September 22, 1906.]
several – mipang which
were tugging | at their anchors. A minute or so later another crash indicated that the Star Ferry wharf had shared the same fate, the wooden erections being damaged and the matting spread out on the floor of the wharf itself. Neither did Queen's Status wharf escape efther, the effect in this instance being rather peculiar. demolished structure looked as if its supports The had sunk, leaving it much lower in the water than it had formerly stood. Just before half past ten a fierce blast stripped a considerable part of the scaffolding from the Post Office and sent the pieces flying in all directions, but strange to say though there were several pedestrians in the locality no one was struck or at any rate seriously injured by the rain of broken bamboos. Bearoaly had the building recovered itself from this blast when another, apparently more violent, struck it, and with a tremendous report of cracking timbers the whole fell outwards with a loud crash. One of the windows of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company's office was broken. Again it was fort unate that no one was injured, especially as that thoroughfare was being used by people who were venturesome enough to desire to witness the scenes of devastation on that vicinity. The scaffolding at the new Law Courts also collapsed. This seemed to be the calmination of the gale. The wind decreased sensibly and in another half hour the typhoon had spent itself.
A PLUCKY RESCUE.
Of the many rescues which took place during the morning none was more plucky than one effected at Blake Pier. A Chinaman coming down Connaught Road was driven by the wind past Blake Pier. He made a wild dash to grasp the lamp post but struck his head against it and fell over into the water. Mr. H. 8. Bevan witnessed the occurrence and bravely came to the rescue. As he got on to the pier an Indian constable with rare presence of mind undid his turban and snatching an end of this Mr. Bevan jumped into the water and caught the unfortunate man. With the aid of the tur-
ban he was pulled sahore and the injured native was afterwards taken to the hospital.
THE SCENE EASTWARDS.
Eastwards the scene was one of wholesale destruction. Sampans and junks were smashed to pieces on the Praya Wall. Boats and wreck- age were swept by the waves right on the road- way and the wreckage piled in places to a height of several feet. Wharves were destroyed and scarcely anything in the water escaped the
destructive element.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
cleared. Some anxiety was felt as to the fate of the houseboat Marion occupied by Mr. Ramsay and his family but how they fared was not known yesterday. Mr. W. H. Donald lost his thousand-dollar houseboat.
PATHOS EVERYWHERE.
A more pitiable scene could not be witnessed.
the Prays looking sorrowfully at the remnants Hundreds of destitate people wandered along of the boats strewn on the roadway, too much stunned and appalled to realise the extent of turn, while the crying of the homeless children their loss. Weeping women met one at every
population were so stricken as they were yes- was saddening. It is many years since the boat terday.
Gourlay, Mr. Hoggarth, and many others threw Not far from No. 2 Police Station Inspector themselves wholeheartedly into the work of rescue, and many Chinese alive to-day owe that good fortune to the unsparing efforts of these
men.
As
and the Chinese, especially the younger ones, Many brave deeds were witnessed here also, under European inspiration did many things which they might not have attempted had that, influence been absent. In one instance a junk had drifted to the shore, and was being smashed against the side. the vessel rose on the swell the two boys, who seemed its only occupants, were told to jump. The elder sprang ont but the other, hesitating, did not leap until the junk was being carried out by the receding wave. Then he fell among the woodwork, which imprisoned his brother as well. Here they were likely to be crushed by the junk as it was thrown upwards, but another boy bravely rushed forward and at considerable risk separated the timbers and freed them both. This instance is typical of many that were witnessed during that sad morning.
Several junks grounded on Kellett Island junks went down between there and the shore while the steam launch Eva and a number of
AT THE SUGAR WORKS.
¡
was
were
that more heroic measures had to be adopted to secure their safety. No matter how great the danger the Chinese employees were to the front and displayed a bravery worthy of the highest commendation. Barefooted they were able
and the danger to life which was involved, Mr. When the extent of the storm was realised A. Rodger shut down the works and with a praiseworthy unanimity all the employees were engaged in resone work. In this the Chinese took a conspicuous part and showed that their sympathies were quick and that they needed no incentive to obey the obvious call to the duty before them. The seas were dashing with such force on the sea wall that they displaced the solid masonry, while the drifting craft were being Opposite the Blue Buildings sampans were
dashed against the jetty, part of which wrecked by the score and the terror stricken gradually carried away. Standing at this spot occupants, unable to cope with the forces that the men, armed with poles and bamboos, landed beat against them, were drowned, many of the helpless occupants of the many wrecked junks them without attempting to help them and sampans, but so terrorstricken selves. Further
crews on jetties disappeared at numbers of the the onslaught of the waves, but the stone pier at Observation Place proved the death trap to numbers. The small craft, driven helplessly before the gale, could neither pass nor get through this projection and the piles of wreckage, with upturned boats and yachts, told its sad tale of wholesale loss of life and ex. tensive destruction of property. Though countless people must have perished, the number rescued was considerable. Mr. Andrews and the staff of Fenwick and Company with Mr. Forbes and others did service and saved many lives. Between that and the Sugar Works the road was torn up and the metal displaced, while the wreckage of launches and all sorts of craft were piled on the surface, making the roadway impassable. The overhead electric wires were brought down and many of the cars which had just to stop where they were when the current ceased had to with stand the full force of the storm. Still, few if any of them were overturned. Even the telephone standards snapped and fell, while several lamps were blown down. Here also the godowns suffered, three of them having the front blown out, fate which also befell the Seamens' Institute.
