New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-17
STORIES OF DEVASTATION.
PASSENGERS ON THE PHILADELPHIA
DESCRIBE THE WRECK NEAR PONCE.


on the Red q Line steamer Philadelphia which
arrived at this port yesterday several passen-
gers who were eyewitnesses OF the devastation
caused Ponce Porto Rico. and the surrounding
country by the re ent hurricane and floods Cap
tain Warren VI Hopkins formerly OF the Red y
Line who was In the service o. the Government
during the war. formed Of party who during
the time the Philadelphia lay off Ponce traversed
the three mics OF country between the coast and
the town Of Ponce To I Tribune reporter Captain
Hopkins yesterday gave a graphic account Of the
terrible havoc wrought by the storm.
The first thing We noticed" he said. when the
Philadelphia entering the harhor. was that all
the buoys had been washed away, and that all the
vessels which had been at anchor had been driven
ashore There we're one American schooner
beached two Spanish brgs. big sloop. three
or four coast schooners and several lighters. At
? o'clock on the afternoon ~ the 10Th We left the
ship at Ponce Playa 10 drive TO Ponce itself which
lies about three miles inland. At Ponce Playa all
tho storehouses had been flooded. the sugar had
been dissolved thousands of bags OF coffee spoiled
and business entirely At standstiL The
quartermaster's store, which built OF iron and
zinc. strong enough 10 withstand the water
and wind. and had collapsed. The beer cellars, the
eating houses and. in fact. all tho shops in Ponce
PLAYA were washed out
we drove in the carriage toward Ponce As Tar
as tho Portuguese River. Here We found that the
"
Rican campaign had been carried away bodily. and
We were compelled 10 cross the river in boats. We
continued up the turnpike road In the direction or
Ponce Al the way 70 the town this road nad
been lined with houses both sides. hut almost
every one Of them lay in ruins ! forgot 10 mention
that while crossing the river found floating the
body ~ white man. with dead child cdsped
IN his arms We drew the two bodies to the bank,
and subsequently they were taken m a wagon 10
the cemetery and laid out for Identification. In
this cemetery we saw 37s bodies awaiting iden-
tihcatiou and parties were still AZ work along me
river banks hunting for more victims oil ne 1000
we reached the square just as compd"l 81
United States cavalry had been called ouf 70 SUI
due a riot II seems the people wanted 70 Hnch tne
Alcalde or Mayor Of Ponce. for the tpathy NJ
had displayed during and after the nood ane tJi
his utter disregard OF the suferngs OF the lnna
tsnts Of the CITY. The people were not only mousse
less and hungry. but they were in want OF WeLer
also In consequence OF me mains Mans d,ars in
Although there were several thousand dollsrs IN
the CITY treasury available for relief purposes me
MAYOR had remained inactive. and had dttemple
20 DO nothing 70 alleviate the general distress re
AZ last the citizens. becoming enraged az "nas
they termed mis- inhumanity. rose up against ana
ultima tely the crowds were dispersed Among the
many public buildings which had Deen damaged
was the theatre. the roof OF which had oeeh down
away. . ,-Lo,.
The sufferings o. the people are intense. They
are not only hungry but thirsty, and in many
cases they have lost everything that belonged 20
US on the steamer saved nothing except JusI ma
he stood up In and Il cuff button. She storm came
upon the inhabitants while they were sleeping
and in their alarm and their hurry 70 seek -alety
tbev were unable to save anything The nerceness
OF the winds and the extent OF the floods may ne
gagged from the fact that three houses with thelt
occupants were carried bodily TO sea and nothing
has been seen Of them since All three tdmlIes
were undoubtedly drowned