The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-08-22
STATE SPECIALS
TEXAS TOPICS BY TELEGRAPH.
Further Details of the Fearful storm
ON the Gulf-TwO Men Killed in
Gonzales County-A Cumber-
land Presbyterian Preacher
Dies or Paralysis Near
whitney Babeeue, Etc,


Special TO the Herald.
Galveston, Aug. 2l.-W. S. Lapham, Of
Sabine Pass, one of the survivors of the de-
structive scenes at Padre island during the
recent gale, arrived to-day from Indianola.
MIR. Lapham was on the schooner Amedeo,
with Captain Hayward and Pat Powers, en-
route from Corpus Christi to Sabine, when
she was overtakeu by the gale
ard shattered to pieces by
its violence. Early on Thursday morning
there were reports that the schooners We'll
come, Laurel and None Such were within a
short distance of the Amedeo, heroically
struggling with winds and waves; that an
other vessel, supposed to be the Lilly Weeks,
was further out to sea and laboring under
the force ofthe pressures that were constantly
bearing upon her. All day the Amedro
kept her course under close reefed lib, and
seemed to be making some Roadway until
the evening came, or when the wind and
rain increased and the sea redoubled
the fury of Its motions. About
dark fearful sea broke over
the schooner and turned her over
Mr.. Laphan was sitting on the deck talk
ing to Captain Hayward at the time, and was
clothed in heavy pants, two shawls and an
overcoat of oil cloth. Captain Hewyard had
just come up from the cabin, and remarked
that in the hour preceding the glass had
fallen to 20, and that he did
not believe that they would ever reach
the beach He replied that it seemed impos-
sible for the schooner to live out the gale,
and says that he was contemplating speedy
death, when he found himself in the sea.
He caught by the bobstay and held
on until two seas washed over him
and forced him to seek some more
secure place on the bottom ofthevessel, which
had turned completely over. lie seized the
aperture through which the centre case
works, but with the next wave that washed
over him he was set adrift His heavy
clothing carried him down towards the bot,
tom, but he struggled to the sur
face and succeeded in getting
OIL his shoes, pants and both coats. He then
struck out in the direction in which he
believed the shore to be. After swimming tor
nearly an hour and almost exhausted, he felt
something strike him on the back, and feel
ing around, discovered it to be piece of
scantling about five feet long He
seized this and found it
of the greatest advantage in
enabling him to ride over the pillows that
were rolling thirty feet high, at the rate of
half dozen to the minute After working
away with this piece of timber for some
time, and getting along very well, he saw in
the darkness of the waters large black oh
ject bearing down upon him, which he
lodged, but finding it WAS the centre case of
the vessel, and that it still retained piece of
rope, he let 60 his scantling and boarded the
floating frame work. He was washed off,
however, in short time and again left to toll
out his destiny with the raging waters
around him. Being good swimmer he de-
termined to do his best before surrendering
TO the inevitable, and again began his steady
ticks for shore. In less than five minutes he
again fell into company with his scantling.
He felt like be had met an old friend. He
seized il again and determined this time to
share its fate whatever it might be.
After being in the water for more than an
hour he at last struck bottom. Remem bering
that the under tow is terrible along the coast,
the first work he did was to plant the scant.
ling in the sand as an anchor, which served
admirably for that purpose. As the last bill.
low washed over him and rolled back,
he ran to the shore almost exhausted and
nearly dead from his efforts and cold and the
salt water he had consumed. He was scant-
ly clothed when he reached the shore and
suffering greatly, but he did the best thing he
could do, which was to dig hole
IN the sand and get into it,
After his perilous experience and
terrible labors he rested we'll Next morning
he dug new hole. After shaking his thirst
he concluded that he would make short
tour of exploration. IA wandered around
among the wrecks, and having mounted a
high sand hill in order to
take an observation, he discovered at
considerable distance man. He made to-
wards him, and found the stranger to be Mr..
McDermott, of this city, who was on the
Padre island during the storm, who kindly
furnished him with food and clothing.
Mr.. Lspham went to Corpus Christi on
Sunday in a skiff, and after
wards came up to Indianoa. He
reports that two, men of the schooner Lau-
rsl's crew and himself were saved. All the
rest of the attaches of the unfortunate vessels
were lost. The shore along Padre island is
piled up with broken fabrics of vessels.
Brazos San Diego, he reports as absolutely de.
stroyed. AT Corpus Christi things look like
the chao, of ahotly contested battle. ground.
The schooner Daniel Goss was lying at Cor
pus Christi during the gale, loaded with
lumber. She was blown ashore, but after
the calm, the captain employed number of
Mexicans to unload the vessel, and succeed
ing in getting her afoat without any natural
damage. Mr.. Lsphan still bears in his
looks and on his person many Of the evil
dences of the severe ordeal which he has re-
Gently passed. Heis married man, and
lett for his home at Sabine Pass to-day.
The Boil Worm and pnptt,ca -