Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-09-02
DESTRUCTIVE STORMS.
Great Ruin Wrought in Texas.

A disastrous wind storm visited Victoria
Texas, recently, leaving destruction and
perfect hurricane. About o'clock in the
morning the east bound passenger train,
which was standing at the depot, was
blown over on the platform. Several
passengers were on the train, but all "
them escaped uninjured. The freight
depot and the masonic hall, both large
buildings, are total wrecks, while the
whole colored section Is almost swept from
the earth.
Two church steeples were blown down
and two churches unroofed. Inc high
school building and the jail were consider.
ably damaged Altogether there were about
rs houses completely demolished and 100
more or less damaged. Few buildings
escaped uninjured. Trees and most OF the
shrubbery in the city were blown DION d GOWN
and the streets were filled with debris
Business was entirely suspended.
The loss is roughly estimated at SlOo,ooO'
Old citizens say that it was the most ter
rible storm evea known In Victoria.
A special train from Indianola brings the
sad news as to that place. A relief party
that went down on it, reports that when
the train arrived within four miles or In
dianola, the tracks were washed out very
badly and were partly gone: Inc party
walked within half mile OF the town In
water waist deep and could not go further.
The saw Mr.. Clements across the bayou
The bridge was washed away. lt Is re-
ported that the lower end Of the town is
gone on both sides Of the main street.
The wharf is also gone.
There are supposed to be many lives
lost as MANY persons are missing. The
only body found was that of the sister-in-
law of Mr.. Hodges of Cuero. 1t was dis
covered beside a stream about two miles
down, lying in the water by the slde OF
the track. Some houses were burned;
The fire is supposed to have been caused
by the lamps in the falling houses: Among
the persons missing are DR.. Lewis, Capt;
Reed, Dr. Rosecrans, Mrs. Sheppard ana
family and Mrs. Hodges and two children.
Henry Sheppard was found across the
lake very badly bruised, but still alive.
Mrs Max Luther lost her two children;
one of them died in her arms.
The storm which has swept over Calves
ton was 1the most destructive since 1870.
All the street railways are badly damaged,
and that part along the beach is complete
" destroyed. The street pavement was
washed up, bridges and culverts are gone,
and many families have lost their all and
are destitute. Railway and telegraph
communication was entirely interrupted
for a while aud has not been entirely re-
stored on account of the dangerous con-
dition of the bridges. The water lnundat-
ed one-half of the eastern and southern
portions of the city to the depth OF seven
feet.
and small, had been hurled and twisted
into every shape, while brick pillars and
wooden piling in every direction contigu-
Gus to the beach and exposed to the full
force of the gale indicated where happy
homes had stood, but which were swat
lowed up and destroyed in the awful mael-
strom that then prevailed. All pleasure
resorts along the gulf shore are either
swept away or ruined. The plaza in front
of, the Beach hotel is furrowed by the
force of the waves and piled with DEBRIS,
ILL Ill tl do nf a hotel
the fresh water tanks and the outbuildlng,
were swept away and deep burrows were
cut under the building itself. The menag-
erie, consisting of long row OF cages on
the beach lawn containing birds and am,
mails, were washed over ana
broken, and many Of the, birds
and animals were drowned or killed, while
others made their escape. Among the AMI
mails that made their escape were two
Mexican lions which were on the point OF
making things lively when they were shot
by the night Waterman, who received q
dangerous wound by an accidental shot OF
his assistant, passing through his arm.
The heaviest damage to property occur
red in the vicinity of the Beach Hotel The
wide area, devastated by the water makes
an approximate estimate of the amount
of damage done somewhat difficult, but IL
Is now estimated by close calculators that
it will not fall below $500, 900, and may ex-
coed that The work OF righting the build
are being repaired and travel has been re-
sumed over some of the lines, but many
months will elapse before all traces OF the
storm are efaced. The majority OF the
sufferers of the food are OF poorer classes
of people. Many OF them lost all they mad
pendent on friends for temporary shelter
ana relief Private charity has been &C
tive in providing for the relief OF the SUI
ferers.
A special from Corpus Christi says;
Friday morning one OF the heaviest rain
: storm for years struck this city. The
wind had commenced blowing very hard
from the southeast the evening before and
changed to che northwest between and
O'Clock in the morning. 1t blew with ter
rife force for two hours, its velocity being
estimated at seventy-five miles an hour
large number of houses were moved
from their foundations. The colorec
church and the Office OF the Arkansas Pas:
: Railway company were completely des
: troyed. Large trees were uprooted, and
fences and outbuildings were swept away
1t blew very hard yesterday from thu
southeast. The steamer j. e. Harris ar
: rived yesterday noon two days overdue
She reports n terrible storm at Rockpor
i and Harbor Island. AL the improvements
| and grading at Harbor Island were dashed
away Several boats were capsized ant
one large vessel was beached. At ROCK
| port sixteen houses were blown of thei
foundations. About 100 employees OF TIT
Arkansas Pass Railway Company wer.
obliged to leave Harbor Island and seel
refuge at Rockport, as the water was ST.
feet deep on the island. Seven men ar
missing, and it Is supposed they wer
drowned during the storm. The amour
of damage has not been estimated, but the
, loss is heavy.
In Seguin, buildings were moved from
their foundations and twisted like pipe
, stems. Several persons were killed out
, right and a number NAMED for life
! Valuable stock was also killed.
The storm did great damage to tn
cotton crop. In the uplands, the loss T.
: the crop from the ravages OF the wind an
rain will be fully fifteen per cent.