The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-03-21
HURRICANE CAUSES HAVOC
Society Islands, in the Pacific Ocean;
Swept by Storm.
K:ep srted That Ten thousand Have
Perlshed-U. S. Consulate
Wrecked.

San Francisco, Calm a hurricane
that swept the society Islands many
lives were lost and the islands Of Pa
peete, Tahiti and Tuamotu desolated,
according to advices received here.
One report places the number of
dead in Tahiti and adjacent islands as
high as 10000 and the property loss at
So,OOO,O0O, but this could not be con-
frmed by officers t the steamer Maj
posa. Which has arrived here from the
scene of the disaster. It is affirmed
beyond doubt. however. that seventy
five buildings in the city of Papeete
alone were destroyed, and greater
havoc was wrought in the suburbs.
The building of the American consul
ate and French Government. building
collapsed and the English consulate
was seriously damaged. It will re-
quire years to restore the islands to
their former state Of prosperity, and q
general appeal for succor has been
made.
Shortly before midnight the tempest
began to rage, the centre of the storm
apparently being over Tuamotu. It
continued with undated violence until
4 o'clock in the afternoon of the next
day. With the first onslaught build
ings rocked and a few seconds after
ward the air was full Of roofs. The
sea washed over many of the principal
cfrQofr Of DoY,ooto until thou wo-n dn1d
ed to the depth of many feet.
When the quay along the water
front gave way a flood rushed in, de.
stroying the s%hipbuilding yards of Pc
terson, Brown &, Benchahman, the
lumber sheds of l.. Martin and a stone
cutting establishment Of V. L. Rauox.
Warehouses also were. wrecked. and
crops and merchandise stored there
are q total loss. The Oceanic Steam
ship Company's wharf was badly dam
aged, and among the other structures
completely demolished were the GUS
toms house, bonded warehouse and
shed, postofice. house, house Of cap.
tain of the port, a clubhouse and the
police headquarters.
The American Consulate, which is
the oldest building in Papeete, with
stood the storm until 8 o'clock in the
morning, when it showed signs of Civ
ing away before the violence Of the
gale. In the absence of her son Mrs.
Doty, aided by several missionaries,
coolly supervised the removal of the
archives; which were temporarily
stored in the Latter Day Saints mis-
sion house. Soon afterWard the Amer
lean building collapsed.
The village Of Tarona was complete
ly swept away. A settlement Of sew
eral hundred Cook islanders, British
subjects, was entirely destroyed, and
one American named Seefeldt, who
lived near by, battled for hours with
the waves before he was rescued.
| Many fnc homes in Taumao were de-
stroyed, including the $4,000 mansion
Of Herman Mcneil, whose family fed
through water up to their necks.
The heaviest loss of life, it is feared,
occurred in the lagoons of the Tuamotu
Islands, the guardian Of the quarantine
station being among those who per-
ished. The schooner Papeete vas sub.
merged near Anaa, and the sailors had
to be dashed to the vessel. All the Gov
eminent buildings and dwelling houses
and the Catholic church in Fanaran
were washed away. All the important
buildings on Motauta Island,were 'de.
stroyed. Throughout the path Of the
storm ,breadfruit, %cocoanrt, banana and
pla1tain trees were blown down.. and
the re:ult will be a tremendous hard.
ship to the natives.
The French gunboat Zelee b; 8 gone
to the Tuamotu Islands with supplies,
and the British Consul has made an ap.
Deal to his Government TO: aid for Brit.
ish subjects. Governor Julien has ap-
pealed to France for sid and the Ameri.
can colony Is hopeful Of assistance from
the United States. The military bar
racks has been made s. temporary re-
lief station.
The islands Moorea, Huaheni, RAFT
tin and Tohaa, Of the Society group,
sustairaL damages to the extent OF
about $100, 900.