The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-03-06

and So, zoo, 900 Damage Was Done.
Papeete, Tahiti, February 18, via
San Francisco, March 3.-The most
destructive cyclone ever experienced
in the Society and Tuamotu islands
occurred on February 7th and 9Th.
The damage in Tahiti is estimator at
81 100000 and presumably a similar
amount of property was destroyed on
the Tuamotu Islands. The city Of Pa
buildings destroyed, including The
American consulate and the French
government building. The shipping
in the harbor of Papeete escaped in
jury owing to the directions of he
wind, but fears are entertained Tor
vessels which were cruising near the
TuamOtu Islands. It Is feared that
there has been heavy loss of life In
the lagoons of TumOtu Islands, though
the death of the guardian of the quar-
antine station in Papeete is the only
fatality reported. The schooner Papeete
was submerged for an hour near Anaa,
Tuamotu. Her captain, Philip Mich
aelli, estimated that the waves were
65 feet high 1t was impossible to see
twenty feet away. At 3 o'clock IN IN
DAYTIME the sailors had TO be lashed
to the vessel. M. Marcadi, French
resident at Faharan, TuamOtu Islands:
abandoned the place in a small cut
ter after all the government buildings
and dwelling houses and the Catholic
church were swept away. Many OF the
natives climbed cOcOanut trees, and
others put out to sea in small boats
The schooner Ina. which was anchor
ed in the lagoon at MakemO, success
fully rode out the storm. Bridges and
roads were badly damaged on the ISL
and of Tahiti Bread fruit, cOcOanuts,
banana and plaintain trees were blown
down in great numbers, which will
result in hardships to the natives, and
materially affect commerce during the
next two or three years. The French
gunboat Zellee has gone to the Tuamo-
tu Islands, with supplies of food and
fresh water The British consul has
appealed to his government for aii
for five hundred British subjects. Some
Americans have sustained heavy losses
and probably there will be a few in
stances of utter destitution. The
Americans are hopeful of securing help
from the United States. Money and
food are required.
The cyclone or 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 afternoon. The
Island of Anaa, Tuamotu group, is De-
lieved to have been the center of the
storm. At Papeete about O'Clock
on the evening of February the sea
began to break heavily over the reef,
the waves in the harbor washing over
the quay. There was no perceptible
wind Toward 10 o'clock people dwell
ing in the vicinity of the water front
were compelled to abandon thelr
homes, saving as a rule only small
portion of their belonging. The mer-
chants and clerks went to the stores
and warehouses only to discover tha
it was quite impossible to save coed
on the lower floors. An hour later higl
seas broke, completely demolishing the
government slip, and buildings, beside
causing great damage to the coat si,eds
The guardian of the arsenal, Teffel
Adams, an expert swimmer, was IN tne
water for r1aG- hours and assisted il
warning and rescuing Others. The vii
1age of Tarona, near the arsenal, vas
completely swept away. 1t consis &c
OF the mission buildings and homo:
OF rative converts of the re-organlzed
latter day saints mission, formerly
under the direction of Captain JOSEPH
Burton of California. The missioI
house, and great many houses wa
carried off to a.distance of many hun
dreds of yards and demolished. 0
the church edifice not vestige re
mains. A settlement about an eight
of mile distance. comprised o
dwellings of several hundred Cook Isl
anders British subjects) was com
pletely destroyed. One American nam
ed Zegeldt. living near that communi