The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-14
HUGE WAVE FROM THE GULF
REPORTED TO HAVE SWEPT OVER
THE TOWN AT THE PASS.
Relief Train Unable to Reach the
Scene of the Disaster-Wind Blew
Eighty Miles an Hour.

little city at an early hour last evening
Six people are known to have been killed.
while many others were injured. Build
ings were blown down and great damage
was wrought by the storm. The dead:
FRANK ALBRIGHT, of Kansas City,
employed by Electric-light Company
GEORGE MARTIN, brick layer resi-
dence unknown.
UNKNOWN MAN aged thirty~eight.
MAY AINSWORTH, thirteen years cid,
daughter of William Ainsworth.
INFANT SON of w. II. Johnson blown
from its mothers arms and drowned.
FRITZ MICHAELIS, laborer, residence
unknown.
The injured:
MRS. ROY STAFFORD, right leg broken
near hip
ROY STAFFORD, legs badly bruised.
LITTLE DAUGHTER of the Staffords
seriously injured.
Many buildings were blown down, includ-
ing the railroad roundhouse, where May
Ainsworth was killed; the Natatorium the
bank building, Town-site Company's barns
Hotel Hayden, Strong & Leagues build
ing, shifted off foundations; Brennan
building, Colonade Hotel, Suence Lyons
building, c. j. Millers grocery store sew
eral barns, Kanady's saloon, the Herald
Office Alfred VOLTS saloon, the Hays build
ing and NJ M. Zolliaskis grocery. Several
residences suffered severely, that of Dr.
A. w. Barraclaugh being carried across the
street Many outbuildings were blown
away
From early morning the sky was threat
ening and a stiff gale blew. No rain of
consequence fell until p. M, and then it
was accompanied by heavy wind that
increased in intensity until it reached the
enormous velocity of eighty miles an hour.
structon except one brick, the Port Arthur
Banking Company's building, the far end
and roof of which were blown away. The
bodies of the victims have been sent to
Beaumont for interment no cemetery hav-
ing yet been started here. There were
many acts of bravery, and the suspense
during the severity OF the storm was ter
rible.
Advices from Winnie, Tex, sav that near
Iy all the houses there have been blown
down and torn away. AT Webb all of
the barns and one house were demolished
and scattered over the country.
Nothing can be heard from Sabine Pass,
as all the telegraph wires are down. A
relief train left Beaumont tonight for Port
Arthur and Sabine Pass. Edward Kirsch-
erner, prominent citizen, was on Gulf
& Interstate Railroad train on his way to
ton Every one on the train thought we
would be blown from the track, he said
tonight. ct was pitch dark and rain
ing, and the wind was blowing like it
never blew before"
The following telegram has just been re-
ceived from Mr.. Kirscherner at Beau
mont: THE relief train has just returned
from Sabine Pass. 1t could not get nearer
than eight miles from Sabine Pass. 1t is
reported that the new town is complete
ly gone. Nothing heard from the old town.
From reports things look bad there"
A dispatch from Beaumont tonight says
that the Southern Pacific agent at that
place received dispatch from the agent
at Sabine Pass, who walked from Sabine
pass to Port Arthur, stating that the track
for eight miles is washed away and that
about thirty people are missing. lie reports
the sinking of two tugs and the drowning
of Green Moore and Lewis Bettes promi-
nent steamboatmen of Orange.
A still later dispatch reports three lives
lost at Sabine and damage Slight.
The Wrecked Towns.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Sept 13.-Port Ar
thur is a town of about one thousand TO
twelve hundred inhabitants, and has prob
ably three hundred houses many Of which
are substantial structures. The Gulf Rail
way owns a $4,000 depot, and the principa!
hotel is a costly structure of seventy-five
rooms The town is the southern terminal
of the Kansas City. Pittsburg & Gulf Rail-
road and is situated sixteen miles inland
from Sabine City. In 1886 a wave swept over
Sabine City covering that place with six
feet of water, destroying many houses and
causing several deaths. Great distress was
nd and
thrilling escapes. When the Gulf road was
first projected, land in Sabine pass, owned
by Kountz Bros, of New York city, was Of
fered the railroad for a terminal. Both be-
cause of the fear of tidal waves and owing
to a failure to reacn a satisfactory price
for the land the proposition was rejected.
Port Arthur then became the southern ter
minus of the road and was built up on the
strength of that enterprise.
At the headquarters of the road in this
city a statement containing brief particu-
lars of the disaster at the gulf was given out
tonight According to the railroad reports
a heavy wind came on Sunday night. attain-
ing the velocity of a hurricane at 8 o'clock
in the evening and increasing in force un~
til p. m, when the highest velocity was
reached. In Port Arthur six lives were lost
about thirty houses were blown down the
second story of the bank building was
blown off the Sabine Hotel was damaged
$500 and roofs were blown from the round
pany's stables. The pier, it is reported, was
somewhat damaged.
OF the disaster at Sabine Pass, which is
the opposition town 10 Port Arthur, the
Pittsburg & Gulf statement says: AT Sa-
bine pass the loss is one schooner. four tugs,
many buildings, ten more people
drowned, including Moore & Betts. con-
tractors, and there is six feet of water in
Sabine City"
President A. E. Stillwell. of the Pittsburg
& Gulf, tonight wired his representatives
at Port Arthur that the company would
subscribe $4,000 TO repair the damage to
homes in Port Arthur. and would arrange
Tomorrow for the expenditure of the mon
ey The damage TO the pier will be repaired
at once
1t is reported that during the storm q
huge wave rolled over part of Sabine Pass,
the water being driven in from the gulf BY
the frightful force of the hurricane.
Blow at Galveston.
GALVESTON, Tex, Sept 1S.-At an early
hour this morning the wind at Galveston
gained a velocity of thirty-seven miles an