Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1900-09-13

Destruction of Property.
Houston, Tex, Sept IL. - The first
reports from the appalling disaster
which has stricken the city OF Calves
ton do not seem to have bbeen mag
nified. Communication was had with
the Island City yesterday by boats and
reports were received here last night
indicating that the death list viii ex-
ceed 1900, while the property loss can
hot be estimated, although II will reach
several million dollars. The burial OF
the dead has already begun. At the
army barracks near San Anantion a
report Is current that more than 100
United States soldiers lost their lives
In Galveston, This report, however,
lacks confirmation. Yesterday a mass
meeting was held and liberal contribu-
lions We're made for the immediate re-
lief of the destitute.
President Responds Promptly.
Gov. Sayers appealed to President
Mckinley for aid. This appeal was
met with prompt response from the
president, who stated that 10000 tents
ind $4,000 rations had been ordered to
Galveston. Gov. Sayers also addressed
an appeal to each municipality in the
state, asking for prompt assistance in
caring for the sufferers. kilograms Of
inquiry and sympathy have been pour
ing In throughout the day and night
from every state In the Union and in
amost every instance substantial re-
lief has been offered. The stricken
city is In imminent danger Of a water
famine and strenuous efforts are maxi
ing here to supply the sufferers. Re-
lief trains are being organized and
Will leave at an early hour to-day.
Reports from the Interior confirm the
loss of life and destruction Of prop
erty reported In these dispatches yes
terday.
story Of the Disaster.
Richard Spillane. well known Gall
weston newspaper man and day cor
respondent Of the Associated Press In
that city, who reached Houston yes
terday after a terrible experience,
gives the following account of the dis
aster at Galyeston:
zone OF the most awful tragedies Of
modern times has visited Galveston.
The city is in ruins and the dead will
the city. having been commissioned by
the mayor and citizens committee to
get In touch with the outside world
and appeal for help Houston was the
nearest point at which working tele-
graph instruments could be found.
the wires. as well as nearly all the
buildings between here and the Gulf
OF Mexico being wrecked. When
left Galveston shortly before noon
Sunday the people were organizing for
the
Prompt Burial of the Dead.
distribution OF food and all necessary
work after a period Of disaster The
wreck of Galveston was brought about
by tempest SO terrible that no words
can adequately describe its intensity,
and by a flood which turned the city
into a raging sea. The weather bureau
records show that the wind attained
velocity of eighty-four miles an hour
when the measuring instrument blew
away, so II Is impossible to tell what
was the maximum. The storm began
at 2 o'clock Saturday morning. Pre-
vious TO that great storm had been
raging in the gulf and the tide was
very high. The wind at first came from
the north and was in direct opposition
to the force from the gulf. While the
storm in the gulf piled the water upon
the beach side Of the city the north
wind Piled the Water
from the bay on the bay part of the
city. About noon ii became evident
that the city was going to be visited
with disaster. Hundreds of residences
q oh
abandoned, the families fleeing to
dwellings in higher portions of the
city. Every home was opened to the
refugees. black or white. The winds
were rising constantly and II rained in
torrents. The wind was so fierce that
the rain cut like a knife. BY 8 O'Clock
the waters of the gulf and bay met
and by dark the entire city was SUBJ
merged. The flooding of the electric
light plant and the gas plant left the
city in darkness. To go upon the
streets was to court death. The wind
was then at cyclonic velocity. roofs.
cisterns portions of buildings. tele-
graph poles and walls We're falling and
the noise of the wind and the
Crashing of the Buildings
were terrifying in the extreme. The
wind and water rose steadily from
dark until 10:45 O'Clock sunday morn
ing. During all Shi slime the people
of the city were like rats in traps.
The highest portion Of the city was
four or Ave feet under water. while in
the great majority of eases the streets
were submerged to a depth OF ten
feet. To leave house was to drown.
To remain was to court death in the
wreckage, Such a nightnof agony has
seldom been eauaIled. Without appar-
ent reason the waters suddenly began
TO subside at las a. ma Within twenty
minutes they had gone down two feet.
and before daylight the streets were
pretty free OF the flood. waters. In the
meantime the wind had veered TO the
southwest Very few. II any. build
ings escaped injury. There is hardly
a habita BILE dry house. In the city
When the people who had escs ped
| death went out. at daylight 10 view, the
work of the Tempest eess