Crystal River current., 1886-10-23
Great Loss of Life In Texas.

0Ee8G AOo0 OF LILO In V6Xb0s
NEW ORLEANS. Louisiana, October IS
The chief operator Of the Western Union
Telegraph Company has received the following
message from the operator at Orange, Texas
The town Of Sabine Paes was totally de-
stroyed by water from the Sabine River last
night. There are known to be sixty-hve lives
lost last night during the overflow. The hotel,
With fifteen or twenty people in 1t, was swept
out into the bay and every one of the inmates
were drowned.
The Captain Of schooner from there to-day
says that not house is left In the whole coun-
try, and every living thing there has been
drowned. A party Of men came from Beau.
mont this evening on the train with the inten-
tion Of joining the people Of Orange and going
down to Sabine Pass with relief boat.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
"BEAUMoNr, Texas, October 18.-Our town
is in state Of intense excitement tonight at
the news which has Just been received from
Sabine Pass. It 10 the report Of terrible loss
Of life and destruction Of property in that
place from high water. We have no tele-
graphic Communication with Sabine Pass, the
wires all being down, but An engine arrived
here tonight over the East Texas Railway,
that left there about O'Clock. Two citizens
who rowed IN small boat across am expanse
Of tossing waters for . distance of several
miles from the town Of Sabine to the railroad
track, came in on an engine, and they give
heartrending account Of Affairs there. They
say the waters began to invade the town from
the gulf and lake together, about O'Clock on
Tuesday afternoon, and nss with uuprece.
dented rapidity. The citizens of the doomed
place did not realize their imminent danger
until It wss too late to escape. When safety
by flight was recognized ~ being out Of the
q uestion, those people who were situated 90
they could do so betook themselves to their
houses and such resorts - were adjudged to
be the tafest. The water kept rising, and be-
tween 8 and O'Clock the smaller houses began
to yield to the resis.less force Of the waves,
and they were not only moved from their foun-
dations but they were turned On their sides
and tops. A little later the larger houses be-
gan to give way, and death by drowning
see med inevitable to every citizen Of the
place. With the yielding Of the smaller houses
several persons who had remained in them
were drowned, and when the residences and
business houses began TO crumb.e the fatall-
ties began to double.
The village Of Sabine Pass ID located At the
mouth Of Sabine River within . half . mile Of
the extreme point putting from the Texas
side. The town lies only four feet above
mean tide mark, and It 10 bounded BY . great
swamp on the west and lake Sabine On the
north.
The entrance to Lake eAbice IL mile and Q
half above the town. The lake 10 fifteen miles
long BY ten miles In width. with an average
depth Of seven feet, which 10 always main
tained BY the huge volume Of water pouring
into It, basin from the two navigable rivers-
Neshes and sabine. It was this lake, according
to the most experienced navika&ors on this
coast, that destroyed the town. The hurricane
Of last Sunday in the West Indies blew the
waters with treat violence towards the Texan
coast. This hurricane wave was first noticed on
this coast on Sunday morning, attaining IL
ma ximum on Tuesday afternoon, and II was
maintained at hixh point By the impetus Of
the waten behind. Ths hurricane itself I'd not
reach the coast at al], - scarcely hseaah Of
Wind was stirring when the tidal-wavs first
touched the coast When IT. maximum WAs
reached on Tuesday afternoon, howevR, .
hefce Southwestern gale spFaog mp alcng ths
whole coast, and at Sabine this gals blew the
wAters out Of Lake eabtne and drove them TO-
wards the Gulf, whefe the lake waters wore
met BY the great swell caused By the hursi-
cane.
Col WIN. Louis eehlsy. Grand SECRETARY l.
o. n. Grand Lodgs, Maryland, found Rsd Star
Cough Cure . psrfse4 and certain remedy
Price, twsstyAvs eeats botale.