The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-06-04

cheerfully joining in the work of relic
with their own labor. This army OF
from the Cupples block early Saturda,
morning to carry assistance to the suffer
mrning to carry assistance to the suffer
ers. Their mission was to remove tn,
household goods of the unfortunates t,
places of safety from the elements. In
many places the victims had no place t.
move their goods and the Simmons Hard
ware company rendered the use of the
warehouse on Ninth street The work
which is being done as help to the reg
ular relief committee, was carried or
Systematically.
The suffering witnessed by the gentle
men who canvassed the districts Friday
they state, was indescribab BILE. They
found entire families almost starving
was about to be confined without a place
to lay her head.
| The work being carried on from the
Cupples block is not in conflict with the
| Merchants Exchange relief committee,
but supplementary to it. Today the
| Merchants Exchange committee supplied
fifty families with provisions, ordering
| the goods of merchants where their own
wagons could deliver without delay. In
addition the wagons of the st. Louis
transfer company had been placed at
the disposal of the committee and those
were. employed in transferring property
to places of, safety.
Inc relief corps organized by the st.
Louis Provident association is canvass
ing the district from Tenth district TO
the river between Grier and the railroad
tracks. Friday they had reached
Twelfth street and Saturday continued
their work.
The headquarters of the Merchants
Exchange relief committee were thronged
all day with sad-faced men and women
seeking succor. Some of the stories told
were heartrending.
The police station is the center of the
relief work in the western portion. 1t
lies near the center of the storms path
and affords a convenient and accessa BILE
bureau. Quite number of relief wag-
ons have been placed at the command of
the sergeant in charge, and the officers
are instructed to direct persons applying
to them for relief assistance in moving TO
the station. In all, $169,10 has been
collected for the work of relief. This in
cludes the city's appropriation of $780,
600.
The work of cleaning up the devastated
district in South st. Louis was begun
this morning:
One thousand men with teams were nut
to work by the street department under
the personal supervision of Commissioner
Miner. Sunday morning the entire de-
partment will go to work under the direc-
ton of Chief of Police Harrigan, search
ing for bodies. The street department is
now working at an expense of $500 day.
Commissioner Miner says it. will take
10000 to put the streets in order and haul
away the litter. There is about S13, 900
to the credit of the department for this
branch of the service. Excitement has
entirely subsidized and the stricken people
have already settled down to face the Sit
uation and make the best of it. On every
hand may be seen men. women and chill
dren engaged in the work of restoration
where it is possible, or removal where it
is not.
Seventeen persons, dead and alive. have
been taken out of the ruins in the neigh
borh0od of Seventh and Rutger street.
which, it is thought, constitute the entire
number buried there. All the other resi-
dents of the wrecked buildings have been
located elsewhere. A large force of city
employees is now at work clearing the
streets. At the old Soulard market work
has been abandoned. The debris at this
point does not obstruct travel, and will
not be touched for some time. The vendors
and hucksters are out in full force and en-
joy but slightly diminished trade. Trades
men whose shops were demolished have
rontrived temporary quarters under the
sheds and in that portion of the old build
ing standing. At the ruins of the furni-
lure factory on Soulard and Broadway a
arge city gang is ut work clearing the
streets. Its efforts are supplemented by
hose of a crowd of volunteers who labor
I'd with the expectation of recovering the
body of Charles Burgess, who is supposed
o be in the wreck. Around this section
much damage was done, but much has |
,een patched up. Some of the street rail |
way lines that suffered from the storm
nave resumed operations and are besieged |
~ immense crowds visiting the ruins. |
Thc remaining lines will be in shape for
ervicc next week.
The magnitude of the city's misfortune
II losing the citys hospital is becoming
more apparent day by day. Only actual
experience in attempting to care for the
made doubly homeless by
he storm has brought out the full extent
f the calamity.
Plans for a new hospital have been on
lie in the building commissioners office
or some time, and a new building, or
ather group of buildings, will be erected
5 soon as possible.
The church congregations whose edi-
ces were wrecked or badly damaged by
he storm will worship at other churches
D which they have been invited.