New-York tribune., 1875-09-25
I TEXAS'S VIEWS ON THE CIR DLSAS
TEHN

{ SENATOR RAMILTONs OPINION As TO THE EXTENT
AND CHARACTER OF THE LOssEs-RECCPERArvE
POWERS or GALVESTON.
When the news of the hurricane ana HOODS
on the coast of Texas first reached this city there were
arse of Texan merchants here but on inquiry at
nearly all the principal hotels Oh "wednesday was ou
that they had all departed for home senator Morgan C.
Hamilton Of tLat state at the sturevant House
where he had arrived the previous day with the eypec
tation OF going Washington very soon TO make his
residence there the Winter He said that he mad not
been III the south during the past few months but after
living in Texas for years ne had become thoroughly
ACQUAINTED with the quarter in which the storms oc
CURED His present home Al Austin but several years
ago hc lived al Galveston. In ms opinion the damage To
The latter city VIII amount 10 more than S2orOOO, the
amount stated the press dispatches He could not see
how so violent storm. sweeping the portion Of the
city which it ravaged. could fail 10 do more injury
10 propertv The City OF Galveston is situated
on an island across the mouth OF Galveston
Bav and las over 10000 inhabitants The island is 80
miles long extending back the bay hut the city occ
pies the side most exposed to the waters OF the bay,
which are there about mile III width Inc buidnSs
arc large and of them made OF nrck whlle thoSc
nearest tbe wafer are Of wood and are used dwelling
houses The prevailing winds are from the southeast
and when they have blowing steadily for some time
the water in the hay rises feet often flooding he
lower portion Of city But sometimes when the water
rises in this way the wind changes 10 Vi"ien' norm
wind and the tendency is 10 force the water into
the Gulf In this the mouth OF the bay Is
not large enough allow the water 10 pass cut with sf
nclent rapdity and IL forced over the island with ter
rie whence carving everything before it. This was
thc case IN the late to and also the IN 1897
and s6- when a similar hurricane visited the Gulf
In s37 the city had not grown 10 considerable SIZE
and il; was merely Government shipping point during
the first war with Mexico The flood swept eyerythins
away. In 1857 the population was about oue-lt1 "ial
The damage then done was about le extensive
as that OF calamity. The Hood last week was
in the western and extreme eastern pat OF 'le cl'!'
where there are great many wooden houses WnIeh
which eght or ten feet in depth
senator Hamilton said he had expected ms Hood
Indeed" lie added "cverY one expects II periodically
1t il almost not entlrey np"rSlhe 10 IhrniSh we eIN
with protection &ainsi the water on srch 90 cois
eyec would sink The city II Abundanty able 10 con
struct embankment. II The island viii support IT, II
increasing rapidly IN wealth ana pplu'aV"i IA Ire"
months from th.s tine wI NOT fc - III. plo"; il If
would bring. The cty's recupccatiye powers are very
great"
indanola. sait senator Hamilton, town oi about
800 uhabiians, and j. situated on Mlidgcra Bay,
directly opposite OF Matagora. Ic place has
been an4IshiLG tor some Year,. partly OWING /" Tie
failure railroad enterprise which would haze ben
Gifted IT, md partly to the OF another enterprise
winch has taken away the trddo and revenues of ihc
town. When Texas admitted q" he Un"n IN GOV
made -nppne por' OF iuaiaola for the dis
patch o supplies the interior OF TeXa. ana the terri
tories farther west But four years the Kansas and
Missouri Railroad wat completed. and since that time
.uDul. have sent rom 81 LOas over mat road
70 Red River. and thence farther south and west
by way railroads ana wagon roads Lhe
extension of the Galveston rd an Antonio kaiioad has
taken away large amount ~ Iaie from indanolI In
Nj Hamilton opinion the pld.' WEI not recover a.
speedily ~ Galveston. If II recOVrfs Al all Ihc place Is
uri!Iy ruined entirely 50, and II II qu si"i clpl-
tal.sie viii exert themselves q" rrDdid tihtrr'Oh IA,
tsk.u away large portion OF the TRACE OF lnd@nola ana
tac ueopc discouraged Charles Morgan oi As cly
is hc largest ship merchant III thai quarter ana IliS
almost niOnOpoIrd thc business IA hides. COLO" ana
wool O.d merchants have been driven oil oi business
and Mr. Morgan with his .hips and ra'Hoa"s h"' super
sedrd