ST. THOMAS, DANISH WEST IN
HIIe Auouct "a pbe leland - Nontsar-