The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-03-08

THE HAWAIIAN STAR. WI
any Of the symptoms, we felt perfect.
~ safe during our stay on the island.
MORE DISASTER DETAILS.
February 14.--captaln Willis G..
Motcalf, quartermaster, in charge Of
the Army burial corps at Taal, re.
turned TO Manila last night. He stated
to a Cablenews-American representa-
tive last night that all Of the bodies
that could be found had been buried.
These numbered over 700 and with
those buried in the mud and drowned,
It is estimated will reach at least D.
600.
According to the statement of Cap
tain Metcalf data is Deing gathered
from the last census reports as to the
number of people who lived on the is
land and in towns along the lake
shore. Until those statistics are re-
ceived it will be impossible to make
an accurate estimate.
He said that at least $50 feet on
the northwest end of he island has
been washed away and the stretch Of
land between Subic and Manalog, on
the northeast side, which was a sort
of neck of the islands, is ten feet
under water.
The party comprising the burial
corps experienced many hardships in
their work during the past ten days.
They were obliged to eat their break
fast at a.. m, go without their
lunch and have dinner from z to 10 p.
m.
Tourists in the Way.
February 16.-Dr. Victor G. Heiser
director of health, has returned from
trip of inspection to Taal and the
country round about and reports that
the relief of the injured natives of the
stricken district is we'll under way.
'fThe people who need most as
sistance and cause those who are
working for the relief of the suffer
ers most trouble are the tourists" ex
I planned DR.. Heiser in speaking of the
work of the relief corps. Large mum
bers of these tourists flock in ever!
day, anxious to see all there is to b.
I seen, and they come to the scene un
provided for and then expect their &C
quaintances to look after them.
"The relief corps has all it can pos
sibly do and more, and people goini
to the lake shore or the island Of Taa
ought to go we'll provided with prov
sions and prepared to take care o
themselves with guides if needs be
AS it is they are an incumbrance."
Fumes Are Fatal.
DR.. Heiser is of the opinion tina
the hundreds of people who died o
a the island and on the mainland me
, death as a result of the noxious fume
shot from the the volcano. The
theory upon which Dr. Heiser base
J his opinion is that the volcano emf
v ed sulphurous oxide which was sho
| with terrific force from the side, ar
. parently, of the mountain, and nc
8 straight up into the air It seemed t
< have found an exit from the voIcan
$ at a level that caused It to swee
across the island and tn the mair
: land in a ~" shape killing every
thing in its path. This was foIIowe
by a terrifically hot blast from tn
| same source which sweeping acros
the same territory, carrying the he
mud with it, annihilated every
I thing in the center of the 'V." A
, the "V' spread out the amount @
destruction lessened and the cause G
! the death of those found appeared [
be rather the severe burns received o
= the falling Of the semi.molten rock
! on them which in some cases beat tn
life out of the victims at the sam
time as they burned them.
DR.. Heiser said also that launche
were badly needed. He also mel
: toned the great difficulty experience
Z in securing native labor One launc
f taken down necessitated the service
s of 70 able bodied men to drag it frol
+ Taal to the lake by way of the Pal
S sipit river in which there is but littl
S water. 1t took the greater part of
d day to get the launch to its destins
r ton.
/ DR.. Heiser also stated that thel
e was considerable difficulty in loca