Is A Growing Horror

IS A GROWING HORROR

Havoc Wrought in Porto Rico by the Tornado That Swept the Island.

DEAD WILL NUMBER THOUSANDS.

Gen. Davis Says That Later Reports Confirm All Previous Statements and Show Them to Have Been Conservative—Reiterates His Estimate of 100,000 Destitute People and Hopes the People Over Here Will Bestir Themselves in Going to the Rescue. 

Washington, Aug. 14.—Two dispatches from Governor General Davis, of Porto Rico, giving additional details of the fearful havoc wrought by the hurricane of last week were received at the war department yesterday. They were immediately sent to Secretary Root who already has taken measures for dispatching relief to the people of the island, and is being seconded by all the cities and many of the towns of the country. He thinks it is the duty of the government to make provision for feeding the people until the aid voluntarily given by the citizens of the country reaches them. The secretary will issue an appeal to the governors of the states with a view to arousing general interest in the relief work.

Twenty Per Cent. Is Desolation.

The following is the first dispatch. received from General Davis. It is dated at San Juan: "The true state of affairs throughout the island not yet known because of total destruction of all telegraphic connections and great destruction on all roads. Not more than one-fourth towns yet heard from, but enough is known to warrant the statement that one-fifth of the dwellings in the island are totally destroyed and their owners are without any shelter whatever, or any food beyond what has been saved from the debris. The coffee crop and most of the trees are ruined, and thus reliance for support is gone. Fully one-third of the people subsist entirely on fruit and a small degree on tubas. All the former is destroyed and much of the latter are rotting in the ground.

May Be Thousands on the Death Roll.

"The deaths from falling walls and drowning will number more than 1,000, and may be several times this number. While I have not yet full data I repeat the estimate that at least 100,000 people are homeless and destitute. I fear extensive issues of provisions will be necessary for several months. I hope the charitable people of the states will contribute food, clothes, medicines and money." The second dispatch says that further but incomplete reports confirm previous reports as conservative.

Press dispatches show that in the city of Ponce alone 300 bodies have been buried and the total dead in the district is placed at 2,000. Arecibo is destroyed, 200 bodies are in the morgue and hundreds are missing. Yabucon, Adjuntas and Humacoa are in ruins and scores are reported dead or missing.