The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-08-17
FOR NINE HOURS.
The Terrible Hurricane Which
Ragged Over the Island of
Porto Rico Tuesday.
MEAGER DETAILS ARE NOW COMING IN.
The City Of Ponce Was Almost De-
strOyed, Nearly ALI the Frame
Buildings Being Down.
Damage to the Port Estimated At S26O,OOO
There Was Awful Destruction of
Property on the Eastern Coast
Large Number Of Lives Lost.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-THE weather |
bureau issues the following hurricane
bulletin: Hurricane centers apparent
ly approaching Nassau, Bahama. Storm
will increase in intensity upon reach
ing the Gulf stream, and will probably
reach the South Atlantic coast towns
of the United States Friday night.
SAN JUAN DE PoRTo Rico, Aug. Ia
hurricane broke over the south
coast at 1 o'clock Tuesday morning and
swept northwest. There was no abate-
ment for nine hours, the greatest dam
age being done between and 10 a. IN.
The wires were down and communica-
tion with the interior was impossible.
1t is now chiefly carried on by couriers
1t is now said that 500 persons lost
their Ii YES at Ponce during the hurri-
cane. Terrible distress prevails there.
Arreyo, on the south coast has been
destroyed, sixteen lives were lost there
and the town is still submerged in wat
er.
At Guayamo the houses are still stand
ing. Seven persons were killed there.
A number of houses were pillaged,
squads of soldiers were unable to
maintain order and starvation threat
ems the population.
At Abonita very little remains stand
ing except the cathedral and barracks.
Four natives perished, and three Unit
ed States soldiers were badly injured.
AS the town is without food, govern
ment relief has been dispatched
thither.
Ell Cayey was leveled to the ground,
200 houses being demolished. Two
United States soldiers were injured
there and many cavalry horses killed.
At Catano the entire plant of the
Standard Oil Co. was ruined. The loss
on the property is $500, 900.
At Bayamo a majority of the houses
were destroyed and the rest were
flooded Two hundred cattle were
killed and the railway was seriously
damaged.
The village of Carolina was literally
razed At Caguas four persons were
killed.
A message by courier from Humacao
Porto Rico, town of 1000 inha bitants,
reports the complete destruction of
that place by the storm. Sixty-four
persons lost their lives and the injured
number over 200. The loss to property
is estimated at SO, 900, OOo Yabucao,
another Porto Rican town, shared
like fate. Twenty persons were killed.
Three persons were killed at Las
Piedras and five at Junio.
Couriers from the other districts are
anxiously expected at the palace. The
steamer Slocum, Capt. Thomas, en-
route from Mayaguez to San Juan,
was caught in the storm, but her pas
sengers and crew were saved through
the heroism of Mr.. Single, the first
officer. The coffee crop is ruined. and
the loss will reach millions. Very
great injury has been done also
to the orange crop. No definite re-
turns have yet been received
from the southern section of theisland
apart from Ponce. It is certain, how
ever, that the food supplies in the
stricken districts have been destroyed.
and in these quarters the quantity of
| government stores is small. Relief
wagons will be sent out Friday in var
ious directions.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14-The West
Indian hurricane appears to be gradu-
| ally decreasing in strength and the
chances are that it will spend itself
before making much further progress.
This was the welcome news given out
by the officials of the weather bureau
Sunday night. 1t is based on the fact
that there has not been any decided
fall in the barometer in the localities
that should feel its effects, and by the
presence of an area of high pressure
in the northern part of the United
States. which tends to keep the storm
from continuing its onward march.
| 1t is now south of Jacksonville, in.
dicating a slow northward movement
since Saturday night. The bureau has
no wire reports south of Titusville,
Fla, some distance below Jackson
vile, since Saturday night, and moth
ing from Nassau, Bahama islands,
since Friday afternoon. The follow
ing message has been sent to the Phil
adelphia aud New York maritime ex-
changes and to other shipping points:
''Storm still central in Florida, but
with decreased strength. Conditions
safe for vessels sailing north at all
points from Wilmington, N. c., north
ward"
| Gold Certificates
NEW YORK, Aug. 1L-A third lot of