The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1906-03-09
THOUSANDS PERISH
ON TAHITE and ADJACENT Is.
LANDS DURING STORM.
Several Have Disappeared-Damages
Are Placed at $4,000, ooo-Hurriean
Appeals for Help to United States
Government for Aid-Many Suffer.

The San Francisco Evening Post
states that 10000 persons persisted
during the storm on Tahiti and ad-
jacent islands, several of which, it's
account says. have disappeared. 1t
places the damage at 100000. 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 o'clock in the day,
and the sailors had to be dashed 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 TahlA
Breadfruit, coeoanut, 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 fol
aid for 500 British subjects. Some
Americans have sustained heavy
losses, and probably there will be 9
few instances of utter restitution. The
Americans are hopeful of securing
help from the United States. Money
and not food is required.
The hurricane reached the velocit,
of 100 miles an hour. 1t struck the
islands about midnight on February
z, and continued until about 4 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 T. the sea began to breal
heavily over the reef; the waves IL
the harbor washed over the quay
There was no wind. Toward 10 o'clocl
people dwelling in the vicinity Of thu
water front were compelled to aban
don their homes, securing, as rule
only a small part of their belongings
The merchants and clerks went to tn
stores and warehouses, only to dis
cover that it was quite impossible t.
save goods on the lower floors. Al
hour later high seas broke, complete
ly demolishing the government sill
and buildings, besides causing grea
damage to the coal sheds. The guar
dian of the arsenal, Teffer Adams, a
expert swimmer, was in the water TO
many hours, and assisted in warnin
and rescuing many persons.
Village of Tarona vanishes.
The village of Tarona, near tn
arsenal, was completely swept away
1t consisted of the mission building
and homes of native converts of tn
Recognized Latter Day Saints mil
sion, formerly under the direction {
Captain Joseph Burton of Californi'
Matters were worse in Papeete tina
in the suburbs. To the west of tn
arsenal along the water front dwell
ing houses and commercial establish
ments were invaded by the waite
which broke at the quay about 10 fes
high, but rushed through the narro
streets many feet higher. The shil
building yards of Captains Petersen
Brown and Ben Chapman were d
stroved ~