The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-16
Indications that the Number of Drowned Will
Exceed One Hundred, and that the Mon
etary Loss Will Exceed $5O0,0O0.
The Wave that Broke Upon the Coast
Saidto Have Been Fifty Feet in Height.
The Inundated District Much Larger than
Previously RepOrted-Six Lives Lost and
Great Damage Inflicted at Buffalo.
LOSSES AT SABINE PASS.
The List of Dead and Missing Swelled t
Fully One Hundred.

The List of Dead and Missing Swelled to
Fully One Hundred.
BEAUMONT, Tex, Oct. 15.-The first reports
OF the great disaster at Sabine Pass were not In
the least exaggerated, in fact, they underesti-
mated the number or deaths caused by the
storm. The deathroll now reaches ninety, with
number missing. It is thought that fully 100
persons met their deaths on the night of the
gale. The relief party that went down as near
Sabine as possible, on the Sabine & East Texas
Railroad, are still there The train could not
get within twelve miles of the town, but over
dozen tow boats have been sent there and are at
work saving life and property. There is con-
siderable backwater yet at Sabine, hemmed in
and held there by the railroad embankment.
The most intense excitement has prevailed
here since the first news of the fearful catas-
trophe The people have neither ate nor slept,
and crowds have surrounded the wbarves and
depot. waiting for the return of the train or boat
from the devastated town. The steamboat L.
@. c. Lamar left Orange on Wednesday night
at 10 o'clock, with relief committee on
board. When she would return no one
knew, but constant watch was
kept at Orange and here. At exactly
midnight, last night the whistle of the Lamar
was heard. The people hurried, helter-skelter
to hear the news and to receive the sick and des-'
titute. The relief committee aboard the Lamar
consisted of twenty citizens from Beaumont
and about forty from Orange. They travelled
up the Neches river between P. NJ and mid
night, which was an extraordinary trip fraught
with fearful danger. Twenty five of the COM
mittee were left at Sabine Pass to recover some.
of the bodies, many of which are reported to
have been washed dozens of miles over into
Louisiana. The members Of the relief COM
naittee who returned were so tired and worn out
and so overcome with the horrible devastation
they witnessed. that it was next to impossible to
get a coherent story from them, and as each of
the rescued refugees was surrounded by about
a hundred people, it was equally impossible to
get detailed account from any of them.
The exact extent of the storm-swept district
is as yet unknown. From reports brought by
the committee it is certain that the flooded dis
sfAass embraced 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
whom are known to have been drowned. Thir-
ty-fve of the victims were white and ffty-fve
colored. Joseph, known as Alligator" Smith,
was supposed 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-f miles
an hour, clinging to his skiff and calling loudly
for help. Great was the SURPRISE therefore,
when Alligator" overhauled tho steamer on it's
return, bringing with him in his small boat three
persons whom he had rescued in swamp.
Many other almost miraculous escapes are re-
corded. Ninety one half-clad, shivering, wretch,
ed victims of the storm were brought up on the
Lamar Blankets and bedding were immediate
ly gathered from house to house for the comfort
of the sufferers, every one of whom has some
dear friend or relative among the dead. Nearly
all the refugees are sick and prostrated from OK
haustion and hunger. They are being tenderly
cared for by citizens of Beaumont.
Dr. B. F. Calhoun, one of the relief committee,
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
it makes no difference what is sent-whether
food, clothing, medicine or money; they need
them all. DR.. Calhoun is Mayor of Beaumont.
and he will distribute, through committees,
whatever is sent to him.
From all the accounts gathered, language
could not exaggerate the state of affairs at Sa-
bine Pass. Out of more than $50 houses in the
village, less than six remain standing, and they
are ruined. Wives and children were swept
away and drowned in the presence of their hus-
bands and fathers, who were powerless to save
them. The waves broke against the lighthouse
in solid walls fifty feet high, tearing out the
windows at the very top OF the structure.
Corpses have been picked up at distance of
thirty miles from the scene of the disaster.
Friends and relatives of the drowned residents
are coming into Orange and Beaumont by every
train.
The steamboat Lamar took on board a cargo
of food, blankets and clothing, and also fresh
relief committee, and at daylight this morning
started down the Neches to succor the unfortu-
nate. She will probably reach here on her re-
turn trip about midnight The pecuniary dam
age at Sabine, including that to the government
works, will aggregate nearly $500, 600, as many
of the neighboring plantations sustained serious
injury. The latest list of those known to have
been drowned is as follows:
Mrs W. A. Junke Charles G. Junke, Mrs B.
F. McDonnaugh, Miss MeDonnaugh, Mrs. Co.
lumbus Martee and child, Mrs. Pomeroy and
three children Mrs. G. Pomeroy and child, Mrs.
Mulligan and four children, Mrs. Vonduay and
three children, 0. F. Brown, Miss Mahala
Chambers, Hover King, wife and child, two chill
dren of William Shaw, child of Captain Stew
art. Mrs. Whiting, John Wilson, Ben Foley
The foregoing names are all of white persons.
The names of the ifty-6v colored victims have
not been ascertained.
The Story of an Eye Witness.
New ORLEANS Oct 15-The following &c