New-York tribune., 1886-08-22
A GREAT GALE IN THE GULF.
GALVESTON AND INDTANoLA INUNDATED.
THE WAVES OF THE OCEAN SWEEP AWAY BUILD
INGs AND DESTROY LIYEs-A SCENE OE TERROR:


GALVESTON, Tex, Aug. 21.-The easterly
gale which set In here Thursday forenoon, and blew
with Increasing force velocity the day
lenRthened. finally became o veritable cyclone All
day yesterday the Gulf waves Numbered and
| roared, while they rapidly encroached upon tho
island BY p m. people living In exposed stu
a!ions In the eastern and southeastern portions
| OF the city began to remove from their houses
and seek safety in the central portion OF the
city. BY midpieht, st. Mary's University, on East
Broadway, and the Ursuline Convent the corner OF
Bath-st and Ave..Nia and many churches wero
hled with refugees who had been driven from
their homes by tho fast encroaching waters.
which soon became deep In tho remote eastern and
southern portions Of the city rcnder transportation
by vehicles Impossible. Rats were then hastily con-
structed from floating debris, upon which few house
hold goods were placed and the perous passage began
to place Of safety
At midnight tho wind which had attained fearful
velocity drove the tumutuous waters over the SAND
hills and far Into the city. and all that portion OF the
city east OF Fifteenth-st. and south OF Ave.
was vast seething mass or waters
while contiguous to the beach frightfui
scene OF devastation was in progress. Houses
careened and down before the fury of the gale and
the force OF the like cookie Shells and anriRhted
men, women and children frantcay struggling
through the boiling surgng waters for places OF safety
Many narrow ESCAPES from injury from floating timbers
and drowning occurred and tonight hundreds who oc
cuped cosy homes In apparent security yesterday are
lodged at hotels churches and converts with friends
more fortunate, or in other public buildings, with
scarcely sufficient clothing to keep themselves CON-
Portable while all else swallowed and destroyed
by the mad wavea 1t estimated that fully $50 houses
have been wrecked and ruined. while great many
more were either knocked from their
foundations or flooded with water and badly
damaged The central portion of the city was not So
verely damaged and the loss hero will be small Tho
business parts after 8Oclock tho storm Increased In
Violence became a scene Of animated activity and all
goods the ground floor hastily elevated on to
shelves tables removed to upper stories and
preserved from tho damaging influences of salt water
which by this time had begun to creep in and flood tho
lower floors But for this timey action on the part OF
the merchants the Strand the Wholesale centre OF
tho city, much damage would have boon Inflicted. As
1t the loss has been trng Of the larger houses
suffering at ALL far 1t has boon possible to aseer-
tain In the chaotic confusion that prevails while the
wholesalers escaped with small loss
A number OF retailers Mechanic, Market, Post
Office and fremont sts did not escape so luckily, but
suffered considerable loss TO their stocks on lower floors.
which in many instances were several inches under
water Nearly store the south side OF Market
between Nineteenth and Twenty STE, aud between
Bathave. and Twenty eighth-st, inundated. while
groceries and other stores In the outskirts OF the
city, where the highest suffered severe loss
Beginning 1t the foot OF Nnths OF the Bay Shore, ex
tending end Of the island to the Gulf
wofu OF chaotic destruction, and where yeser-
day evening thero were pleasant homes and cultivated
yards Is tonight Of wator and desoatOn At lO
o'clock yesterday the wind which had reached velocity
forty miles hour began to sbate and the waters
receded which followed by heavy dashes OF ran As
evening approached the wind which had shifted slightly
to SOUTH began freshen, and at O'Clock had n-
creased to a gale, and 1t feared thar before
morning the city would witness another hegra
from the food tide which set in at o. m.
Tho principal buildings which were totally
destroy beach side weo the Beach Rink where
the State Democratic Convention was held OKeofe's
Sea Breeze Saloon, large two-story building directly
opro SITE the Pagoda oath house and all the buildings
Of the Interstate drill grounds The lower floor and
office OF the Beach Hotel Hooded aud some defect
i've work the foundation was washed away. but
the building remains intact although the furniture.
carpets and bedding on the first stories
considerably damaged by salt spray. -
burden engaged IN the lumber trade capsized by
the force gale about o'clock last night OIL tue
ON board-Caprain John Mitchell. Mariana Moragos.
seaman and : Pritchard the cook When the vessel
went over Pritchard seized small barrel. but was
forced by the action OF the waves to let It 60 SWIM
ming with the de he crossed s eat sn oI 's
reached point abreast Of the new wharf he hailed the
succeeded in making his way to the the wharf,
where he was helped ashore Dy oap'aim an,n, ner
from the place the schooner was swamped 10 the
point of his must he nearly ten miles. All the
and the drowning OF a negro boy on Thursday are the
only Instances OF loss of life so far reported Several
small hshlbg boats and yachts anchored along tue
wlarves were swamped. but no serious damage was |
done TO shipping 10 the pert Musn Sn. @ rem
YORK which arrived ID the outer roads thursday aitor
noo She has RON msr nor 4 IN. a coss,
and iu weather. stood out to sea as no eae
a lew days While the storm does not compare with |
the great storm OF 1879 In violence ana uo,
greater portion OF city. All the street railways
are badly damaged and that portion along tne hs oi
washed up bridges ana culverts are tne
done in this directionis heavy Just estAro
shall have abated. Many families have lost tneir ah
and are desttste, while others nave iost Dus
Teegraphic communication WAS interrupted AZ - Ill.,
but was res tored at a. ID. Railway communication
which was broken at midnight on Thursday night, nas
restored consequence or the dangerous co
dton OF the bridges across the west Bay
VICTORIA, Tex, Aug 21.-A disastrous wind storm
visited this city yesterday, leaving destruction ana
alton in Its track. The wind blew hurricane.
o'clock morning eastbound passenger tain
" whch was standing at tho depot here, was blown over
on the platform Several passengers were In the car
but all escaped unhurt The freight depot anu
Inc Masonic Hail. both large buildings are total wrecks
while the houses In which tho coored mon and their
families lived we're almost literally swept from
he earth. Two church steepes were blown down ana
wo churches unroofed. The high school building anu
he Jail were considerably damaged. Altogether there
we're about seventy-hve houses completely demohsneu
.nd llS less damaged Few buildings escspea
Ininured Trees OF the shrubbery In the CITY
vas blown down, and streets we're filled with depiis
Business was entirely suspended. The loss roughly
stimated at 100000. Old citizens say 'nas
I was the most terrible storm ever known ln
Victoria. Tho telegraph wires arc all down anu
News from Cucro tho storm was very disasIrouS
he storm was violent, damaging crops and destroying
property. ~ ...to |
special train from Indianola brings sad news as 10
hat pacs relief party that went down ON IL report
he following Whom the train arrived withnlfour miles
If IDd anoa tho tracks washed out very oHuIy |
ana partly gone Tho party ma.su
Fthn q half a mile of the town In water wast ueop J
md could 20 further. They saw Mr. Clemens Hcross
he bayou Tho bridge washed away no saa
hat train ought to be sent there early In the
IS eyory body wantsd get They nave notnins
o and clothes IL IL reported that the lower ena
n the town gone from Mrs Loguss To tno
IN both sides OF the street The wharf Is also gone
There supposed to be many lives lost IS many per
ons arc missing. The only body found was tnSs Vi
ha alatnr .ln-l aW Of Mr.. Hodges OF CuerO, IehAs,