Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-08-08
HORROR HAUNTS
C|TY's STREETS
AFTER TYPH0ON
Casualties Estimated at
10000 at SWatoW,
China; Hundreds of
CorpSeS in Debris.
OBy The Associated Press)


sociated Press with casualties
now estimated at 10000, detailed re-
ports are revealing the full extent
of the typhoon and tidal wave
which last Wednesday swept the
port of Swatow, 250 miles north of
here.
Two British steamers have been
reported ashore and today it was
learned that a third, bound from
Hong Kong to Shanghai, was
wrecked but her passengers were
saved.
Desolation hovers over the ruin
ed city and horror haunts its
Streets
In the native quarter hundreds
of corpses and the carcasses of |
animals are mingled with the
debris. Human remains protrude
from the uncleared wreckage. 1t
Is estimated that more than 75 per
cent of the city's buildings were
destroyed, including the silk knit
ting factories and the old German
consulate.
The American consulate and The
standard Oil companys godown, or
warehouse, were slightly damaged. |
Attempt to Loot Wreckagea
Ghoul-like, some Chinese at
tempted to loot the wreckage bat
the native police stopped this
promptly. A Swatow Chinese
newspaper, however, reports that
lawless elements raided the houses
of typhoon victims and held upl
passersby for plunder.
The police frustrated an attempt
to loot the office of the Banque
lndustrielle de Chine, arresting
two men. .
At midnight Wednesday fire
ting it and adding to the terrifying
experiences of the inhabitants.
The destruction was almost CON-
plete with the exception of the
Chinese postoffice, new three
story building. No building es-
capped damage.
To all appearances Swatow is
! the scene of a war-ravaged town
l-one heap of ruins The tidal
wave which swept the bund, OF
road along the harbor at the
height of the typhoon, Inflicted
considerable damage to the water
| front buildings. Losses were heavy
| in this district.
The British in Hong Kong have
lremitted $4,000 to the British
consul at SWatoW and are ship
ping rice for distribution among
the homeless and destitute. The
Swatow municipality charitable as
sociaticn Is rtising subscriptions
for a relief fund.
| Corpscs and Carcasses.
The captain of the steamer
Hsinwah arriving here today from
Swatow told the Associated Press
correspondent that his vessel, fiji
teen miles before reaching Swatow
from Shanghai, encountered
corpses and carcasses floating on
the ebb tide. No wreckage was
seen this far out.
on Double island, which is the
summer resort of Swallows foreign
community and the residence of
| pilots,y not single house was in
tact. Inside SwatoW harbor the
boats that took refuge there pre-
sented one mass of intricate, va
ried Wreckage. The refugees had
been caught like rats il traps and
corpses floated in a promiscuous
heap. The stencil was unbeara-
BILE.
The captain landed and walked
as far as the ships godown, but
did not unload the HsInwah car
80. He confirmed the descrip-
tions of the city's almost complete
destruction.
/ Miraculous Escapes.
| Three Catholic sisters in charge
of the Ursuline convent at Swa-
tow, one of them British, the 9TH
ers French Canadians, had mirac-
ulous escapes from the tidal wave
lthat followed the typhoon, accord
ing to advices received here by the
procurator of the Missions Estran-
ceres de Paris from Bishop A.
Payssac of the Mission Catholique,
lSwatoW.
The Catholic church and mission
building successfully weathered
the typhoon but the compound
wall collapsed before the onrush-
ing waters. The terrific wind car
ried away the roof of the Ursuline
convent and the three sisters in
charge who had arrived at Swa-
tow only a fortnight previously, |
were caught by the flood as they
were making for safety in the cell
lar.
One of the sisters clung to the
church yard gate while a second
was carried to comparative secur-
ity on the floating roof of near
by, building upon which she had
scrambled.
Floats ON Drifting Bed.
The mother superior, Sister |
Mary Rosary, floated on a drift
ing bed until daybreak and had
been given up as drowned when
she was found by two Chinese
Christians and brought back to the
mission compound.
All the church vestments, the
personal belongings of the inhabi-
tants of the convent and the equip
ment of, the school were carried
away by the wind and water.
No word has been heard from
the Catholic missions at Chao-
chowfu and Kityang and it is
feared they have been wrecked.
The Chinese Christians living in
one seacoast village reported to
Bishop Rayssac that two hundred
persons in the community had
been drowned.
WANT VALUATIONS CUT