Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-09-12
GULF CITIES WIPED OUT.
One of the Worst Storms of the
Season in the South.
1000 REPORTED DEAD.
Sabine Pass Also Believed to be
Swept from the Face of
the Earth.
The Storms Awful Record.

SABINE PAss-Isolated; reported de-
PORT o1 ARTHUR-No news; destruction
ALTA LOMA-Reported not house stand
BROOKSHIRE- Wiped out, four bodies re-
ALVIN = Practically demolished seven
ANGLEToN-Isolated. fate uncertain.
| OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES fate uncertain.
2RAIORA-ISOlated, fate uncr tain.
! NELASCO-IsOlated fate uncertain
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. fate uncertain.
iEARL-One- half destroyed.
CHENANGO JUNCTION-Damaged nine
bodies recovered.
| IEMpSTEAD-Great damage.
| SEABROOKE-Two bodies recovered, sew
enteen missing.
MORGAN'S POINT-Three drowned, others
missing.
HITCHCOCK-seve damaged; no de
! UOUSTON-One death; damage, $2oO,OOO.
Galveston Overwhelmed.
Houston, Tex, Sept. 10-The storm
that ragged along the coast of Texas last
night was the most disastrous that has
ever visited this section The wires are
down and there is no way of finding out
Just what has happened but enough is
known to make it certain that there has
been great loss of life and destruction Of
property all along the coast, and for a
hundred miles inland. Galveston is re-
rorted almost wholly destroyed. Sabine
Pass is said to have been swept out of
existence Every town that is reached
reports one or more dead and the prop
erty damage IS so great that there IS
no way of computing it accurately.
Mr.. Vaughan, manager of the West
'rn Union telegraph Office here, has sent
out the following message:
"Reief train just returned Could not
get nearer than within seven miles of
Virginia Point. There the ground is COW
cred with wreckage of houses, pianos,
furniture and bodies.
Two hundred corpses were counted
from the train. \ steamer was thrown
upon shore, apparently by Il tidal wave.
Nothing could be seen of Galveston. +
1.-Two men were picked up Who hoated
across to the mainland VINO say they
estimate the loss of life up the time
they left at 20O0."
Terrible Scenes at Houston.
The scene here is something awful
| The hurricane has destroyed most all of
the town, and many lives have been lost.
Messages are so piled up on the one
wire in operation that details will be
slow in getting out. The town locks
like wreck. and the people are para
yzed with fear. The hurricane ragged
from $50 last night till noon today.
There can be little hope that anything
is left Of Galveston.
Four Thousand Houses Destroyed.
James C. Tmmins, general superin-
'endent Of the National Express COM
pany, has just arrived from Galveston
.fter a perilous trip. He reports that
core than 1000 people have been
crowned, killed or missing and that
1000 houses have been destroyed.
After remaining through the hurricane
on Saturday, Mr.. Timmns departed from
Galveston on a schooner and came
across the bay to Morgan's point, where
he caught train for Houston. The
city, Mr.. Tmmns AYERS. is a complete
wreck as far as he could see from the
water front and from the fremont hotel.
Water was blown over the island by the
of eighty miles an hour straight from
the gulf and forcing the sea water before
it in big waves. The gale was a steady
one, the heart of it striking the city
about ) o'clock yesterday evening and
continuing without intermission until
somewhat although it continued to blow
all night.
Saw One House Destroyed.
Of his own knowledge MIR. Timmins
knew Of only one house succumblng with
fatal results. though he heard of many
residences being carried away with in
mates. The house that he saw destroyed
was Ritters saloon and restaurant at
2109 Strand street, principal business
street of the city. The threestory build
ing was blown down and nine men
prominent citizens-Were killed. Among
the dead are:
CHARLES KELNER, SR., cotton buyer
STANLEY c. SPENCER, general mana
ger of the Elder-Demster steamship line.
RICHARD FORD, manager for McFad-
den's Cotton company, whose body is still in
the ruins.
Secretary Bailey Of the Wharf COM
pany and several walters and customers
saved themselves by jumping from the
upper story just before the crash came.
= Hospitals Are Destroyed.
1t was reported that the orphan asylum
and both the hospitals were destroyed,
and if this proves true the loss of life
will be great, as these institutions We're
generally crowded, and as they were sub
stantial buildings, the chances are that
many had taken refuge In them.
The water extended across the island.
Mr.. Timmins said it was three feet deep
in the rotunda of the fremont hotel and
was six feet deep in Market street
Several Ships Are Wrecked.
Along the water front the damage was
very great The roofs had been blown
along the wharves were either wrecked
or had lost their sides, and were Of no
protection to the contents. Most of the
small sailing craft were wrecked, and
were either piled up on the wharves or
floating bottom side up in the bay.
There was small steamship ashore
about three miles north of Pelican is
land but Mr.. Timmins could not distin-
guish her name. She was flying Brit
ish flag. Another big vessel has been
driven ashore at Virginia Point, and
still another is aground at Texas City.
At the south point of Houston island an
unknown ship lies in helpless condi-
ton.
The lightship that marks Galveston
bar is hard and fast aground at Bolivar
point.
Mr.. Timmins and the men with him
on the schooner rescued two sailors from
the middle bay who had been many
hours in the water. These men were
foreigners and he could gain no informa
ton from them.
wreck Of a vessel which looked like
large steam tug was observed just be-
fore tho rt Ion cd Tn, no hoy no