The National tribune., 1900-09-20
TIE TEXAS DISASTER.
Terrible Results of The Storm Which
Swept Galveston and Other Points.
Nearly 5000 Dead.

Through all of last week the detailed
reports of the disaster wrought i'll Texas
by the great tropical storm, the me
pOrtant feature of which Wine prac-
teal wiping out of the city of Galveston,
revealed horrors that while suspected
were not realized until communication
with different places was rcopened. and the
sad stories We're published.
of GalveStons population of 3S.0OD,
nearly 5000 were killed and the area of
total destruction there was 1,300 acres
L here were 5000 dwellings, hotels,
churches and converts and business
houses destroyed. The property loss is
not less than $l5,0OU,U00. Relief meas
ures, including the sending of enormous
contributions of money and supplies, were
taken by organized committees iIefore the
calls of the Governor and others were
made. Over S2,000.00 has so far been
placed at the disposal of:'the- Governor.
1t took on the part of the public spirited
men OF Galveston, who soon held meet
ings, good deal of boidncss. to hay. down
the law that the support rendered by the
country must be earned, ard to enforce
II; hut before two days had passed the
whole community was ut work chccrfully.
There is now the greatest activity. Thou
sands of men are dragging the ruins into
great heaps and applying the torch.
Nearly 2,UU0 bodies, sometimes of whole
uhNt bttiI W prevent PES
thence. Others have been buried, hun
dreds in the Gulf. Quite Il number of
men, most of them negroes, have been
shot to death for robbing the dead. The
call from Galveston setting forth in brief
the conditions and asking for assistance
was signed by Walter Jones, Mayor; Hon.
II. Il. Hawley, Representative from the
Galveston District, and Gen. Mckibben,
u. ). A., commander of the Department
Towns IS said thar rly IN
people need relief. Those now in author
ity are hopeful of Il rebuilding up of the
city, and 1t VIII be Il case of pure Amer
lear grit in the face of an enormous task
he destruction was complete in many
small towns.
The United States lost heavily. All
the Notifications, except rapid-ti fire bat
icry, ut Fort San Jaciuto, were "practi-
caliy destroyed. AT San Jacinto every
building except the Quarantine Station
was swept away. Battery O, LIST u. 5.
Art. lost IS men and all equipments.
The most exhaustive efforts have been
made to obtain IL complete list of the vic
Tins of the disaster. That seems an i'm
possible task now, and perhaps only
through new census of the living will
the full number or the identity of those
who lost their lives be made known.
Companies of Texas military are now
on the scene. 1t is understood that Gen.
Mckibben takes charge of the affairs at
Estimates of the damages outside of
Galveston to railroads, to telegraph and
telephone plants and crops are as yet
speculative. The loss of life outside of
Galveston was not so heavy compara-
lively. although whole families persisted
Dn the prairie, but the property losses are
enormous, aSgregating over 50 100000. The |
localities which suffered most are Houston,
Alvin. Hitchcock, Fort Bend Co., Whar- |
ION Co, Colorado Co., Waller Co., Angie
ion, Belleville, Texas City and Velasco,
the property losses being from $4,000 to
r3OO,GOO, respectively, and the lives lost |
.om l to 10. Thousands of kilograms
ere received for dead people by the |
Western Union, which managed to open |
'legraph communication by Sept. IA.
Houston was a place of refuge for |
irge number.
The latest estimate of loss of life by the |
Icalth Officer ut Galveston puts the NUM- |
,er of dead at 5000. This is considerably |
more than any authoritative statement |
reyiously made.
Congressman Hawley, of the Galveston |
district, has issued statement declaring |
hat the city will need at least 50, 000, 600 |
II money, mainly to build houses for those |
yho have no shelter. He reports great |
abundance of food coming in, but that at |
east 10000 people will need help in build |
ng new houses.
The streets have been cleared Ill q small |
lection of the business part of the city,
where electric lights, street cars and or
iinary commerce have been -re-established.
D.