The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1903-02-13
over 1000 LIVES WERE LOST.
TIDAL WAVE AND HURRICANE ON
SOCIETY ISLANDS.


Ragged Several Days-Eleht White
Persons Among the Drownsd-sur.
vivors Are Left Destitute.
San Francisco. Feb. 10.--News OF
fearful loss of life In q 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 1s . huge
tidal wave, accompanied by terrific
hurricane, attacked the Society ISL
ands and the Tuamotu group with
fearful force. causing death and devas-
tation never before eQualed in . land
Of dreaded storms, Q verification Of
mans inability to contend with wind
and sea.
The storm ragged several days. reach
ing its maximum strength between
January IA and January 16. From the
meager advices received at Tahiti, up
to 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 fret news of the disaster ar
rived at Papeite, Tahiti. January ~.
on the schooner Eimeo. The captain
Of the schooner placed the fatalities at
soc. 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
sf Hao, Hikueru and Makokau, whose
ordinary population is 1900. On Hi
dueru island. where 1000 Inhabitants
we're engaged In pearl diving. nearly
me half were drowned. On an adjacent
island 100 more were washed out to
sea. Mokemo and Hau are depopulated
Conservative estimates at Tahiti place
the number Of islands visited by the
idal wave and hurricane at 80. All
of them are under the control Of the
French governor at Tahiti.
The surviving inhabitants are left
destitute of food, shelter and clothing
all 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
yarships, 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
ssh water and provisions was to
lily exhausted by the storm 1t II
feared that many lives will be lost be
fore the relief ships arrive.
So far as Is known eight white rao
pie were among the drowned. Inc.
ed in these were Alexander Brander
". P. Plunkett of Oakland; T. Donnel
ly, formerly fireman on the steam
ship Australia, and the local agent Of
G. Coppensath, a merchant Of Papeite
Added to this number Is an unknown
woman. who committed suicide from
fright.
Climbed the cocoanut Trees.
As the islands were barely 20 feet
above sea level and not surrounded by
coral reefs, 1t was necessary for ali
nut trees when the tidal waves began
TO 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 out into
tho sea.
Swan for Miles.
The 400 survivors brought BY tho Nx-
celsior to Papeite gained the ships
side by swimming three and four
miles, from the tops Of the cocoanut
trees. Tho Eime0, though badly dis
abled by the storm, also brought on as
many persons as could swim to her
sides, she, like the Excelsior, being
unable to run close to tho shores. be-
cause of the fearful violence Of the
ocean swells, which continued to run
abnormally high for a week after the
tidal disturbances.
Another schooner, the Gauloise, from
the Marquesas islands, 600 miles from
Tahiti, encountered the hurricane
while en- route to the latter place and
only the timely action Of the captain
in having the cargo, consisting Of 30
head Of cattle, IS pigs and 30 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 Heroism.
One OF the many acts of heroism re-
ported is that Of a woman who climbed
one of the tall cocoanut trees and
lashed 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 copra and over
200 tons OF mother Of pearl shells are
known to be lost. The shells are
valued at $1,000 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 ~
the world.
Among the passengers on the Mari
posa today was g. w. Waterbury
formerly Of Chicago. who was In that
portion Of the storm which visited the