Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-09-20
T0day's Telegraphic News
ANOTHER HURRICANE IN HONG
KONG.


Hong Kong, Sept. 20-Hong Kong
was visited by another hurricane which
ragged from midnight until daylight.
Considerable damage was caused by the
storm, but nothing to compare with the
havoc of Tuesdays disaster. TIE great
est inconvenience was caused to the
thousands left homeless by the typhoon.
Five thousand is still given as the
estimate OF dead in the typhoon Esti-
mates as to the property loss vary from
81, 900, 900 to $40, 900, 900.
Every hour of investigation of the
extent Of the disaster wrought by the
typhoon which struck this city on Tues
day shows that the storms rayages were
much more extensive than at first sup.
posed. 1t Is now known that instead OF
being confined merely to the harbor.
shore and the island of Hong Kong, the
typhoon swept the coast Tor considerable
distance, and wrought untold loss. Esti-
mates give the total dead at about 5000.
Great fears are entertained today that
the large feet of fishing vessels known to
be outside the harbor when the typhoon
struck has been totally destroyed. II
this is the case, then hundreds of lives
hitherto not included 10 the estimates OF
dead have been lost.
IL is two days since the disaster
occurred, yet no word has come from
the fishing boats. The only construc-
ton which ia placed on this significant
silence is that the boats were wrecked.
Up the Pearl river ia the vicinity OF
Canton the typhoon caused a great deal
of damage, details of which are just be-
ginning to be reported. Scores Of small
river craft persisted in the storm. A
passenger steamer which started from
Canton with several hundred persons
aboard has not been heard from, and its
fate is unknown.
Thousands OF junks, sampans and fist
bottomed river boats, which usually lin
the river front at points given over TO
their use, were destroyed. The Chi
nese lived on these boats, huddled to-
gether like sheep. knowledge that SO
many hundred of these boats we're lost
is what leads to such high estimate OF
deaths being made. No definite list OF
casualties among the Chinese can ever
be compiled. Hundreds Of unknown
persons we're drowned 10 the sinking OF
their houss boats or junks.
Among the Europeans in Hong Kong,
the LOGS of life does not appear to be as
heavy as was at first expected. Cover
nor Sir Matthew Nathan yesterday cabled
the British government his belief thst
only six Europeans had been killed. he
has not changed bis estimate.
Scores of Chinese boatmen lost their
lives by being crushed beneath the little
yea sells when they were lifted from the
water by the wind aud dropped on shore.
Many junks and sampans thus picked
up by the typhoon were hurled through
houses on the land, killing or injuting
many OF the inmates.
An investigation of the observatory is
probable, because no notice was given OF
the typhoon. The observatory had pre-
dicted moderate winds. Halt an hour
after the gun signal had been fred the
storm was at Its height.
launches which have made the cir
cult OF the harbor report the shore is
lined everywhere with the wreckage OF
boats driven ashore and ruined houses.
mall steamers which have made short
excursions up the river or along the
mainland make similar reports.
Hong Kong, Sept. Adjoining as a
climax to the typhoon of Tuesday which
wrought such destruction before it has
been possible to prepare the city to face
another such storm, another hurricane
swept Hong Kong, and vicinity today,
visiting fresh calamity upon the wretched
victims of the former catastrophe and
leaving a fresh trail of havoc in its
wake.
The storm struck the city with
terrific force about midnight and con-
tinued with undated fury until after day
light. 1t is impossible to give an esti-
mate of the number of persons killed,
but it ia now known that many persons
lost their lives. Untold damade was
caused, adding to the total loss caused
by the typhooo.
Hundreds of buildings, weakened by
the typhoon, fell during today's hurri'
canoe. Many Chinese, hurrying through
the streets to seek safety, were caught
by flying fragments and killed or in
jured. Considerable loss Of life was
eau ,ed by the collapse of damaged build
logs on the whsryes and along the water
front where Chinese we're ndered home
less by the former storp bad sought
temporary shelter.
This second storm coming so close
after the typboon, has thrown the
residents into @ state OF panic, They do
not know when another storm may come
and have been driven to desperation by
the fear that other hurricans may occur.
Chinese superstition is adding to the
Juror. There is belief among many of
the natives that Hong Kong is doomed
to destruction and hundreds are seeking
TO leave the island.
Coming In the middle Of the night,
the hurricane did little damage upon the
water. Its rayage, we're iercest 10 the
native quarters along the water front.
There we're few junks or ssmpaus to be
damaged, as they we're lost 10 the pre-
vious disaster.
Just how much damage or how many
lives we're lost, in the second storm can
never be told as the debris from The
typhoon had not been removed and the
wrscksge of both hurricanes is piled to-
gether. Under this debris are hundreds
OF bodies, which have not been removed.