Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-10

investigation Shows Appalling Los.
of Life and Property.

GALVESTON, Texas, September 10
Starting as soon as the water began to re-
cede the work of rescuing the wounded and
dying from the ruins of their homes began
Screaming women, bruised and bleeding,
some of them bearing the lifeess forms of
children in their arms; men, broken-nearted
and sobbing. bewailing the loss of their
wives and children; streets filled with float
ing rubbish, among which there were many
bodies Of the victims of the storm, cons.i-
tuted part of the scene.
The first loss of life reported was that
| at Reuters saloon on the Strand where
three persons lost their lives and where
many others were MANNED and imprisoned
The dead were Stanley E. Spencer, Charles
Kiimer and Richard Lord These three
were sitting at table on the first floor
when suddenly the roof caved in, killing
all of them instantly. Those In the lower
part OF the building escaped with their
lives in a miraculous manner. The falling
roof and flooring were caught on the bar
the people standing near 1t lodging under
the debris. 1t required several hours of
hard work to get them out. The negro
waiter, who sent for the doctor, was
drowned at the corner OF the Strand al,l
21st street, and his body was found a short
rescuers was the city hall Here were con-
gregated fully 700 people, most OF whom
were more or less injured. One man from
Lucas Terrace reported the loss of fifty
lives in the building from which he es-
capped. He himself was severely injured
about the head
Imprisoned in Their Houses.
On Avenue NJ several ladies were imprls-
oned in a residence by the water and de-
bris. They were rescued by a party headed
by Capt NJ. Theriot. Several OF them
were badly hurt. Coming back to fremont
street. and going out to Avenue P by
climbing over the piles Of lumber which
had once been residences the rescuing par
ty observed four bodies in one yard and
seven In one room in another place while
as many as sixty bodies were to be seen
lying singly and In groups in the space of
one block. A majority of the bodies how
ever, that have not been recovered. ARE under
the ruined houses and 1t will take several
days hard work 10 get all of them out.
The body of Miss Sarah Summers was
found near her home on the corner of Ire
mont and Avenue F. her hands grasping
her diamonds tightly. The report from St.
Mary's Infrmary shows that only eight per-
of patients and nurses could not be ascer-
tanned, but the number of inmates was sell
dom under hundred. Rosenberg school
house. which was chosen as a place Of
refuge by the people of that locality. col
lapsed. Some of those who had taken ref
uge there escaped, but many were crushed
to death In the ruins.
AS Sunday morning dawned the streets
were lined with wounded, half-clad people,
seeking the aid of physicians for them
selves and for friends and relatives who
could not move Police Officer John Bowie
was found In a pitiable condition. He re-
ported that his house, with wife and chill
dren, had been swept into the gulf. The
beach resort of Pat O'Keefe, who is known
to every visitor to Galveston. was annihi-
lated, not a vestige Of the building remain
ing Mrs. OKeefe was drowned. The great
bathing pavilion known as the Pagoda, the
big pleasure resort known as the Olympia
and Murdoch's bath house are all swept
away into the gulf. There were few bodies
on the beach. They had been swept into
the gulf or driven up into the rubbish by
the waves Only half dozen Of them were
in sight from the site where the workers
were. All the residences which have es-
capped destruction have been turned into
is scarcely one of the houses which are left
standing which does not contain one or
more of the dead, as well as many injured.
Rescue Party In a Storm.
The rain began to pour down in torrents,
and the rescuing party wents back down
fremont street toward the city The rain
added greatly to the general distress. Stop
ping at small grocery store, the party
dxxyifS f1,o fpi,,
for food. but the provisions In the store had
been ruined. Further down the street a res
taurant, which had been submerged by
water, was serving out soggy crackers and
cheese to the hungry crowd. On returning
to the fremont Hoted the Houston Post cor
respondent found the death list to be swell
ing rapidly. the accounts coming from every
portion of the city. Information from both
the extreme eastern ana extreme western