The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-09-18
The Fearful, storm ON the Co,s,.

The Fearful storm on the Coast.
Apprehenslons Of the most painful
nature haye been felt by the entire
community for the last few days re-
garding the fate of Galveston during
the terrible storm which has flooded
the streets of that city. The last direct
communication which we have had
with the Inflated city dates back to yes
terday. A gentleman who was on
board Of the last train that left Calves
ton, last Wednesday evenings regular
mail, states that at three o'clock the
water was ten inches deep on the
Strand, the principal business street.
On crossing the bridge between the
island and the mainland, the wind was
50 violent as to shake the cars, and it
was almost impossible to pass from
one car to another The tide had risen
80 high that the waves already SPLASH
ed above the bridge and wet the rails.
A freight train immediately in front
delayed the final crossing for several
hours.
AS the train disappeared over the
mainland prairie the view was mag
niticently grand looking towards the
seaboard. The same gentleman re-
ports that fearful hurricane was
blowing from the north when the
train left Hearne Thursday night.
This goes far to corroborate the fears
which have been entertained by many
that a great disaster, both as regards
life and property, has fallen upon the
Gulf City. 1t is n popularity of all the
Gulf coast islands from Florida to
Texas that they have in their imme-
date rear, which is always of neces-
sity to the north, bay of
large extent. In fact they represent
the effect of the waves and currents In
cutting Off portion of the Gulf by n
sand bar which by constant accumu-
lations becomes an island. Such is
the formation Of Galveston island,
where drift wood is always found in
the center of the island imbedded in
the sand, which latter circumstance
goes to show that the island is subject
to overflow from the Gulf. The theo-
ry oftbese foundations is very simple.
In the attitudes between the tropic OF
Cancer and the thirtieth parallel, no
storm, unless it be whirlwind, ever
takes its beginning from any other
quarter than the south or southeast.
From this point of the compass it al.
ways blows for period varying from
fifteen to thirty hours. The wind
then almost invariably sets in,
either from the north or from
the west, and from this direction
spends the force of the gale. The
physical result of storm of this
kind is to fill up the bay in the
rear of Galveston Island, while the
southeast wind is blowing. When the
wind shifts to the north, the water Is
forced back, and the channels at each
end of the island being insufficient fol
the exit of the volume of water the
Hood must necessarily pass over the
island This was the result ofthe last is
land storm In 1856, when so many lives
were lost. This is the direction that
the Galveston storm has taken, and
the fate Of the city depends simply
on the length of time that the wind
blew from the southeast, and conse
quently of the amount of water piled
up In the bay. The last telegraphit
report says that the waves are break.
ing on the Strand, where there is three
feet of water. Last night tel.
egram from New Orleans announces
that no news has been received from
Galveston for forty-four hours. This
is all we can know at present for com.
munication is interrupted between
hereand Houston by the terrible storm
The principal reason for fearing ter.
rible disaster is that the great four-sto.
ry buildings are built on foundations
of sand and current of six or eight
miles an hour sweeping in the face o.
an angry sea may produce the mos
lamentable results. Let us hupe fol
the best.