Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-08-21
Galveston Bay and The Gulf Of Mex
leo Lashed to Fury DeIuge the
City, Causing Dire Havoc,
A Night Of Terror Spent by Citizens in
Battling for Their Lives and
Household Effects.
Converts, Churches, and Public Bniidings
Crowded With Homeless Refugees.
Buildings Destroyed.
RAyoc on TIE IsLANp.

breakers In the gulf Indicated that Their,
had been a storm at sea and that tn,
Island city was experiencing the pioneer
pillows Of what afterwards proved a fear
full storm, unequaled even by the storms
Of 1867, 1871, 1875 and 1856.
BY $3.50 O'Clock the Galveston City rail.
way track was wrecked along the beach,
and the Gull City track was abandoned
between Avenue 2 and Center street.
Large crowds Of spectators braved the
dry winds and flying sand along the gulf
front until about IL O'Clock at night,
when II was evident that the main force
OF the storm would come with the high
tide.
All those who had no property interests
along the gulf shore left for home and
slumber. But before | O'Clock q fearful
gale was blowing and a binding rain en-
sued at intervals until this afternoon,
when It was thought that the worst Of
the storm bad passed,
Yet many feared the coming In OF the
tide in case the strong winds did not
abate.
At q O'Clock yesterday the water was
on the Morgan wharf.
At . O'Clock the water was rushing
over the street-car track in front Of the
Beach hotel after washing the floors of
the Popular bath houses.
B The main strength OF the storm was
about 6 o'clock this morning when the
water was three feet deep on Market and
fremont streets.
II was fearful along the east and south
beaches and many families only escaped
with their lives.
All Of the prominent resorts along the
south beach were wrecked.
Mike O'Keif's Seabreeze was done for
this time.
The skating rink and base ball park
fence huddled with the Pagoda and Surf
bath houses, John NIland's resort and
Frank williams rendezvous IN one
chaotic mass along the sand hills, much
OF which plunder rests complacently on
the beach lawn like n threatening enemy
seeking 70 deyour that magnificent and
costly structure.
Some property was destroyed west of
Twenty-seventh street, but the greatest
loss OF the property between Center street
aud Bath avenue is from and including
Wurzlow's garden on Center street, along
the residence portion within three streets
OF the gulf around TO Market street on
the last.
iNnAAIANNh hbh' from Lutll Dlll0UH and
are scattered along the streets.
The food was greatest west of Thirty.
ninth street and east OF Tenth street, but
the greatest loss wa occasioned between
those streets.
The bay met the gulf on every street in
the city except fremont street, and there
only remains that portion from Postoflce
street to Broadway high and dry.
Tn water made successful and full
connection about 8 O'Clock this morning.
PERnous TIMES,
Special 70 the Gazette.
GALVESTON, TEX, Aug. 20.-Tne gale
which set In yesterday forenoon and blew
with increasing force and velocity, as day
heightened became a veritable cyclone,
All day long the gulf Numbered and
roaredi while the maddened waves rap
idly encroached upon the sand. BY 0
O'Clock p. m. people living in exposed
portions OF the eastern and southwestern
portions Of the city began to remove from
their habitati0ns aud seek safety and
refuge In the central portion OF the
city. BY midnight st. Mary's university
on East Broadway, the ursurllne convent
corner Bath avenue and N 1, aud many OF
the churches were filed with refugees
who were hastily driven from their houses
by the as'-2ncroaching waters, which
quickly became so deep In the remote
eastern and south ern portions of the CITY
as to render vehicle transportation lmpos-
sibleo lmprovised RATS were hastily CON
structed from floating debris, upon which
4 lew household goods were placed, and
the perllous passage began to a place of
safety Al midnight the wind howled
n shrieked with fearful yeloci.
ty, hurting and driving the tn.
multuous waves over and across the
san hills INTO the city, auc all that
portion OF the city east OF Fifth street an
south OF Avenue II was q vast seething
mass OF waters, while contiguous to the
leach u frighttul scene OF desolatlon and
des ructlon was In progress.
Houses careened and went down no.
fore the fury Of the gale and the force OF
the waters like cockle-shells, and alright
ed men, women and children were frantic
ally struggling through the boiling,
surglng waters for places OF safety.
Many narrow escapes from Injury from
floating timbers and drowning occurred,
and tonight those who occupied COSY
houses 10 apparent security YES.
terday are logged at hotels, churches,
converts, with friends more fortu.
nate, or in other public hnildinps
with scarce sufficient clothing TO keen
them comfortable, while all else was
swallowed up and destroyed BY the mad
W YES. ~
II Is estimated that fully one hundred
ard hity houses have been wrecked and
ruined, while a great many more were
either Knocked from their foundations or
hooded with water and badly damaged.
The central portion OF the city was not
severely damaged and the less here will
be small Ia the business part. After \
O'Clock the storm increased In violence
aud 1t became a scene OF animated actiyl.
~ and all goods on the ground doors were
hastily elevated on shelves or tables
or removed TO upper stories and nrs-
served from the damaging influences Of
the salt water, which by this time mad be.
gun 70 creep In and food the lowerfio
But for this timely action on the nart
OF the merchants on the Strani, II whole
sale center Of the city. much damane
would have been inflicted. AS II is, the
loss has been trIning, none OF the larger
houses suffering az all, as far as 1t has
neen possible to ascertain IN the chaotic
confusion that prevails.
I'M