The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-10-21
TALE OF WOE.
THRILLING NARRATIVE OF
THE DESTRUCTION OF
SABINE PASS.
HYATT AND GUYS ENCOUNTER
WITH THOUSANDS OF ENoR-
NOUS sERPENTS.

BEAUMONT, October 15.-The first reports Of the
great disaster at Sabine Pass we're not In the lea7
exaggerated. In fact. the death roll now reaches
ninety souls, swept into eternity by the surglhl
waters. The relief parties that went down az neal
Sabine as possible, on the Sabine ~ East Texas
railway, are yet there succoriAg TIE destitute and
sick. The train could not get within twelve miles
of the drowned town, but over dozen large row
boats had been carried along. These we're IN
loaded and the rescuers are at work saving lie
and property
The hack water at Sabine IL yet very high, much
of IL being hemmed In and held there by the rail-,
road embankpent. The most intense excitement
has prevailed here Eince the nfst news OF the
fearful catastrophe. People have neither ate nor
slept and crowds surround the depot and wharyes,
anxiousy awaiting the return OF boat or the tram
from the devastated town. Inc steamboat ~
Lamar left Orange Wednesday night at ~ o clock
with relief committee on board when she
would return no one knew, but a constant Lookout
was kept at orange and here. At exactly mldnlght
last night the histle of the Lamar was heard lar
down the Neches, and the whole town OF Beau
mont hurried helter-skelter 10 the river eide to
hear the worst and receive the sick and destitute.
The relief committee aboard the Lamar consisted
Of thirty citizens from Beaumont, and about forty
from Orange On their return trip they
Travelled fifty miles up the Neches between
4 O'Clock In the afternoon and midnight when
was an extraordinary trip, traught with fearful
danger Twenty-Five of the relief committee were
left at Sabine Pass 10 fish for dead bodies many OF
which are reported TO have washed dozen miles
over into Louisiana. The members OF the RELIEF
committee were so tired and worn, so overcome by
the horrible devastation that they had witnessed,
that II was impossible TO get coherent account of
the great storm, especially as hundred people
surround each rescued refugee, and the excitement
is so great that details are ignored, and the exact
extent of the
sroRM-swEPT DISTRICT.
vet unknown. From reports brought by the com
mittee, il is certain that the flood districts en-
braced On expanse of country many times greater
than any one at first dreamed of. IL seems that the
gulf moved right over the land for miles in one
high, unbrOken wall Of water. Members of the
relief committee report that one hundred and one
persons are missing, ninety OF whom are known 70
have been drowned. Thirty.sx of these victims
are white and ffty-iye cOlOred. Joseph Smith,
famous local character, known as ALLIGATOR
Smith," was supposed 10 be among the lost, az
people on the relief train saw Joe riding before
the gale on Lake Sabine at the rate Of twenty-five
miles an hour clingng 20 his skin and calling loud
y for help Great was the surprise, therefore, when
return bringing with him three people in his small
boat whom he rescued In the swamp. Many other
MIRACULOUS ESCAPES
are recorded Ninety-0ne half clad, shiyering,
wretched victims of the storm were brought upon
the Lamar" Blankets and bedding were imme-
diately gathered from house 10 house for the com
fort Of the heart broken sufferers, every one OF
whom had some dear friend or relative among the
list of dead Nearly all these ninety-one refugees
are sick, or FRUSTRATED from exhaustion and hun
ger They are being tenderly cared for by the citi-
zens of Beaumont. DR.. b. +. Calhoun, one of the
relief committee, says there are many people in
the vicinity Of Sabine Pass who utterly desti-
tute, being without clothing to cover their naked
uess DR. Calhoun requests all correspondents to
ask aid for the destitute and says 1t makes
no difference what Is sent-whether food, clothing
medicine or money. They need them all Their
coalition, he declares beggars any description he
m o.
and win distribute through the committees what
ever sent him. From all accounts gathered Ian.
guage could scarcely eXaggerate the state of affairs
at abine. Out of more than $50 houses In the vii
lage, less than six remain standing and they are
twisted from their foundations. Wives and chill
dren were swept away and drowned in the presence
of their husbands and fathers, who were power
less TO save them.
The waves broke against the lighthouses solid
walls fifty feet high tearing out the windows at the
very top of the structure. COrpses have been
picked up miles from the scene, Friends
and relatives of the drowned and
rescued are coming into Orange and Reau-
mont by every train The steamship "Lamar'
has took on another cargo of feed, blankets and
clothing; also fresh relief committee, and at
daylight this morning started down the Nechez to
again visit The dreary scenes of yesterday and fur
night tonight The Decuniary damage at Sabine, |
including the damage TO the government work, |
will aggregate nearly half million OF dollars, as
many neighboring plantations are seriously dam
aged.
The latest list of those known to be drowned is
as follows;
M, Tup tnar