The Portland daily press., 1900-09-14
TRAIN WRECKED
md



Drowned in Texas storm.
New Orleans, September 13.-The States
today received a telegram from Hon.
John II. Poe, member OF the state board
of education and residing at Lake
Charles, stating that eighty-four lives
were lost on the Gulf and Interstate
train which left Beaumont early Sat-
urday morning from Bolivar point af-
ter having made connections with the
Southern Pacific train which left this
city Friday night. MIR. Poe was one OF
the passengers on this train and with
few others he sought safety in the light
honse at Bolivar Point and was saved
The train reached Bolivar about noon
and all preparations were made to run
the train on the ferry boat preparatory
to crossing the pay. But the wind blew
SO swiftly that the ferry could not max
landing and the conductor of the train,
after allowing it to stand on the track
for few minutes, started to back it
toward Beaumont. The wind increased
SO rapidly, coming in from the open sea
that soon the water had reached level
with the bottom OF the seats within the
cars. 1t was then that some of the pas
sengers sought safety in the nearby light.
house.
But Mr.. Poe states in his telegram that
in spite Of all efforts eighty-four passen-
gers were blown away or drowned The
some Of the killed were from New Or
leans as the train made direct oonnec-
lions with the Southern Pacific train
which LETT here Friday night and there
were a large number OF New Orleans
passengers aboard, and it Is known that
at least some of these were bound for
Galveston Those who were saved had
to spend over fifty hours in the lighthouse
on almost no rations.
GEN. M'KIBBEN' REPORT.
Washington, September 13-The War
Department has received the following
telegram from General McKibben, who
was sent to- Galveston to report on cOndi-
tions there:
Houston, Texas, September 10.
"Adjutant General, Washington:
Arrived at Galveston at 6 p. m, hay
ing been ferried across the bay in q yawI
boat. 1t is impossible to adequately des-
cribe the conditions existing. The storm
began about 9 a M. on Saturday and con-
tinued with constantly increasing vio-
lence until after midnight. The island
was inundated; the height of the tide was
from eleven to thirteen feet. The wind
was cyclone. With few exceptions every
building in the city is injured. Hundreds
are entirely destroyed, All the f0rtiica-
lions, except the rapid fire battery at San
Jacinto. are practically destroyed. At San
Jaointo every building except the quar-
antine station has been swept away. Bat
terry o. First artillery, lost twenty-eight
men. The oil GERS and their families were
all saved. Three members OF the hospital
corps. are lost. Names viii be sent as
soon as possible Loss of life on the ISL
and is possibly more than one thousand.
All the bridges are gone, water works des-
troyed and all the telegraph lines are
down.
'tCol. Roberts was in thescity and made
every effort to get kilograms through. The
city is under control Of the committee Of
safety and is perfectly quiet.
Every article of equipment or proper
ty, pertaining to Battery o, was lost.
Not record of any kind is left. The
men have saved nothing but the clothing
on their persons Nearly all are withou
shoes or clothing other than their shirts
and trousers. Clothing necessary has
been purchased and temporary arrange
ments made for food and shelter.
There are probably 5000 citizens
homeless and absolutely destitute. who
must be clothed, sheltered and fed. Have
ordered twenty thousand rations and tents
for one thousand from Houston.
Have wired the commissary general to
ship ten thousand rablons by express Z
Lieut.. Perry win make his way back
to Houston and send this telegram.
"AlcKibben.
RHWHNTTE ETTpViIrTy TOTy ~ A WIG