YAHTS LOST.
to
in
sheds and
the
185
suffered as much. On the whole it was remark- able that so little damage was sustained in the city itself. A few roofs were partially stripped jalousies were torn from their hinges, flower pots were sent flying, and a few windows were broken, but property escaped in a wonderful manner. On the streets it was a different mät- ter. Ricshas were overturned and chairs were wrenched from the shoulders of their bearers, carried into the air and dashed to the ground. On the Prays a couple of coolies were very out of much astonished when their chair was forced their grasp, lifted upwards, and Pedestrians finally carried into the sea. were whirled off ther feet ar driven before the hurricane when it caught them in the open, while falling debris induced most to leave the middle of the road and keep under the verandahs. The tramway system done to wires and standards, not to speak of the was early brought to a standstill and the damage
cars themselves will take some days to repair. Telephonic communication was dislocated from
an apartment upstairs warmth was imparted by the vacuum pans Suitable nourishment, was provided for the children and the older people were also fed. Had the wind not changed at the time it did
a similar cause.
The streets were in a short time miniature
lakes. The gulleys were unable to carry off the extraordinary volume of water and those who had to make their way along Queen's Foad had to do so up to the knees in water. The Chinese
did not feel at all comfortable in the circums tances and usually waded in pairs. At Murray Barracks and other roadways from the slope the water came with such a rush that the struggling pedestrians were sometimes carried off their feet. Eastwards the residents. were more incon. venienced by the flooding than perhaps those in any other part. The water made its way into the shops along the Prays East and into the houses in the side streets, giving the occupants a busy time protecting their posses- sions. Among the Japanese shop community one or two men were noticed at work in bathing costumes, a garb which was certainly not out of place.
Garden Road was impassable at the lower end
approaches to the Public Works Department being found in Battery Path, while the by reason of the fallen trees, a sîmilar condition
were littered with broken branches.
The ricshs in which Mr. T. Hough was riding while Dr. Harston was thrown from his chair, was overturned, the occupant being injured,
which was blown over.
The matsheds at Mount Austin Barracks were demolished.
The Star Ferry wharf (Hongkong side) having collapsed, later the ferry boats plied from Blake Pier, One of them, with awning stripped, and stanchions bent, showed signs of rough experiences.
A fine tree opposite The Castle, Mr. Brutton's house, was blown down, blocking the road. The two-storey portico of that gentleman's house was wrecked, and the grounds devasted.
Zetland Street, with its sharp decline, was transformed into a cataract, the water from which collected in front of the Connaught
Hotel and the Savoy Store.
stormed at
go where the others could not venture
AT THE HONGKONG HOTEL. with the same degree of safety. Of course Guests breakfasting late were attracted to the Europeans were not idle either, and it is the verandah looking towards the Praya, and not necessary to add that they materially saw the huge wooden roof over the new Post swelled the record of lives saved.
How busy Office building carry away. The gale kept these people were can be imagined when it is ripping out planks here and there, until the stated that at least twenty boats were wrecked structure looked as if it had been " yeoman
here and between 300 and 400 people rescued. by shot and shell." These planks went whirling But their assistance did not end here. Mr.
away like scraps of paper, some dropping far Rodger found shelter for the people in the
out on the sea, others "* boomeranging into various
store rooms, while
neighbouring verandahs.
Passengers and necessary
sightseers on the streets ran great risks. Two policemen passing that way were nearly struck just before the big collapse took place. What was left of the roof lifted and swayed giddily, uprooting or disconnecting its supporting timbers and scaffolding. These crumpled down like a house of cards, making a horrible noise, and the roof followed with a sidewise lurch, slowly, almost gracefully, until it went to pieces with the rest on the street below. One of the big windows of the C. P. R. Co.'s fine office was broken by the flying debris. Thanks to the alertness of the Manager, Mr. Haynes, all was made fast within the hotel in time to avert serious damage. Residents who had stored breakable property on their verandahs suffered rather heavily. The worst damage to the hotel was to a glass-covered corridor joining one wing to another, and used, wê believe, sa a
the damage at this point would have been even
more extensive.
IN THE CITY,
Naturally business was at a standstill. The Star ferries were running in the early morning but stopped after eight o'clock, while residents in the Peak found that their usual means of The yachts at Ah King's and the Corinthian descent to the city was not available. Those Club suffered badly. About fourteen or fifteen who tried chairs were soon convinced of the went down, the Darothy and the Snipe being risks they incurred and that walking was the the only two to hide through safely. The least dangerous. The roads in the upper levels Plaver was seen a little lower down capsized. were obstructed in many places by uprooted The launches whoseħanchors held were almost trees and broken branches which had fallen all flismantled," funșela blown away and deoks ́across, and even in the lower levels the trees
1
}