The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-01-14

sheet OF lee, An inquest was held
this morning and verdict rendered of death by
freezing. This makes the fourth victim frozen to
death in Galveston hee by the recent unprecedent-
ed freeze The Others have previously been re-
ported Their names are Capt Thomas Jefferson,
of the sioOp Annie: Capt. Nixon, OF the schooner
Orranz0if; and the colored boy, name unknown
whose 5edy is in the hold of tle foundered sloop,
Annie.
report reached the city this evening from the
mainland, that white bottomed schooner was
at point about eight miles from
town. No sign of the crew was visible,
nor is it known how many
or who the persons are that were aboard the ill
fated schooner when il capsiZed.
There are nearly two hundred small oyster boats
sloops and schoOners, from two To- ten tons bur
den, plying between Galveston and the up country
the bayous, This fleet of little craft has suffered
severely by the great freeze II is feared that other
boats belonging to this fleet will prove missing
Vessels OF less than five tons burden are not regis
tered at the custom house. hence there is no telling
how many were out in the storm, MANY of these
small craft are damaged and rendered unsea
worthy, thus entaiing heavy loss on the poorest
class of vatermen
GALVESTON, January 9.-Since last evening the
weather here has moderated considerably and the
severe cold snap is regarded rs about over in this
vicinity. The lowest temperature tn day was six
teen degrees below freezing point but at = this
afternoon the mercury had arisen to the freezing
mark. Tonight the temperature is slightly below
freezing with every indication of further
moderation The bay presented a curious sight
to-day, and several thousand. old and Young, went
down to the wharves to the very unusual
sight OF Galveston bay covered with thick
coat of ice As far as the eye can reach up the
bay, to Half Moon light twelve miles distant, is
solid sheet of ice presenting the uneven surface of
cresting waves as though frozen while iu motion
This phenominal condition of things not only
embraced the shoals and shadows of the bay but
even the channel, where at all times there is
strong current in some places, the ice being cap
able OF supporting the weight of the yentUrcsome,
who recklessly bray ed the dangers of frigd duck
ing to have II said that they walked the channel
In shore during the early morning ice varied over
a foot in thickness, and until the fore
noon, when it began to thaw, was
trodden upon by many of the thousands of visitors
who visited the bay front to witness the novel
sight
On the bay here and there small vessels were seen
frozen in where they had come to anchor early in
the night. The same winds which kept them out
left the slips high and dry revealing the bottoms
of the mosquito fleet of the small coasting vessels
ice fastened in the frozen sands
and slime. The many yesseis along
the wharNes presented an Arctic appearance
and ii required an effort on the part of ones i'm
agination to believe that these wntery sights eX-
isted almost on the edge of the tropics.
At Central wharf the schooner Tom ID. Abel, a
small lumber vessel, was the center of attraction,
Great icicles hung from her rigging while her
aecls and masts were weighted with such n heavy
pearance Of glass ship. Even her
sails, torn and tattered by the
winds stood ont in shining frigidity. She was
veritable picture from an Arctic explorers book
Captain McLain, the commander OF the Tom d.
Abel, on the first indication of the coming storm,
made for shore, arriving Thursday night, near mid
night when he abandoned the vessel near Central
wharf The winds beat the schooner against the
wharf, knocking big hole in her side. She was
fast going to pieces in the furious gale, when Capt
Hutchins, of the life saving station, with thirty
volunteers went to his aid and brought the Arctic
ship safely inside the slip where she now lies
! The sloop ANNIE the loss of which was men
toned last night, with her captain, Thomas JefTer
son, is lying down the bay frozen in the ice ant
partially submerged. The colored boy aboard hel
is undoubtedly lost, 1t is impossible to reach tn,
wind has almost entirely subsided tonight