The Atlanta constitution., 1900-12-03

New York, November 2S.-Advices have
been received here from Manila that the
island of Guam was visited by terrific
typhoon on November 18th. which wreck
cd thousands of houses. among them be-
ing the headquarters of Governor
Schroeder. The towns of Indrajan and
Terra Foro were swept away and II is
estimated that hundreds of the native
population in various parts of the island
met their deaths. The cocoanut crops
We're rendered absolutely worthless and
the vegeta ton of the island killed by salt
water The storm came up in the FORE
noon and swept across the island with
amazing rapidity.
The United States auxiliary cruiser
Yosemite which was anchored adjacent
to the collier. just In. dragged her anchor
and was driven aground $50 yards from
the reef, her bows being crushed in. y
launch with crew Of five men had pre-
Viously left to endeaVOr to find safe
anchorage for the vessel. the indications
being that the anchors would not hold
where she was. The men We're not safe
after they left the ship ana il is practi-
cally certain that the heavy sea which
the storm kicked up swamped the
launch. The bodies of Coxswain T. Swan
son and Seaman George Anhel We're re-
covered after the typhoon suDsided.
The storm veered around after the
Yosemite grounded and she was driven
off and carried on TO the Somaye cliffs,
where her ruGder and propeller We're
broken. Boatswain Sweeney and twelve
of the crew volunteered TO take a HE
line ashore. \ boat was lowered for TINS
purpose. but 1t was Immediately swamp
ed by a big sea that swept over IL All
its occupants We're carried away from
the boat but they miraCulously succeed
ed i'm reaching the land, after an hour 5
strugsle with the waves. Meanwhile the
mir had become inkN black and the Hose-
mite which had again been blown on
tho land was drifting helplessly before
tho pale which was Moving at the rate
of 100 miles an hour
All hope of saving the cruiser was
,h,ndoned and the officers and crew pre-
,ared Tor the death they thought was
surely staring them III the face. ma
ioritv of the boats had been eithef
smashed or carried out of the daVits ana
,bosc that were left could not accommo-
aata hglf the crew, even 1t II had pee'i
,,o.stble for taem ia live in the no. =
,,,,,,s saas that were by this time run
rinr \ sea anchor had been put out
.,d This held the Yosemite up into the
toctb of the storm and prevented her
fro,n falling into the trough of the sea.
She rose to this anchor and drifted rap
idly until . o'clock in the evening. when
thp weather cleared. The cruiser was
then sixty miles north and forty miles
v,ast Of Guam She had labored. so heaV-
ny that she had sprung a leak ana All
hands. including her commander, Lieu
tenant Brief. and the chief engineer
worked her occasionally in trying TO
clear her OF the water that was pouring
into and rapidly filling the forward com
partments.
After the violence of the storm had
subsidized, efforts were made TO start the
engines They were finally got 10 work
and the Yosemite, with her damaged pro
pellcr, struggled iaudward at the rate oI
two knots an hour. The water kept gain
ing i'm the hold and the ship was grad
ually sinking.
At 1:30 p. m. November 18th. the Jus
tin. which had started in search ot the
Yosemite, picked her up and attempted
To tow her pack to Guam. Two hawsers
were broken and il was then decided that
it was impossible to take her into port
The cruiser was then scutted, after
which she was abandoned, all hands go
ing on board the Justin. The Yosemite
sank bow trst at o'clock and the Justin
stored away for Guam. Paymaster Bal
lard saved $6S000 Mexican money from
the sinking ship.