The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-09-19
THE STRICKEN CITY
AND ITS NEEDS
SITUATION GROWING WORSE.
thousands OfDestitute Sufferers Who
are Frenzied and DyinR-Not a
Single Church or School Building
Was Left Intact

are Frenzied and Dying-Not q
Single Church or School Building
Was Left Intact.
The following statement Of condi.
tiObs at Galveston and appeal for aid
was Issued by the local relief commit
tee on the llth inst:
"A conservative estimate OF the loss
of life is that 1t will reach 5000; at
least 5000 families are shelterless and
wholly destitute. The entire remain
der OF the population ia suffering In
greater or less degree. Not q single
church, school or charitable institu-
tion, OF which Galveston had so many,
Ia left intact. Not building escaped
damage and half of the whole number
were entirely ob!iterated. There is
immediate need OF food, clothing and
household goods of all kinds. II nearby
cities will open asylums for women and
children the situation will be greatly
relieved"
The terrific cyclone that produced
such distressing disaster In Calves,
ton and all through Texas, was pre-
iicted by the United States weather
bureau to strike Galveston Friday
night, and created much apprehe nsion,
but the night passed without the pre-
diction being verified. The conditions,
however, were ominOus, the danger
signal was displayed on the flag staff
Of the weather bureau, shipping was
warned, etc. The southeastern sky
was sombre, the gulf beat high on the
beach with that dismal thunderous
roar that presaged trouble, while the
air had the stiffness that betokens q
storm. From out OF the north, in the
middle watches OF the night, the wind
began to come in spiteful putfs, In
creasing in volume as the day dawned.
BY 10 o'clock Saturday morning it was
almost gale at noon 1t had increased
In velocity, and was driving the rain,
whipping the pools and tearing things
up in a lively manner, yet no serious ap-
prehension was felt by residents remote
from the encroachnents Of the gulf.
Residents near the beach were aroused
to the danger that threatened their
homes. StupendOus waves began to
send their waters far inland and the
people began q hasty exit to secure
places in the city. Two igantic forces
were at work. The gulf drove the
waves with Irresistible force high upon
the beach and the gale from the north
east pitched the waters against and
over the wharves, choking the sewers
and ilCOdipg the city from that quarter.
The streets rapidly began 10 tll with
water communication began TO be diff.
ticut and the helpless people were
caught between two powerful elements,
while the winds howled and rapidly In.
creased in velocity.
Railroad communication was cut of
shortly after noon, the track being
washed out wire facilities completely
failed at 3 O'clock and Galveston was
pOnn nnlatly ianlato6 frpp, Tho wprl6
The wind mOmcntarily increased in
velocity while the waters rapidly rose
and the night drew on with dreaded
apprehension depicted In the face of
every one. Already hundreds and thou
sands were bravely struggling with
their families against the mad waves
and fierce winds for places OF refuge.
The public school buildings, court
house, hotels, in fact auy place that
Oifered apparently Il safe refuge from
the elements, became crowded 10 their
utmost. Two minutes OF 3 p. IN, Just
before the anemonetcr blew away, 1T
had reached the frightful velocity OF
100 miles an hour. Buildings that had
hitherto stood, tumbled and crashed,
carrying death and destruction to hun
DIRE is OF people. Roofs whistled through
the air, windows were driven In with
telegraph, telephone and electric light
poles, with their masses OF wires, were
snapped Cn like pipe stems ard water
communications were broken. What
velocity the wind attained after the
thermometer blew OF, Is purely q mat.
ter Of specl lation. The lowest point
touched by the barometer In the press
correspondence office, which was filled
by frightened men and women, was
% 045 this was about 80 p. m. IL
then began TO rise very slowly, and by
10 p. m. had reached 2809, the wind
gradually subsiding and by midnight
the storm had passed. The water,
which had reached u depth OF feet on
the strand At lO O'clock p. M, began to
ebb and ran out very rapidly and by S
q. m. the crown OF the strect was free
Of water. Thus passed out one Of the
most frightful and destructive storms
which ever devastated the coast OF
Texas.
DEAD ARE BURIED IN THE SEA.
A dispatch from Galveston dated
Sept. llth says:
The good citizens OF Galveston are
straining every nerve to clear the
ground and secure from beneath the
debris the bodies of human beings and
animals and to get rid OF them. 1T is q
task OF great magnitude and is attend
ed with untold difficulties. There is
shortage Of horses to haul the dead and
there Is shortage Of willing hands to
perform the gruesome work. Yester
day morning 1t became apparent that
it would be impossible to bury the dead
even In trenches, and arrangements
were mado to take them to sea. Barges
and tugs were quickly made ready for
the purpose, but 1t was difficult to get
mt to do the work. The city's hremen
worked hard In bringing bodies to the
wharf but outside OF them there were
few who helped. The work was In the
hands OF Alderman G. III. McMaster,
Mr.. Nj. p. Morrissey, Captain Charles
Clark, Joseph b. Hughes and others.
These men pitched In, handling the
bodies themselves and urging the few
men they could pick up to work. Rev.
Father Kirwin, who went out to sum.
mon men for the work, reported that 1T
was impossible to get any considerable
number, and he1rged that able. bodied
men be impressed. Soldiers and police
mon were sent out and every ablebOd
led man found was marched to the
wharf front. The men were worked In
relays and were literally, but not too
plentifully, supplied with stimulants
to nerve them for their task. At night
fall three barge loads containing about
700 bodies had been sent to sea, where
they were sunk under weights. Dark