The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-08-26
GALVESTON.
THE STORM KINGS FOOT
PRINTS-HALF A MIL
LION LOST.
ANOTHER SCHOONER LOsT--CAs-
UALTIEs--INCIDEN OF THE
GREAT CYCLONE.
snoo,.l Telegram 10 the Statesman.

overcast with cirro.cumulus clouds, which were
rapidly driven athwart the skies rs the wind hour
" increased in velocity. By q o'c.ock the waters
of the gulf were breaking over the railway EN-
bankment alsng the beach, between Twenty'hrst
and rwenty-seyenth streets, and portions Of the
track were washed out, and the cars we're with
drawn. As darkness approached the gale Increased
in velocity, and the angry waters OF the gulf were
driven in upon the island with great force, rapidly
filling up all depressed places in the southern and
southeastern portions of the city, compelling
number of families 10 rapidly vacate their houses
and look for safety and shelter at the houses OF
friends, or ut hotels down to#n.
At this hour, a. m, the gale is rapidly incrcas-
ing in violence, with an occasional heavy dash OF
rain Much apprehension exists in the city Tor the
safety of persons In localities where they are ex'
posed 70 the fnl force of the gale ana liable to
inundati0n. The bay is rapidly filling, but as long
az the wind holds In its present quarter not
much apprehension is felt for shipping in port.
LATER - A gentleman just from the beach says
the whole southern portion of the city inundated,
and the water is rapidly rising. The water Is en-
croaching ON the Beach Hotel lower gallery.
GALVESTON, August % The easterlY gale, which
set In yesterday forenoon and blew with increas-
ing force and velocity as the day heightened, be-
cine a veritable cyclone All day long the gulf
Numbered and roared, while its maddened waves
rapidly encroached upon the island. BY 9p. m
people living in exposed portions of the eastern
and southeastern portions of the city, began to
move from their habtati0ns and seek safety and
refuge in the central portion of the city.
BY midnight 81. Mary's university, on East
Broadway, Ursuline convent, corner Bath avenue
Nj ,nfth a OH
FILLED WITH REFUGEES,
who we're hastily driven from their houses by the
fact encroaching waters, which quickly became so
deep In the remote eastern and southern portions
OF the city as to render vehicle transportation i'm
possible. Improvlsed RATS were hastily con
structed from floating debris, upon which few
household goods were placed and the perilous pas
cage began to place of safety. At midnight the
wind howled and shrieked
WITH FEARFUL VELOCITY,
urling and driving the tumultuons waves over
and acrJss the sand hills far into the city, and all
that portion of the city east of Fifteenth street and
south of Av nui y. was a vast seething mass OF
waters, while contiguous to the beach frightfu |
scene OF desolation and destruction was in prog |
ress Houses careened and went down before the |
fury of the gale and before the waters
like cockle-shells, and affrighted men,
women and children, were frantically
struggling through the toiling, surging waters for
places of safety. Many narrow escapes from in
Try from floating timbers and from drow ming occur
red, and to-day hundreds who occupied cosy houses
in apparent security yesterday, lodged at hotels
churches and convents with friends more forum.
ae, or in other public buildings,
with scarcely sufficient clothing to
keep them comfortable, while all else |
was swallowed up and destroyed by the mad waves.
IL il estimated that fully 15J houses have been
wrecked and ruined, while great many more were
either knocked frsm their foundations flooded
with water and badly damaged. The central por-
ton o. the city was not severely damaged, and the
loss will be small
In the business part, after o'clock, as the storm
INCREASED IN VIOLENCE,
It became scene OF animated activity, anG all goods
on the ground floor were hastily elevated on to
shelves, tables, or removed to upper stories and
preserved from the damaging influences of salt
water, which, by this time, had began to creep in
and flood the lower floors. But for this timely ac-
ton on the part of merchants on the Strand-the
wholesale centre of the city-mueh damage would
have been inflicted As 1t is, the loss has been
trihing of the larger houses suffering at all.
As far il has been possible to ascertain in the
chaotic confusion that prevails, while wholesalers
escaped with sma loss, a number OF retailers on
Mechanic, Market Postofce and fremont streets
loss TO their stocks on the lower floors,
which, In many instances, were several
inches under water. Nearly every store on the
south side of Market, between Bath avenue and
Twenty-eighth street. were inundated, while cor,
ner groceries and other stores In the outskirts OF
the city, where the water was the highest suffered
severe loss.
Commencing at the foot of Ninth street, on the
bay Shore extending around the eastern end of the
leland to the gulf thence west to the full limit of
the city, presents
AN AWFUL soENh
of chaotic destruction, and where, yesterday eve
ing, there we're pleasant houses ani cultivated gar
dens, there Is tonight sea of water aud desola-
ton.
AT 10 to-day the wind, which had reached a We
locity of fifty miles hour, began to ahate and the
waters 10 recede which was followed by heavy |
dashes of rain,
As evening approached, however, the wind which
had shifted slightly To the SOUTH began to treshen,
and at Tonight had increased To gale, and il is
feared, that before morning, we will witness an
other wild hegira when the flood tide sets in at :
am.
The principal buildings which were totally de
stroyed on the beach side, We're the Beach rink, |
where the State Democratic convention was held; |
Okea's Sea Breeze saloon a large two-stOry build
ing directly opposite, across the street railway; |
the Surf and Pagoda bath house The destruction
of the fence and all buildings of the interstate drill
grounds also took place. The lower floor of
r,,r prAcu HOTEL
was uOOueu, anu SOME ldlte WORK hTounu lne lOUn-