The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-10-16
ALMOST ANNIRILATED.
THE TERRIBLE DISASTER AT
SABINE PASS
Worse Than First RepOrted-A
Hundred Persons DrOwnfd-
Lives Lost at Buffalo.

BEAUMONT. TEX October l5-The
first reports OF the great disaster al
Sabine Pass were not in the least exsg..
perated; in fact, they uuderss,imsted
the number OF deaths caused by the
storm. The death roll now reaches
ninety. with number missing. 1t is
thought that fully 100 per2ons me-
their death on the night OF the gale.
The relief party that went down as
near Sabine as possible, on the Sabine
and East Texps railroad, are still there.
The trains could not get within twelve
miles of the ruined town, but over
dozen towbo't It's have been sent there,
and are at work saving life and property.
There is considerable backTa,e yet at
Sabine, hemmed in ard held there by
the railroad embankment. The most
intense excitement has prevailed here
since the fret news Of the fearful
catastrophe. The people have neither
ate nor slept, aud crowds have sur,
rounded the wharves and depot
waiting for the return oil the tain
or boat from the diva tated town.
The steamboat L. Q G. Lamar lett
Orange Wtdp ssdsy night at III
o'clock, with a relief c1mmi,t.e on
board. Wnen she would return no
one kn, W, bat a constant watch Wa
kept at Orange and here. Az exactIy
Midnight last night the whistle o. the
Lamar was heard The people hur-
ried heller Ekslter 10 hear the news
and TO receive the sick and destitute.
The relief committee aboard the
Lamar consisted of twenty citizens
from Beaumont and about forty fiom
Orsuse. They Travelled up the
Neches river between o'clock pm.
aud midnight, which was 90 extra r'
diua,v trip, iIaught with fearful dan
ger. Twenty-Five of the committee
vera 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 committee
who returned were so tired and wor'
out, and 30 overcome by the horrible
devastation they had witnessed, ths
il was next to impossible to get
coherent story from them, aud al
the rescued refugees were sur
rounded by about hundred people
il was equally impossible to get q de
tailed account from any OF them
The exact extent of the storm swep
district is yet unknown. From report
brought by the committee 1t Is cerlatl
that the flooded district embraced a.
tsxpanse Of country many times large
han at fret supposed. The gu
seems 10 have moved over the lant
for miles in one high unbroken wal
Of Water. The committee report tina
l01 persons are missing, ninety o
whom. are known TO have beef
drowned. Thirty-fve OF the victim
were white and filty.fve colored
Joseph, known as Alligator" Smith
was supposed to be among the lost, q
people on the rsliet train saw hin
driving before the gale on Lake Sabin
at the rate of twenty-five miles ar
hour, cliDglng to his ekiif and calling
loudly for help. G.eat was the sur
prise, therefore, when Alligator
overhauled the steamer on its return
bringing with him in his small boa
hree persons whom he had rescue
"a swamp. Many other miraculou
scapes are recorded. Ninety-on
lalf clad, shivering, wretched victim
Of the storm were brought upon th
Lamar. Blankets and bedding wer
Immediately gathered from house
house for the comfort OF the hear
broken sufferers, every one OF whor
has some dear ftiend or relative anon
the dead. Nearly all the refugees al
sick and Frustrated from exhsus'io
and hunger. They are being tenderl
cared for by citizens Of Beaumont.