Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-18
iTOWNER PUTS BAN
\ ON MILITARY RULE
Porto Rico Governor Says
Move Is Not Necessary.
Citizens Protest.
By the Associated Pre~~.


SAN JUAN, Porto Rico. September
1S.-The United States destroyer
Gilmer, bearing Henry NJ Baker,
national relief disaster director of
the Red Cross. and five assistants,
arrived at San Juan shortly after
noon today
Mr. Baker at once went to the
office of Gov. Horace Towner to con-
fer with him on relief measures.
The relief director met mission
from the Virgin Islands and assured
the members that he would visit
there as soon as possible after max
ing relief survey of Porto Rico. !.
BY the Associated Press.
SAN JUAN, Porto Rico, September
I8.-Despite the insistence of citizens
that martial law affords the quickest
and most effective means for allevlating
distress and inauguratin proper sani-
tary measures to overcome the erect
of last weeks hurricane. Gov Horace
Towner today advised Washington that
he did not believe the situation called
for so drastic measure.
The citizens complain that while San
Juan still has last Thursdays garbage
and later accumulations in the streets,
and all available man power is needed
for sanitary measure as well as for
clearing roads in the interior, large
forces of convict laborers today con-
tinue to Law sod in the new public
park here and to repair the damaged
wall of the governors palace.
Further check of the storm ravages
showed that the estimated property
damage of $l00.000,000 was not ex-
eggerated. A rehabilitation of the list OF
dead and injured was started, with no
indication that the total of 1000 killed
would be diminished.
Many Homes Raced.
The greatest property loss. he said,
would be in the Puerta de TERRA dis
trict. in the fats between San Juan
and Santurce. There the thousands
of thatched homes of peasants and
workers were destroyed.
Il never saw such wind" he said.
at blew at its greatest force without
stopping for two and half hours" He
described the coffee crop as one of the
biggest in the islands history, with
is a total loss" he said. Il should
place it at not less than 100000
although most of the planters were
protected by insurance under loans
granted by the Federal land banks.
while the planters themselves may
be partly reimbursed, the loss of the
~uffee plantations means that between
100000 and 100000 peasants who de-
pended upon picking coffee berries,
will be out of employment until jan
uary. when they will have the cane
reaping to fall back upon.
1T is these people. who will have to
be looked after; assistance in rebuilding
of their homes, as we'll as food"
The broker estimated that 80 per
cent of the fruit and shade trees on the
island were destroyed and that the
homes of 10 per cent of the 10000
peasants were wrecked.
Hotel Roof Blown OFF.
H. Reuter- Of Clifton, N. j.. who was
IN the Palace Hotel in San Juan when
the hurricane howled down upon the
city, said the roof of the five-story
hotel was blown off in parts and fell
crashing into the street.
j. N. Bieberman, member of the New
York manufacturing firm of Bieberman
e. Co., another passenger, said the wind
in all the windows of the Con-
dado Vanderbilt Hotel, racing through
the rooms and corridors The 25 guests,
he said, found refuge in the barber shop
and managers office
Latest reports of the number of dead
IN the hurricane from only % of Porto
Rico's n towns place the fatalities at
more than 800, with all the details even
from these places still incomplete.
Little has yet been heard from the vast
mass of the rural population, from which
the actual figures may never be re-
ceived.
The towns thus far reporting dead are
as follows: GALES, 3; Junctos, L; Tru-
jiloalto, l. Manati, l.; Aibonito, 49,; |
Juanadiaz. i; Ponce, S; Maunabo, q;
Cieba, q Camuy, /; Toaalta. 4: Fajardo,
3; Dorado, /; Vegabaja, S; Naguabo 10;
Gurabo 8; Utuado, IL; Humacao, so;
Hatillo, 2; Viequez, l; Guayama, 60;
Cayey. SO; Las Piedras, S: Arecibo, Is; |
Aguadilla, 10; Generic, %; Barranquin-
taS, 8, and Coamo, 9.