Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-03-19
ISLANDS ARE DEVASTATED
LOSS OF LIFE BELIEVED TO BE FULLY
SIX HUNDRED.
NATIVES MAIN VICTIMS
Storm at Its Height January Ia. IS and 10, and
Details Just ReceiVed-Urgent Need
OF Prompt Relief.

Papeete, March (via San Fran
CiSco) March 16.-The latest intelli'
gence relative TO the hurricane In
TuamotU, or Lower Archipelago, in
dicates that the fatalities will num-
Der 800. The loss of property will be
one-half million dollars. Relief meas
ures have been instituted.
The hurricane and high water last
ed during January ii, Is and 10. At
llikuera, 81 deaths occurred, in
most instances among visitors from
other islands who were there during
the diving season. One hundred and
forty-two deaths are reported from
six other small islands.
On the awful night of January 10,
when in the darkness and a driving
d0wnpour of rain that stung their
faces and naked bodies, the parents
| tied their little children to their
backs and sought safety. Over their
heads rolled the mighty wave, and
when the Surges retreated the infants
and half drowned boys and girls
succumbed. The father and mother
would vainly endeavor to retain the
corpses Of their dead, and at length
had to abandon them. They tied
themselves to cOcOanut trees, and
some at last fell with them. Others
escaped, clinging to trees temporarily
and at other times able to catch hold
Of something else, and so between
the breakers reached safety after
many hours Of hardship.
Messrs. Cheilield and Allen, elders
IF the Mormon church, and Mr.. and
Mrs: Gilbert, Of the Latter Day
Saints mission, in report to the
Emitted States consul give grewsome
"details Of the disaster The Gilberts
ost one shelter when cocOanut tree
ell, but secured another in a high
tump uf a booran tree.
The water, which had all but sub
merged them completely, now only
cached their feet. The wind threat
ned to tear them from their position
lgain and again, and so these Amer
cans passed that awful night. In the
morning the scene of horror that met
heir eyes on every side was harder
TO Cnlure than the terTorS Of the
nighl. Corpses, frightfully mutilated,
we're Strewn about, and there were
iUinn hninnS will IInSinht lu
In some instances only one Of fam
lily survived.
The story of fatality in Morakau,
linety-tive out Of a hundred inhabi-
:ants persisted, is likewise extremely
lad, and so also with regard to the
other islands where death occurred
1t is likely that onc-hfth of the en-
lire population of the Tuamotu group
Succumbed. TO aid the injured
temporary hospital was constructed
and ID. Brunati, acting administra-
tor of the group rendered medical aid.
From the debris were secured tins
foods utfs, but naturally
tn re was a scarcity of such as was
not spoiled or the sixty-six sail
boa is all but one or two had been
totally destroyed and these could not
he sent to Tahiti, distance of near
ly 400 miles. About 1000 survivors
were in danger Of starvation or per-
iShing from thirst or disease. Shell
terlesS, nude, weak and discouraged,
|. is n II be to word red at that a few
Of the natives became looterS of their
goods. However, on the
whole, the order was COmmendable.
1t is to the lasting credit Of the
that the first relief from
thirst came from them in the sug-
gcStion to diStill water The French
was at first skeptical,
but finally allowed them to proceed
with their experiment.
After long search Mr.. Gilbert's
party secured two tanks and some
frames of an iron bed for tubes. and
erected plant. With this primitive
200 gallons of fresh water
were distilled daily for some time.
:, Supplies amounting to twenty
tons sent from San Francisco and
carried free by the steamship Mari
posa, have been transferred to the
f ench gunbaot Xclee to be trans
ported to the destitute natives, The |
merchants here have lost heavily |
through the insolvency Of numerous |
creditors who persisted in the gale. |
The merchants say their loss is more |
han half a million dollars.