The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-04
CYCLONE IN THE
SOUTH SEA ISLES.
Great Amount of Damage Done to
Property-Loss of Life Small
So Far as Known.
WAVES Go MOUNTAIN HIGH
VILLAGE OF JOSEPHITES IS
WASHED AWAY.

+~t*<<*%*%%%$% ~
+ Evening Post states that 10000 y
= persons persisted during the storm y
= on Tahiti and adjacent islands, =
several OF which, its account says, y
= have disappeared. 1t places the =
damage at $4,000, 900. These reports =
have not been confirmed by the y
r officers Of the steamer MaFiposa, y
which brought the news of the dis =
r aSter from Papeete. y
<<<<<<<<<<<<&
Papeete, Tahiti, Feb IS, via San
Francisco, Cal, March S-The most
destructive cyclone ever experienced
in the Society and TuamOtu islands,
occurred on Feb. and s. The damage
in Tahiti is estimated at 81 900, 900, and
presumably a similar amount Of prop
erty was destroyed on the Tuamotu
islands. The city of Papeete was in
undated and about seventy-ffve build
ings destroyed, including the Ameri-
can consulate and the French govern
ment building. The shipping I'm the
ing to the direction of the wind. but
fears are entertained for vessels which
were cruising near the Tuamotu ISL
ands
1t is feared that there may have
been heavy loss of life in the Iagoons
of the Tuamotu islands, though the
death Of the guardian Of the quaran-
tine station in Papeete is the only
fatality yet reported.
Waves Sixty-Five Feet Hiqh.
The schooner Papeete was sub
merged for an hour near Anaa. Tua-
motu- Her captain. Philip MichaefIi,
estimated that the waves We're sixty
five feet high 1t was impossible TO
see twenty feet away at o'clock in
the day time, and the sailors had to be
dashed TO the vessel. NJ Marcadi. a
French resident at Faharana, Tua-
motu islands, abandoned that place in
small cutter after all the govern
ment buildings and dwelling houses
and Catholic church were swept away.
Many of the natives climbed cOcOanut
trees, others put out to sea I'm small
boats. The schooner Ina, which was
anchored In The lagoon at Makemo,
successfully rode out the storm. Max
emo was badly washed.
MANY close Calls
Many narrow escapes from drown
ing have been reported Bridges and
roads were badly damaged on the ISL
lend OF Tahiti. Bread, fruit, cocoanut.
banana and plantain trees were blown
down in great numbers, which will re-
suit in hardships to the natives and
materially affect commerce during the
next two or three years. The French
EyIInhR3f Za1ea Ia zyf1y7a RI
motu islands with supplies of food and
fresh water. The British consul has
appealed TO the United States govern
ment officials for aid for 500 British sub
jeCts- Some Americans have sustained
heavy losses and probably there will
be a few instances of utter destitu-
tiCn. The Americans are hopeful of
securing help from the United States.
Money and not food is required.
Reached Great Velocity.
The cyclone or hurricane reached
the velocity Of 120 miles an hour. It
struck the islands about midnight on
Feb. Z and continued until about
o'clock on the next afternoon. The
island of Anae, TuaInotu group, is be-
lieved to have been the center OF the
storm.
AT Papeete, about 7 o'clock on the
evening OF Feb. Z, the sea began to
break heavily over the reef; the waves
in the harbor washed over the quay.
There was no wind. Toward 10
o'clock popIs dwelling in the vicinity
of the water front were compelled to
abandon their homes, securing as a
rule only a small part Of their belong
ings. The merchants and clerks went
to the stores and warehouses ONLY TO
discover that IL was quite impossible
to save goods on the lower floors. An
hour later high seas broke, completely
demolishing the government slip
and buildings. besides causing great
damage to the coal sheds. The guard
ian of the arsenal. Teffer Adams, an
expert swimmer. w3s in the water for
many hours, and assisted in warning
and rescuing many persons.
Village Swept Away.
The village of Tarona, near the
arsenal, was completely swept away.
It consisted OF the mission buildings
and homes of native converts of the
recT ganized Latter-day Saints mis-
sion, formerly under the direction of
Captain Joseph Burton of California.
The mission house and a great many
Houses were carried off a distance of
many hundreds of yards and demoI-
ished-
OF the church edifice lot vestige
remains. A settlement about an
eighth of a mile distant, comprised of
DIV eIlings of several hundred Cook
islanders british subjects) was also
completely destroyed.
Thrilling Experiences.
An American named Seefeldt. living
near that community, had to take to
an adjacent swamp, which soon be
came inundated, and he was compelled
to battle against the waves during
many hours. Further east on the
beach road all the houses were swept
away for about half a mile. At
Tsunoa the family of Herman Mcneil
had a thrilling experience. Their fine