The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-09-16


in 1875 and again rebuilt more substan-
tial than ever Judging from his expert
ences in that city, Colonel Hutchinson
is basing his prediction on the ability Of
the people to rise above the difficulties
which now confront them.
Colonel Hutchinson, in a communica
ton to the Eagle gives an account of the
storm which he witnessed and Of the re-
buildin Of the city. He writes:
To the Editor of the Eagle
The dreadful destruction of life and
property in Galveston the 8th and 9th of
this month recalls my experience in
somewhat similar storm there September
IA to II, 1876.
In that greatest storm in the then
known history of the town we were cut
off from the outside world for several
days; for two or three the world thought
US lost. During one of those days my
self and associate in the weather office
felt that our time had come. for the
water was then over eight feet above
mean tide and that meant almost an
average above the high part of the island
of three feet of water. But it was near
the middle of the day and that
alone saved a large number of lives.
For while three feet was near the aver
age depth of water there were large dis
tricts and very small ones where people
could and did easily drown. While other
parts Of the city were as the gulf itself,
| prodigies Of valor were done that day
! by citizens and sailors, for of the latter
! class Galveston had many. The city was
/ largely governed and peopled by ex-sol-.
| diers, These gave an element whose in
urement to danger well qualified them to
! organize to save life. Well did they do
their parts, for opportunities were not
wanting for hundreds, even thousands,
to drown before escaping to the central
/ part Of the city.
! When the wind reached its highest We
/ locity and the storm it's climax every
way I went to the roof Of the office
| building with my field glass. The rain
| ceased nearly as I emerged above the
roof. The great iron roof beneath my
! feet sucked up by the wind roared and
| cracked as if preparing to roll off. The
little shells stuck in the pitch on the
roof were whipped up and went away
! singing with the wind. crawfed across
| to the iron post supporting the wind
measurer. The instrument was singing
! like buZzsaw. I seized the iron rings
! Of the ladder firmly and cautiously
! reached the instrument and read its
/ face. noted the velocity on my cuff
| Just then the rain fell in torrents the
wind increasing. The water flowed down
! over me as if I'm a stream. It stung my
! face and even my body beneath my duck
and linen clothes. Several roofs about
/ that moment rolled off into the strand
with a cracking roar that outdid fer a
moment the awful voice Of the angry
elements. I could not see distinctly
twenty feet ahead. I Rugged that quiv-
ering iron post and locked my feet in
the ladder. AS quickly as it came the
great charging column of cloud and rain
swept on to the northwest over the city.
the wind Iulled and a great rent in the
cloud dome Of the awful pandemonium
let down a food of light I swept the
field With my glass as quickly as I could
draw It from its case in my belt Away
/ across the bay-I was on the roof next
to the bay front-tewards Bolivar. then
to Pelican island. Virginia Point. shns
were riding at anchor and sma shlny
I against the wharf and each other and as
far as the eye could reach not sp6t
OF land to he seen. swept the view
( around over West Bay towards san
Louis Pass and outward On that side
not ship was seen. not even the lone
bridge existing then over Wsst Bay.
Where Fort Point and Boliver should
have been. in fact all around me. but
the maddenei and raging waters. White
capped waves fully ten or more feet
high and appearing TO a hundred, charg-
/ Ing myriad. sQusdrons. dashing upon
ships and houses with loud reports dwin-
. ding 70 many toned Kisses
The streets Of the city wing fair with
the wind were filed with destructive
waves near the shore and the little
dancing white caps vent among the
yard shrubs and household goods as e.
they were messengers of the greater onss
laundering outside and which misht soon
swallow the city. And there sat the
stricken city apparently in the pit Of
q vast amphltbeater girt around bv
vail of raging water. alive wtis surites
( ard demons awaiting the slrnal to slide
down the sides and ensulf it as they
Kissed and danced while IL 7s.izhed. The
+ thought struck me thnn and even now
I how much grand0r this great battle q
/ the elements was than any ever fought
I ~ men,
/ At the end Of my speu-bound view an
other dash of rain approached has
( tiy descended n THE ofi]ca and tod
Rseder 20 take che glass and so 10 tha
/ roof. and see sight nor often seen by
men OF E5ds- Ee asked me 70 rthe read
+ Ing II tho snemoUete=. saying. with a
lonely looking smile that he did not care
/ - compete with lae gods or men Tor
/ great sigAts jast then: that The general
4 features of she show had long since sat
/ isied him. and z Juniter- PluvfuS a
/ R2reas wou'd risg down the curtain
| risht then he would ReYer kick on any
! nre.k in he rr,r-rar1l