The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-03-16

| fore their occupants could rush 10
higher ground. From sea and land, like
a thanking army that had crept up in
| the night, the elements seem to have
| planned the destruction of Tahiti-this
| and the other islands in that part of
| the world. But, strange to say, only
one life was lost at or near the city of
| Papeete, so far as known, the guardian
of the quarantine station being killed
by the falling walls of the building.
| But in a dozen other islands that were
! laid waste the loss of life must have
| cen very large Not the slightest IN
formation as to the number lost could,
however, be obtained when the Mari
posa left Tahiti, on February 10Th.
$l,OO0,O0O LOST IN TAHITI.
The property damage in Tahiti is es-
timated at Sl,000,000, and an equal
amount of damage is believed to have
been sustained on the islands Of the
Taumotu group. Seventyfve buildings
were inundated at Papeete, including
| the American consulate and the French
| government building The American
consulate was the Oldest building in
| Papeete, having been built in 1886. The
| Consul. Francis Doty, was absent at
| the time. but his mother, with the as.
sistance of several missionaries, savcn
the archives of the office, though at
great peril to their lives, portions of
the building falling upon them. The
Treasury building of the French Colo.
NAL government, and many storehouses,
suffered great damage. Merchants and
| their clerks hurried to their stores
when the storm broke, only to find that
it was impossible to save anything
The guardian of the arsenal, Teffer
Adams. was in the water for many
hours, and assisted in warning many
persons who might otherwise have been
drowned. The village of Tarona, near
the arsenal, was completely swept away.
| 1t consisted of mission buildings and
homes of native converts of the re.
organized Latter Day Saints Mission,
| formerly under the direction of Captain
| Joseph Burton of California. A settle
ment about an eighth of mile distant,
| consisting of dwellings of several hun
dred Cook islanders, British subjects,
was entirely destroyed. but the inhabi-
tants saved themselves by taking to the
hills.
DETAILS OF WRECK AT
PAPEETE.
An American nance Seefeldt, living
linear that community. had to take to
an adjacent swamp. which soon be-
came inundated, and he was compel
led to battle against the waves dur
ing many hours Farther east on the
beach road all the houses were swept
away for about half a mile. At Tau
roa the family of Herman Mcneil had
thrilling experience. their fine resi-
dence, probably worth $4,000, being
! badly damaged by strong waves,
which compelled the family to flee for
| their lives to a native house. Free
quently the water was up to their
| necks, and they were obliged to cling
to trees for safety and support. While
before the storm there was frontage
of 100 yards to the sea the waves cut
off the lawn so that the water now is
| within ten yards of the veranda. The
, damage to the house amounts to about
/ $4,000. Other fine houses were badly
damaged. NJ. A. Cape, the wealthiest
resident In Papeete, took refuge in one
of his outbuildings until he was able
to secure q less dangerous retreat.
Matters We're worse in the city of
Papeete than in the suburbs. 10 the
west of the arsenal along the water
front dwelling houses and commercial
establishments were invaded by the
water. The offices of the Oceanic
Steamship Company were flooded and
a large iron buoy went crashing
through the establishment back and
forth for several hours.
Deputy Mayor of Papeete NJ. Long
amayino lost not only his house, but
six others. NJ. Poroe lost many of
his buildings. All the dwelling houses
| near the Protestant church were
! wrecked. The British consulate was
] slightly damaged. Captain Bemall
had to abandon his home with his
family on account of the rush OF
water. Another American, Edward
Fritch, was washed out.
COMMANDER REFUSED AID.
The substitute guardian at the quar-
antine station at Motauta island, Pa
peete harbor, was waving a lantern
for many hours during the night, as
he and his wife clung to the tops OF
cocoanut trees in the midst of waves
that dashed thirty feet high over the
island. on shore NJ. Andre, the cher
bin of the gunboat Zelee to let him
8, have a boat and crew for the rescue
+, of the man and woman at the quar-
antine station. Commander Hurbin ex-
: piained that he deemed 1t his duty
TO decline to send his men into what
! appeared a forlorn hope expedition
but promised to let NJ. Andre have d
boat without crew. Pilot Andre
requisitioned four prisoners at the
local jail, and with them proceeded
to the Zelee AS Commander HurbiI
did not wish to risk the lives OF his
crew, even to send a boat ashore, tn
four native prisoners, who We're spen
did swimmers, succeeded in savini
> the man and woman after a heroi
attempt.
At Fakarara the natives had to elm
into the cocoanut trees, although
few Of them preferred TO put to SCI
in cutter boats and anchor their boat
!, as securely as possible in the lagoon!
! Nj. Marcadi, the French resident, pu
, To sea in a ten-ton cutter, and afte
three days reached Tahiti. reportin
that the Government buildings, III
: Roman Catholic church and all IN
! dwellings had been swept away. II
n