The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-19

Loss Of Life at Hong Kong
Greater Than First Reported.
Damage to Property Stands at
S1,OOO,OOO.
TWELVE SHIPS SUNK.
q Stranded and Half the Native
Craft Went Down.
Shipping Trade Paralyzed by
Lack Of Lighters.
WELYE SHIPS SUNK.

Manila, Sept. 1s.-Latest advices from
Hong Kong state that 1000 lives were
lost during the typhoon and that the
damage to property. public and private.
viii amount to millions of dollars.
Twelve ships were sunk, "a were
stranded, were damaged and one-half
of the >native craft in port were sunk.
The shipping trade has been paralyzed
through lack of lighters.
Storm Was Local.
Hong Kong, Sept. 19.-The typhoon
which swept this port destroying
great number of vessels and causing
much loss of life was of a local nature.
It came suddenly and without warning.
The observatory had predicted moderate
winds. Half an hour after the gun sig
nal had been fred the storm was at its
height. 1t lasted two hours. Most of
the damage done was wrought on the
Kowloon peninsula. The losses are es
timated at several million dollars. over
LOCO sampans and junks are missing
from Hong Kong alone. Wharves were
swept away and houses collapsed. The
military barracks are in ruins.
The steamers Monteagle, Fatshan.
Keungahan, Wing Chai, Hermania.
Castellano, TaEhing, Emma Luyken,
San Rosario, Slava, Pakhong, ,Petariach,
Chumlee, sexta, Sunon, Changsha, Sig
nal and Chinkai Maru are ashore. The
American ship Spitchkock was also
driven ashore as were many of the
launches that run about the harbor The
steamers Kwong Chow, Sanchewng,
sossogon and Honeymoon were sunk.
are partly awash. The British reserve
sloop Phoenix and small gunboat,
the Dongola are ashore. The British
torpedo boat destroyers Moorhen, Robin
and Taku were damaged.
The Sir William Jervois was sunk.
The French torpedo boat destroyer
Froude was wrecked and the Fran
cisQue is ashore. The guns Of the
EToude were saved but three petty Of
GERS and one seaman lost their lives.
A Chinese revenue cruiser is ash ore
and several Indo-Ch3na and Manila
liners narrowly escaped disaster.
The harbor is strewn with wreckage
thrown upon the shore Hundreds of
Chinese boatmen and their families
were saved by the bravery of the police
and civilians, but several thousand of
the Chinese water dwellers must have
perished, many within short distances
of the shore. The losses in lives and
property among the Chinese were ap-
palling. Today the police stations in
Hong Kong are surrounded by Chinese
identifying their dead.
The families OF Hong Kong live
night and day on the sampans and
thousand OF these people are now
homeless.
The Chinese take the disaster calm
ly and show no manifestations Of
one launch that was capsized had
130 Chinese on board. They were all
drowned
The river steamer Fatshan drifted
into collision with the French mail
q q q me- The entire CHINESE
climbed abroad the French steamer
and left Captain Thomas, who was in
jured, one officer and the engineers to
navigate the Fatshan to Shelter bay
where she was blown ashore.
The bishop of Victoria, DR.. J. G.
Hoare was on his way to visit some
neighboring islands when the storm
broke and is reported missing. His
launch has been found floating bot
tom upwards
Many valuable steel lighters have
been lost. Some of them were hurled
ashore Channels will have to be dug
to permit some Of the vessels ashore
to be re1oated. The force of the wind
and waves was such that some vessels
were stranded almost high and dry.
The Japanese steamer Sadamaru
rescued IS natives and one English
pilot as he was approaching Hong
Kong. The English mail steamers
Delhi and Poona escaped damage.
The British cruiser Terrible entered
port yesterday afternoon and reported
fine weather uD to the harbor.
Sir Matthew Nathan, governor Of
Hong Kong. and the authorities are
doing everything possible to render as
/ sistance.
Reports of fresh disasters are arriv-
ing every hour.
Only a few Europeans are missing.
No reports are on hand to show how
the fishing fleets and the ships outside
the harbor Jared.
Public opinion is incenesd at the
observa tory for not reportil z the ap-
proach of the typhoon. Al. inquiry
has been demanded. For years past
the observatory has been subjected to
adverse comment, but on this occasion
| it is not believed to be blamable.
Damage to French Boats.
Paris, Sept. ia cablegram from
the French admiral at Hong Kong con-
Arms the news OF serious damage to
the French torpedo boats F'roude and
Francisque during the typhoon. Five
/ members of the crews of the torpedo
boats were drowned and several in
| jured.
Wire Service Interrupted.
New York, Sept. 19.-The Commercial
| Gable company received notice today
that the land lines to Canton and Swato.
| China. are interrupted. It is supposed
these lines were damaged by the