The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-03-05
TEN THOUSAND
REPORTED DEAD
STORM IN PACIFIC OCEAN
SWEEPS SOCIETY
ISLAND

San Francisco, March The Evening
Post states that tO0ol persons psrlshed
during q storm on Tahiti and adjacent
islands. several Of which, it's account
says. have disappeared. 1t places tie
damage at $1,000. 600 These reports
have not been conhrned by the officers
Of the steamer Mariposa which brought
in the news Of the disaster from Pa
peete.
Accounts received today by the As
sociatod Press from tho latter place say
that the most destructive cyclone ever
experienced in the Society and Tuamo-
ga islands occurred on February Z and
S. The damage IN Tahiti is estimated
at S10OO,0OO, ard presumably a similar
amount Of property was destroyed on
the Tuamotu islands. The city Of Pa
peeta was Inundated and about seventy
five buildings destroyed. including the
American consulate and the French gov
eInment building Fears are entertained
for vessels which were cruising near
the Tuamotu islands 1t is feared that
there has been heavy loss Of life in the
lagoons Of Tuamotu Islands, though the
death Of a guardian OF the quaran-
tine static In Papeete Is the only IA
tality yet reported.
The French gunboat Zelee has gone
to the Tuamotu islands with supplies
Of food and fresh water. The British
consul has appealed to his government
for aid for 500 British subjects. Some
Americans have sustained heavy losses.
and probably there will he a few In
stances OF utter destitution.
t,a
velocity Of 10 miles an hour It s,ruck
the islands about midnight on February
and continued until O'Clock on tEt
next afternoon. Tho island OF Anaa
Tuamotu group is believed 20 have
been the center OF the storm.
At Papeete about O'Clock on the
morning of February z the sea began to
bseak heavily over the reef Toward 10
o clock people dwelling in tho vicinity
OF the water front were compelled to
abandon their homes An hour later
high seas broiSe. completely demolishing
the government slip and buildings. be-
sides causing great damage TO the coal
sheds. The village Of Tarona was COM
plctely swept away a settlement about
an eighth Of mile distant, comprised
OF dwellings OF several hundred Cook
Islanders British subjocts) was COM
pletely destroyed Further east, on the
beach road all the houses were swept
away for about half a mile.
Matters were worse In the city OF Pa
peete than in the suburbs. Mrs. Good
INK. an aged American, narrowly es-
capped death, being caught by debris in
her home when it collapsed. The Gus
tom house, the bonded warehouse and
sheds. the postofiice, the house of the
captain Of the port. the police headquar-
ters, a clubhouse, restaurant ami a
barber shop were wrecked.
At Fakarara the natives had to climb
into the cocoanut trees. Mr.. Marcadi
the French resident, put to sea in a
cutter, and after three days reached
Tahiti reporting that the government
buildings. Roman Catholic church and
all the dwellings had been swept away.
He knew OF no loss Of life, but feared
that many would succumb to hunger
thirst and exposure. In addition to the
properly destroyed at Papeete, about an
equal amount is believed to have been
destroyed altogether along the beach
road around Tahiti Scores Of dwell
ing houses were blown down.
Other islands In the Society group
Moorea, Huaheni. Raitta and Tohaa-
are known TO have sustained damages
to the extent o. about $4,000