Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-10-21
DIREFUL DISASTER.
The Awful Disaster at Sabine,
Pass Worse Than Reported.
Ruin All Along the Gulf.

The first reports of the great disaster at
Sabine Pass were not in the least exagger-
ated, in fact they under estimated the
number of deaths caused by the storm.
The death-roll now reaches ninety, with a
number missing. IL is thought that { lly
100 persons met their death on the night of
the gale. The relief trains could not get
within twelve miles of the town, but over
a dozen tow-boats were sent out and set
to work saving life and property. There
Is considerable back-water yet at Sabine,
hemmed in and held there 10y the railroad
embankment The most intense excite
ment has prevailed along the coast since
the first news of the fearful catastrophe.
The people have neither eaten nor slept and
crowds have surrounded the wharves and
depot waiting for the return of the train
or boat from the devastated town. The
steamboat Lamar left Orange with a relief
committee on board. When she would re-
turn no one knew, but a constant watch
was kept at Orange. AT exactly midnight
the next night the whistle of the Lamar
was heard. The people hurried heller
SHELTER TO hear the news and TO receive the
sick and destitute
The relief committee aboard the Lamar
consisted of twenty citizens from Beau
mont and about forty from Orange. They
Travelled up the Neches river between p.
III. and midnight, which was an eXtaordin-
airy trip. fraught with fearful danger.
NtnUN -nNe Vi but were lclI NJ
Sabine Pass TO recover some of the bodies,
many of which are reported to have
sashed dozens of miles over into LOuisi-
ana. The members of the relief committee
who returned were so tired and worn out
and so overcome by the horrible devasta-
tiou they had witnessed that it was next
to impossible to get coherent story from
them, and as each OF the rescued refugees
was surrounded by about a hundred peo-
pie it was equally impossible TO get de-
tailed account from any one of them. The
exact extent of the storm-swept district is
yet unknown.
From reports brought by the committee
it is certain that the flooded district en-
braces an expanse of country many times
larger than at first supposed. The gulf
seems to have moved over the land for
miles in one high, unbroken wall OF water.
The committee report that 10l persons are
missing ninety of whom are known to
have been drowned. Thirty five of the
victims were white and iifty-ive colored.
Joseph Smith, a famous local character,
known as Alligator Smith. was suppos-
ed TO be among the lost, as people on the
relief train saw him driving before the
gale on Lake Sabine at the rate of twenty
five miles an hour, clinging to his sklf and
calling loudly for help. Great was the
surprise therefore when Alligator over
hauled the steamer on its return, bringing
with him in his small boat three persons
whom he had rescued in swamp. Many
other miraculous escapes are recorded.
Ninety one half clad, shivering, wretch
ed victims of the storm were brought up
on the Lamar. Blankets and bedding
were Immediately gathered from house to
house for the comfort of the heart broken
sufferers, every one of whom has some
dear friend or relative among the dead.
Nearly all the refugees are sick and pros
trated from exhaustion and hunger
They are being tenderly cared for by citi-
zens of Beaumont.
DR. b. l.. Calhoun Of the relief commit
tee says there are many persons in the
vicinity of Sabine Pass who are utterly
destitute, being without clothing to cover
their nakedness. DR.. Calhoun requests
aid for the destitute. He says ii makes no
difference what is sent, whether food,
clothing, medicine, or money, they need
them all Dr. Calhoun is MAYOR of Beau
mont, and he will distribute through COM
mittees whatever is sent to him.
From all the accounts gathered Ian
guage could not exaggerate the state of
affairs at Sabine Pass. Out of more than
$50 houses in the village, less than six re-
main standing. and they are ruined.
Wives and children were swept away and
drowned in the presence of their husbands
and fathers, who were powerless to save
them. The waves broke against the light
house in solid walls, fifty feet high, tear
ing out the windows at the very top of
the structure Corpses have been picked
up at a distance OF thirty miles from the
scene of the disaster. Friends and relatives
of the drowned are coming into Orange
and Beaumont 10y every train. The steam
boat Lamar took on board cargo of food,
blankets, and clothing, and also fresh re-
lief committee, and started down the
Neches TO succor the unfortunates.
The pecuinary damage at Sabine, in
Guiding that to the government works,
will aggregate nearly 100000, as many OF
the neighboring plantations sustained
serious injury
The excitement and interest over the
dreadful catastrophe at Sabine Pass is in
no way abated The citizens of adjacent vii
lagos are taking steps toward extending
substantial relief to the surviving victims.