River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-08-17
WORK OF A CYCLONE.
Terrible Loss of Life Wrought by e
Storm in Porto Rice.
Number of Victims VIII Aggregate
1,000-sccnes of Terrible De-
strucfion In the cities
and Villages.

and villages.
San Juan, Porto Rico, July 12.-Five
hundred bodies lie in improvised
morgues at Ponce awaiting identified
ton. The deaths in the vicinity OF
Ponce will aggregate 1000. Couriers
from the south who have brought the
governor news of the state of affairs
say that the city of Ponce is scene
of awful destruction.
People Crazed with Thirst.
The flood Of salt water has polluted
every cistern in the city, and mobs
crazed with thirst besiege Gen. Davis,
commanding the American forces in
the island, at every hour of the day,
demanding water, food, clothes and
shelter.
At Humacao, which is AZ miles from
San Juan, over 100 of the 6,7o0 inhab-
itants persisted. The news of the disas-
ter at Humacao reached this place by
a courier who came to ask for assist
ance. He said that besides the terrible
loss of life the city was practically al
most destroyed. All the churches are
reported in ruins.
Gunyama's Great Loss.
At Guayama, village of 1880 people,
40 miles from San Juan, on the south
coast, seven were killed. Twenty were
killed at Cayey, which is little village
IA miles from Guayama, and the wagon
road connecting the two cities is flood
ed with water and blocked with the de-
bris of the destroyed buildings.
The dead in Arroyo, in the southeast
part of the island, and five miles from
Guayama, number 16.
Four Towns Entirely Destroyed.
The couriers bring word that four inn
portant towns have been destroyed en-
tirely by the hurricane-Guayanilla,
town having 600 inhabitants, IA miles
from Ponce; Guanica. village of 1000
inhabitants on the southern coast six
miles from Yauco, which was also de-
stroyed, and Tallaboa, which lies be-
tween Guayanilla and Ponce.
Porto Rico Devastated.
Ponce, Aug. 12.--The worst storm
ever experienced here struck this place
Tuesday morning at nine o'clock and
lasted two hours. 1t came from The
northeast. Ponce was flooded at
midnight and at least 800 persons were
drowned.
Two hundred bodies, mostly those of
poor people and including many chill
dren, have been recovered.
All the buildings are damaged. and
hundreds have been destroyed.
Loss of Life Elsewhere.
San Juan de Porto Rico, Aug. H.
Arroyo, on the south coast, has been
destroyed, 16 lives were lost there, and
the town is still submerged III water.
At Guayamo the houses are still
standing. Seven persons were killed
there. A number of houses We're pill
LACED Squads of soldiers were unable
10 maintain order, and starvation
threatens the population.
Porto Rico, Aug. 14.-Three hundred
bodies have been buried in the city of
Ponce, and it is estimated that 1000
persons were drowned in the Ponce dis
trict during the recent hurricane. The
number of people of the lower
classes lost is not known, but it is GER
tain that there were few fatalities
among the persons of the better class
and none among the Americans. The
work Of clearing away the debris pro-
crosses slowly.
Worse Than First Reported.
Washington, Aug. 12.-The war de-
partment Friday received cablegram
from Gen. Davis, giving fuller details of
the damage done in Porto Rico by the
hurricane.
Gen. Davis says famine is impend-
ing, and asks authority to issue rations
to the destitute.
To Send Relief Mt Once.
Washington, Aug. 18th" ar de-
partment has taken prompt action on
Gen. Davis report.
The army transport Mcpherson has
been ordered to sail from New York to
San Juan and Ponce with supplies to
relieve the destitute in Porto Rico.
Acting Commissary Gen. Weston has
ordered the purchase in New York of
100000 pounds of rice and 100000
pounds of beans to be shipped on the
Mcpherson. Such other food supplies
ttS liidA NC ObAetilItd az thS AAAliN NAN ~
Pherson sails will be sent on that ship.
Montscrrat Completely Devastated
St. Thomas, ID. w. l., Aug. 1.-THE
island of Montserrat, British West In
dies, was completely devastated by
hurricane Monday. All the churches,
estates and villages were destroyed
and nearly 100 persons were killed. In
addition many were injured and rem
dered homeless and terrible distress
exists among the sufferers.
At La Pointe-a-Pitre, Island of Guade-
loupe, immense damage was wrought,
and according to a report not yet con-
frmed, 102 persons were killed. In the
Island of ST. Croix, the largest of the
Virgin islands, the destruction was APP
palling. 1t was chiefly wrought at the
west end, where the smaller houses are
tangled mass of wreckage. Thirty
persons were killed, and the inhab-
itants are in great distress.
War on the Boycott.
Cleveland, o., Aug. 15.-The business