The Western news., 1906-03-07
THOUSANDS PERISH
ON TAHITE and ADJACENT is.
LANDS DURING STORM.
Several Have Disappeared-Damag
Are Placed at $4,000, o,ooo-Hurrican
Reached 120 MiIes-Britsh Consul
Appeals for Help to United States
Government for Aid-Many Suffer.

The San Francisco Evening Post
states that 10000 persons perished
during the storm on Tahiti and ad-
Jacent islands, several of which. it's
account says, have disappeared. 1t
places the damage at $4,000 900. These
reports have not been confirmed by
the officers of the steamer Mariposa.
which brought the news of the disaster
from Papeete.
The most destructive cyclone ever
| experienced in the Society and Tua-
motu islands occurred on February 8.
The damage in Tahiti is estimated at
$1,O0O,000, and presumably a similar
| amount of property was destroyed on
the Tuamotu islands. The city of
Papeete was inundated and about IS
houses destroyed including the Amer
lean consulate and the French govern
ment building. The shipping in the
harbor of Papeete escaped injury, ow-
ing to the direction of the wind but
fears are entertained for vessels which
were cruising near the Tuamotu isl
ands.
| The schooner Papeete was sub
merged for an hour near Anaa, Tua-
motu. Her captain, Philip Michaelli,
estimated that the waves were IS
feet high. 1t was impossible to see
20 feet away at 3 o'clock in the day,
and the sailors had to be lashed to the
vessel.
| Many of the natives climbed cocoa
nut trees; others put out to sea in
small boats. Bridges and roads were
badly damaged on the island of Tah,u.
Breadfruit, cocoanut, banana and plan
tain trees were blown down in great
numbers, which will result in hardship
to the natives and materially affect
commerce during the next two or three
years. The French gunboat Zelee has
gone to the Tuamoto islands with sup
plies of food and fresh water. The
| British consul has appealed to the
| United States government officials for
aid for 500 British subjects. Some
Americans have sustained heavy
losses, and probably there will be a
few instances of utter destitution. The
Americans are hopeful of securing
help from the United States. Money
and not food is required.
| The hurricane reached the velocity
of 120 miles an hour. 1t struck the
islands about midnight on February
7, and continued until about o'clock
on the next day. The island of Anaa,
Tuamotu group, is believed to have
been the center of the storm At Pa
peete, about o'clock on the evening
of February Z, the sea began to break
heavily over the reef; the waves in
the harbor washed over the quay.
i There was no wind. Toward 10 o'clock
people dwelling in the vicinity of the
water front were compelled to aban-
don their homes, securing as a rule,
only small part Of their belongings
The merchants and clerks went to the
stores and warehouses, only to dis
cover that it was quite impossible to
save goods on the lower floors. An
hour later high seas broke, complete
ly demolishing the government slip
and buildings, besides causing great
damage to the coal sheds. The guar
dian of the arsenal, Teffer Adams, an
expert swimmer, was in the water for
many hours, and assisted in warning
and rescuing many persons.
Village of Tarona Vanishes.
The village of Tarona, near the
arsenal, was completely swept away.
1t consisted of the mission buildings
and homes of native converts of the
Reorganized Latter Day Saints mis-
sion, formerly under the direction of
Captain Joseph Burton of California.
Matters were worse in Papeete than
in the suburbs. To the west of the
arsenal along the water front dwell
ing houses and commercial establish
ments were invaded by the water
which broke at the quay about 10 feet
high, but rushed through the narrow
streets many feet higher. The ship
building yards of Captains Petersen.