The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1903-02-14
OVER 1000 LIVES WERE LOST
TIDAL WAVE AND HURRICANE ON
SOCIETY ISLANDS.
Also on Tuamotu Group-Death and
Devastation unequaIed - Storm
Ragged Several pays-Eight White
Persons Among the Drowned-sur.
VlVors Are Left Destitute.


fearful loss Of life in a destructive |
storm that swept over the South Sea
islands last month reached here on
the Steamer Mariposa, direct from
Tahiti The loss Of life Is estimated |
at 1000 souls. On January IL q huge |
tidal wave, accompanied by q terrific |
hurricane, attacked the Society Isl |
ands and the Tuamotu group with |
fearful force, causing death and deVas-
tatiOn never before equaled in a land
Of dreaded storms. veriacation Of
mans inability to contend with wind |
and sea.
The storm ragged several days, reach |
ing its maximum strength between |
January IA and January 1s. From the |
meager advices received at Tahiti, up |
10 the time of the sailing Of the Mari |
posa, it is estimated that at least one |
thousand Of the islands inhabitants |
lost their lives. It is feared that later
advices will add TO the long list
The first news Of the disaster ar.
lived at Papeite, Tahiti, January rs,
on the schooner Eimeo. The captain
II the schooner placed the fatalities At
500. The steamer Excelsior arrived
at Papeite the following day with 400
destitute survivors. The captain Of the
Excelsior estimated the total loss OF
life to be 500. Their figures comprised
only the deaths On the three islands
Jf HGo, Hikueru and Makokau, whose
ordinary population is 1900. On Hi
| Sueru island, where 1000 inhabitants
Sere engaged in pearl diving. nearly
me half we're drowned. On an adjacent
ISLAND 100 more were washed out 70
sea Mokemo and Hau are depopulated
| Conservative estimates at Tahiti place
the number Of islands visited by the
idal wave and hurricane at so. All
them are under the control Of the
French governor at Tahiti.
The surviving inhabitants are left
destitute Of food, shelter and clothing
III having been swept away by the
storm.
The French government. upon re
ceipt Of news Of the disaster. took
rompt measures TO relieve the dis
ressed district and dispatched two
Farships. Duranee and Zelee, with
'resh water and provisions. The
italian man Of war Calabria accompan.
ed the two French vessels on their
-rand of mercy. AS the supply OF
-sh water and provisions was to
-.iy exhausted by the storm II Is
feared that many lives will be lost be-
fore the relief ships arrive.
So far as is known eight white Neo
ole were among the drowned. Incl i
ed in these were Alexander Brander
" P. Piunkett of Oakland; T. Donnel-
". formerly a fireman on the steam
ship Australia. and the local agent OF
c. Coppensath. a merchant Of Papeite
added TO this number is an unknown
woman. who committed suicide from
fright.
Climbed the coeoanut Trees.
AS the islands were barely 20 feet
above sea level and not surrounded b.
coral reefs. 1t was necessary for al
The inhabitants TO take to the cocoa
aut trees when the tidal waves began
20 cover the land. These trees grow
to an immense height, many reaching
an altitude Of 100 feet. All OF the lower
trees were covered by the raging seas.
which swept with pitiless force about
and over them. The natives in the
tallest trees were safe unless the Co
coanut roots gave way. and then they.
too. were swept onward. far cut into
the sea.
Swan for Miles.
The 400 survivors brought By the Ex-
celsior to Papeite gained the ships
side by swimming three and four
miles, from the tops OF the ooeoanut
trees. The EimeO. though badly dis
Abled by the storm, also brought OF as
. many persons as could swim to hef
sides. she. like the Excelsior. being
unable to run close to the shores, be
I cause of the fearful violence OF the
, ocean swells, which continued to run
: sbnormally high for a week after the
tidal disturbances.
: Another schooner the Gauloise. from
the Marquesas islands, 500 miles from
Tahiti. encountered the hurricane
a while en- route to the latter place and
! only the timely action Of the captain
. in having the cargo. consisting Of 80
head Of cattle. IS pigs and so tons OF
cotton. jettisoned. saved the little craft
from destruction. Even with this pre-
. caution the life OF one man was lost
, by waves sweeping the decks.
An Act Of Herolsm.
One Of the many acts of heroism re
;. ported is that OF a woman who climbed
|. one OF the tall coeoanut trees and
= dashed her little baby to the branches
> hanging on to the body Of the tree be
= meath the little one as best she could
There they remained for 10 hours
suffering great torture until finally
rescued.
Thousands Of tons Of eopra and ever
: zoo tons OF mother Of pearl shells are
2 known to be lost. The shells are
valued at $500 per ton. and many
+ valuable pearls may now be lost to the
world forever. as these were consid
cred some Of the best pearl islands n
a the world.
Among the passengers on the Mari
= posa today was @. w. Waterbury
formerly Of Chicago. who was in tina
portion Of the storm which visited tn
q island Of Raitea, enc Of the Lsewar'
Islands. losatsa sons distance to ~