The Meeker herald., 1900-09-15
TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE BY
FLOODS AT GALVESTON

hurricane made rapid inroad into the
center Of the state. In Houston many
buildings were demolished, and Il
heavy loss of property was sustained.
Continuing inland, the storm swept
the town of Hampstead, fifty miles
above Houston, and continued thence
to Chappell Hill, twenty miles further,
then to Brennan, thirty miles distant.
All OF these towns were wrecked. their
Inhabitants terrorized and several OF
them killed.
The towns of Sabine Pass. Port Ar
thur and Alvin also were almost COM
pletely destroyed. The storm swept
Beaumont, Austin, Pearlland. Smith
Vile, Toyiar, Temple. Waco. Corpus
Christi, RockpOrt and Hitchcock, do
ing much damage in each town.
The BraZos Bottom, which was the
scene OF great disaster during last
years flood, was swept for fully 100
miles. Crops and farm property suf-
fered heavy damages.
From the territory west of Austin to
the mountains the storm seems to have
swept everything before it, razing
houses and uprOoting trees. Although
n vast area has been swept by the
storm, interest tonight is centered In
the fate of Galveston. Some light on
the terrible conditions was obtained
from James G. rmmins. general SUI
perintendent Of the National Compress
Company, who made his way to Hous-
ton, after n perilous trip.
He reported that more than 1000
persons were drowned or are missing,
and that 1000 houses in Galveston
have been destroyed.
Managers of the telegraph lines are
making every effort to re-establish
communication with Galveston ut the
earliest possible moment. They have
a large number of telegraph operators
and linesmen waiting in Houston to
go to Galveston. These men will be
sent on to Galveston Mt the earliest OPP
portunity. No wires are working to-
night south of Houston. A severe
storm now prevails In this city, but 1t
has not interfered with Geographic
communication.
The last definite news about the sit
uation in Galveston came early this
morning. At that time the lower pOr-
ton of the island was entirely under
water and the waves were making rap
Id inroads upon the banks which Dor
der the island proper.
Houston, Tex, Sept. 9.-AmOng the
passengers who arrived here on re-
lief train from Galveston is Ben W..
Dew, an Attache Of the southern Pa
lcifc. Dew had been ut Virginia Point
for some hours. and said that he saw
from 100 to 15O bodies floating out on
the beach at that place.
Il Conductor Powers reported that
twenty-five corpses had been recovered
by the life saving crew, many Of them
women, and that the crew had reported
that many bodies were floating and
they were using every endeavor to get
them all out of the water. The water
swept across the island, and 1t is pre-
sumed that most Of these were Calves
ton people, though none of them have
been Identified.
One OF the refugees who came in on
the relief train, and who had sad ex-
perience, was 8. w. Clinton, an en-
gineer at the fertilizing plant at the
Galveston stock yards. Mr.. Clinton's
family consisted of his wife and six
children. When his house was washed
away he managed to get two Of his
little boys safely to a raft. and with
them he drifted hopelessly about. His
raft colllded with wreckage OF every
description, and was split In two, and
he was forced to witness the drowning
Of his sons, being unable to help them
in any way. Mr.. Clinton says parts Of
the city are seething masses Of water.
Mr.. Jennings, slater by trade. who
!, resides at Thirty-eighth street and Ave
nue. NJ, Galveston, got to the mainland
in about the same manner ms Clinton.
After losing his wife he set out. and
, by swimming and drifting around
reached the mainland.
A. England and wife of Texas City,
, who were on the relief train, report
that the whole Of Texas City has been
, blown away, and number OF lives
lost. Six women are known by Mr..
England to have been drowned, and he
: said that many others had lost their
lives.
/ Beaumont. Tex. Sept 9.-The grav-
est fears are entertained here. for the
safety Of the residents of Sabine and
Sabine Pass. At the dispatcher's office
, of the Sabine and East Texas railroad
1t is learned that the last dispatch
/ from the operator at Sabine, the new
, town, reported that at that time the
, water was surrounding the station and
washing over the railroad track He
, said people were leaving in crowds for
, the back ridge.