Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-09-12
~ 49, o Lives Lost at
alveston,
DEBORAH, IOWA, s.
The Northern Iowa DeriDAL WAVE
Iss Over the Island and
,,orn.-eaves Death and Disaster
a., in Its Wake.
Property Valued at $1O,OOO,OOO De-
stroyed-Terrible Scenes Wit.
=. messed by Rescuers.
The Northern low

New Orleans, Sept. 10.-The follow
ing message has been received from
Mr.. Hayes, newspaper correspondent
well known throughout the south:
Houston, Tex, Sept. To- have
Just arrived from Galveston by boat. |
Storm destroyed $10,000,000 of prop |
erty and 1900 lives lost. National
aid is asked for"
Galveston, Tex, Sept. 1O.-SiX hun
dred to 1000 persons killed, city al
most in ruins, the wharf front entire
ly gone, steamers stranded, and death
and destruction on every hand with a
money loss that cannot be estimated
now, is so far as can he learned at
this hour, the result of the appalling
calamity that has befallen Galveston,
the result of tidal wave.
Waterworks in Ruins.
The waterworks are in ruins and
the cisterns all blown away, so that
the lack of water is one of the most
serious of the present troubles. Elec-
trio light and telegraph poles are near
ly all Frustrated and the streets are
Uttered with timbers, slate, glass and
every conceivable character of debris.
There is hardly habitable house in
the entire city and nearly every Dusl-
ness house is badly damaged. The
school buildings are unroofed, such edl-
fees as the Ball high school and Rosen-
berg school buildings being badly
wrecked. The fine elevators are al
most in ruins. The elevators and
warehouses are unfit for use, the cleo
trio light plant has collapsed, and so
has the cotton factory.
Large Section Swept Away.
From the fremont to L street,
thence to the beach, not yestlge Oh
residence is to be seen. In the Dusl-
ness section of the city the water was
from three to ten feet deep in stores,
and stocks of all kinds, including 1000
stuffs, are total losses.
Saturday night it was common
sight to see women and children
emerging from once comfortable
homes. dazed and bleeding from
wounds, women wading neck deep
with babies in their arms. To ada, IL
possible, to the calamity the city Is
cut off entirely from communication.
The telegraph lines are down ana the
cable which connects Galveston with
Mexico is cut, this message being car
ried by steamer to Texas City. All
Of the bridges which connect the ISL
and with the mainland are reported
wrecked. At one point where bridge
formerly stood, big ocean vessel was
stranded.
storm Began Saturday Morning.
The Storm commenced raging be-
tween Q and 10 o'clock Saturday morn
ing. and by noon the waters from the
pulf had inundated the island as far
inland as Twelfth street. From there
the water gradually encroached far
ther inland, rising about 10 inches an
hour.
Al G n. M. there was SO inches of
water in. the Hobbies of the fremont
hotel. the highest point in the city.
Across the street where the ground is
lower a horse was drowned. At y
o'clock the water on Market street
was level with the seats of the street
cars. After that it gradually receded
Int the wind was cyclonic in its force
IT reached velocity of "a miles an
hour. and then the instruments in the
ooyarnment observatory were
Wreckeu. III lue SlIttlS lhN hANS w.
down, telegraph and telephone poles
falling. slate and glass and timber ny
ing through the air.
Work of Rescue Begins.
Starting as soon as the water DegaI
TO recede, the work of rescuing th'
wounded and dying from the ruins be
gan. In every direction as far as th'
eve could reach the scene of desola
ton and destruction was presented
The negro waiter who was sent for
doctor for the injured at Rietter's sa
loon, the first house to collapse, wa
drowned at the corner of Strand ant
Twenty-first street and his body wa
found later.
At the city hall were congregate'
fully 700 people, who were more o
less injured in various ways. On
man from Lucas Terrace reported tn
loss of 80 lives in the building fror
which he escaped. He himself wa
severely injured about the head. D
Avenue NJ several women were in
prisoned in a residence by the waite
and the debris. They were rescued
Several of them were badly hurt.
Bodies Were Everywhere.
Four bodies were observed in on
ward and seven in one room in anoti
er place, while as many as 90 bodie
were to be seen lying singly and
groups in the space of one block.
majority of the bodies, however, thu
have not been recovered are under til
ruined houses, and it will take sever;
DAYS work to get all of them out
The report from st. Mary's infirn
airy shows that only eight persons e
.caped from that hospital. The nun
Der OF patients and nurses could M
be ascertained, but ordinarily the nun
Der of inmates were seldom under
hundred Rosenberg schoolhous
which was chosen as place or re
uge by the people of that locality, CO
iapsed. Some of those who had take
refuge there escaped-how many ca
not be told.
Death List Growing.
The death list is swelling rapid
the accounts coming from every pc
tion of the city. Ii Is nard to dete
mine what section Of the city suffere
the greatest damage and loss OF lii
Information from both the extren
eastern and extreme western portion
OF the city were difficult to obtain.
fact, it was nearly impossible, but II