New-York tribune., 1906-03-04
DISASTER In PACIFIC.


! which was anchored in the lagoon at Makemo.
! successfully rode out the storm
1 Bridges and roads were badly damaged on
the island Of Tahiti. Breadfruit cocoanut. ba-
| mana and plaintain trees were blown down In
great numbers, which will result in hardships
/ TO the natives and materially anece uaoe ioi
! the next three years
The French gunboat Zelee has gone to the
Tuamotu Islands with supplies Of food and
! fresh water The British Consul has appealed TO
1 his government for aid for five hundred British
subjects Some Americans have sustained heavy
/ losses and probably there will be a few cases
of utter destitution. The Americans are hope
| ful OF getting help from the United States
| Money and food are required.
The cyclone or hurricane reached velocity
of 40 miles an hour. It struck the islands
about midnight on February and continued
until 4 O'Clock on the next afternoon. The island
OF Anaa is believed TO have been the centre of
the storm
BUILDINGS AT PAPEETE WASHED AWAY.
About o'clock on the evening of February
the sea began TO break heavily over the reef at
Papeete. the waves In the harbor washing over
the quay. There no perceptibIe wind. Tow
ard 10 o'clock people dwelling near the water
front were compelled to abandon their homes.
most OF them saving only small part OF their
belongings. The merchants and clerks who went
TO the stores and warehouses found that 1t was
impossible 10 save goods on the lower floors.
An hour later high seas broke, completely de-
molshing the government slip and buildings and
causing great damage 10 the coal sheds. The
guardian of the arsenal Teffer Adams.
pert swimmer was in the water for many hours
and assisted in warning and rescuing others
The village of Tarona, near the arsenal,
completely swept away. It consisted of the mis-
sion buildings and homes of native converts
of the reorganized Latter Day Saints Mission
formerly under the direction of Captain Joseph
Burton OF California. The mission house and a
great many houses were carried many hundreds
Of yards and demolished. Not a vestige of the
church remains
settlement sbout eighth OF a mile dis
tant, comprised of dwellings of several hundred
Cook Islanders British subjects). was complete
ly destroyed One American. named Seefeldt
living near that place. had to take TO an adja-
cent swamp. which became inundated, and he
was compelled TO battle with the waves for
many hours. Further east on the beach road
all the houses were swept away for about half
mile.
A FAMILYs NARROW ESCAPE.
At Taunoa the family of Herman Mcneil had
thrilling experience. their home. valued at
Sl5Ooo being badly damaged by strong waves
which compelled the family 10 flee TO a native
house. Frequently the water was up to their
necks and they were obliged to cling TO trees for
safety and support. Where before the storm
there was q frontage Of $50 yards to the sea the
waves cut off the lawn. so that the water now
is within ten yards OF the veranda. Other fine
homes were badly damaged
Matters were worse in the city of Papeete
than in the suburbs. To the west Of the arsenal,
along the waterfront. dwelling houses and COM
mercial establishments were invaded by the
water, which broke at the quay about ten feet
high. but rushed through the narrow streets
many feet higher. The shipbuilding yards of
Peterson. Brown & Benchahman were destroyed
Mrs Gooding. old American woman, narrow
ly escaped death, being caught by wreckage in
her home when 1t collapsed. The lumber sheds
of L. Martin were destroyed. the lumber float
ing far and wide, acting like battering rams
against warehouses and dwellings. The estab-
iishment OF V. L. Raoux, stone structure suf-
fered much damage. Copra and other products
and merchandise were badly jumbled together.
His loss may reach $4,000 Donald & Edenburg
sustained an equal loss. while the Society Com
mercial Del Oceanca, the largest mercantile es-
tabshment in French Oceanica, will lose about
100000 The Oceanic Steamship Company's
wharf was badly wrecked The custom house,
the bonded warehouse and sheds. the postoflce.
the house of the captain of the port. club
house and the police headquarters were wrecked.
AMERICAN CONSULATE CoLLAPsEs.
About S o'clock in the morning the American
consulate, the Oldest structure in Papeete, hav-
ing been built about 1886. collapsed. In the alb
sence of the American Consul. his mother, Mrs.
Doty, supervised the removal of the archives.
She was aided by several missionaries Mrs.
Doty was in serious danger several times. The
records were temporarily stored at the Latter
Day Saints Mission house Mr. Doty's family
also accepted their hospitality. Beyond the
American consulate several government build
ings. including the treasury and storehouseS
sustained great damage.
The British consulate was slightly damaged
Captain Bemah had TO abandon his home with
his family on account of the rush of waters.
The substitute guardian at the quarantine sta
ton at Motauta Island, Papeete Harbor, waved
a lantern for many hours in the night, he and
his wife clung 20 the tops of cocoanut trees in
the midst Of waves that dashed thirty feet high
the island. On shore NJ Andre. the chief
pilot asked Commander Hurbin of the gunhoat
Zeee TO let him have a boat and for the
rescue Of the man and the woman at the Quaran-
tine station Commander Hurbin explained that
he deemed II his duty 10 decline to send his men
on what appeared to be a forlorn hope expedi-
ton. but promised TO let M Andre have a boat
without crew.
NATIVE PRISONERS AS RESCUERS.
NJ Andre requisitioned four prisoners at
the local jail and with them went to the
zelee. AS Commander Hurbin did not wish to
risk the lives OF his crew, to send boat
ashore. the four native prisoners who were
splendid swimmers, went TO the rescue
NJ Marcadi, a French resident on the Island of
Fonaran, put to sea in cutter and after three
days reached Tahiti, reporting that the govern
ment buildings Roman Catholic church and all
the dwellings had been swept away. He knew
OF no loss OF life. but feared that many persons
would succumb TO hunger. thirst and exposure
In addition TO the property destroyed at Pa
peete. about equal amount is believed 10
nave been destroyed along the beach road
blown down.