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Show HURRICANE. EARTHQUAKE flfJll WES SWEEP " DVERMAHUA ISLANDS Tutuila, American Samoa, Feb. 12 Not only a hurricane, but with It an earthquako and tidal wavo swept over Manun Islands of the Samoan group, as reported hero two days ago. Fuller details received today show that threo persons wero killed, ono of whom was beheaded by Hying wreckngo. Entlro villages disappeared. Thoso of which traces remained wero ruined ruin-ed utterly. All shipping either was destroyed or badly damaged. Threo fourths of tho cocoa plants on which thoi islands depend for nourishment and their commerce in copra wero leveled and all tho remainder re-mainder injurod. Some plantations wero wiped out. It will bo a year boforo any food plants can bo brought Into bearing again, and threo thousand thous-and Inhabitants aro dcstltuto. The American gunboat Princeton Is convoying food, clothing and temporary tem-porary assistance, hut tho need for further aid Is urgent as tho food supply Is so low that starvation will set In befoio threo weeks aro out. Tho South seas havo known hurrl-canos hurrl-canos before, but tho situation loft In tho waka ot this ono la described ns unprecedented. At tho height of tho storm tho fury of tho wind was unbelievable Iron roofs wero torn oft and blown ton miles. The very soil was torn from tho coral Took nnd tho coffins In now mado graves woro loft exposed. Tho baromoter stood at 27. CO. |