St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-09-15
TERRIFIC STORM AT
GALVESTON.
ABOUT 10, OOOLIvES LOST, AND
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
PROPERTY DESTROYED.
Most Appalling Disaster
Known in the History
of the Country.

The West Indian storm centered
on the Texas coast last Saturday.
deluged Galveston, demolished 1000
homes, killed about 10000 per-
sons, destroyed the Orphan Asylum
and two hospitals, wrecked the
grain elevators and a large num-
Der of vessels, completely SUBJ
merged the city and cut off all tele-
graphic, telephone and railway COM
munication.
There had been a storm out on
the Gulf. The tide was unusually
high. At o'clock on the morn
ing Of Saturday the wind began to
blow a gale from the north.
The waters from the Gulf piled up
on the southern end of the city.
The gale from the north piled the
waters up on the northern side.
One force flooded the residential
portion near the beach. The other
force flooded the business section
toward the bay. In the early after
noon the waters OF the bay and
Cult met aud the city was sub
merged.
In the late afternoon with the
water
FROM WAIST TO SHOULDER DEEP
in the street, the people waded to
their homes or sought more pro-
tected houses. When night fell
the whole city was flooded, the
waters of the Gulf was rushing in
torrents through the streets. The
water steadily rose during the
night, and
AS THE WATERS ROSE THE TEMPEST
INCREASED.
The people in houses were like rats
in traps. To venture out meant
death by drowning. TO remain in
meant death by wreckage. Stanchly
built structures rocked like cradles.
In the highest part of the city
water was five feet deep. In many
parts it was eight to ten feet deep.
The rise from mean tide was twelve
feet.
At l:45 a. m. Sunday morning,
while the tempest was highest, the
flood, without any apparent reason,
began 10 subside. In twenty min
utes il had gone down two feet.
Before daylight the city was free
of water. except what might be ex-
pected after heavy rain. Dur
ing the night there was a gray
light, aud one could distinguish
objects blocks away. When II was
light enough to see clearly the peo-
pie who had spent the night fearing
death every instant looked out on
a scene of wreck and devastation
such as the human eye seldom
sees.
HOUSES WERE FILED rP IL con-
Andevery street was blocked with
wreckage. The city was cut off from
the world. You could find corpse
on every block. The living counted
the dead in numbers not in names.
Corpses lie unburied everywhere.
From Virginia Point north and
south along the bay front at such
places as Texas City, Dickinson,
Hitchcock, Seabrooke, Alvin and a
dozen small intermediate points the
number of dead bodies gathered
up by rescue trains and sailing
craft had reached at noon Tuesday
more than 700. This is only small
scope OF the country devastated
and it is feared that the death list
from the storm will ultimately
show not less than 10000 victims.
Hundred have been swept out to
sea that will never be accounted
Tor.
In the city of Galveston the
dead are being gathered as rapidly
as possible, taken to sea aud there
consigned to their last resting
place. This action is necessary 70
protect the survivors from pestil-