The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-09-15
SAD STORY.
The People Had Warning Of tia
Storm and Were Filled
with Apprehension.
PRECEDING CONDITIONS WERE OMNIBUS.
Out From the North the Wind Came,
and Then, with Ever Increasing
Force, the Mighty Hurricane
Swept Everything Before 1.-two
Gigantic Forces.

dispatch boat to Houston, Tex, Sept.
10.-The terrific cyclone that pro-
duced such a distressing disaster in
Galveston and all through Texas was
predicted by the United States wealth
err bureau to strike Galveston Friday
night, and created much apprehen-
sion, but the night passed without
the prediction being verified. The con-
ditions, however, were ominous, the
danger signal was displayed on the
flagstaff of the weather bureau. ship
ping was warned. etc. The south
eastern sky was sombre, the gulf beat
high on the beach with that dismal,
thunderous o Il that presaged trou-
bic. while the air had that stiffness
that betokens a storm.
Out From the North the Wind Came.
From out the north, in the middle
watches of the night, the wind began
to come in spiteful puffs, increasing
in volume as the day dawned. BY ten
o'clock Saturday morning it was al
most a gale; at noon it had increased
in velocity, and was driving the rain,
whipping the pools and tearing things
up in a lively manner, yet no serious
apprehension was felt by residents
remote from the encroachments of
the gulf. Residents near the beach
were aroused to the danger that
threatened their homes. S~tupendous
waves began TO send their waters far
inland, and the people began a hasty
exit to secure places in the city.
Two Gigantic Forces.
Two gigantic forces were at work.
The gulf force drove the waves with
irresistible force high upon the
beach, and the gale from the north
east pitched the waters against n
v the wharves, choking the sew.
ers and flooding the city from that
quarter. The streets rapidly begar
to fill with water; communication be
came difficult and the hapless people
were caught between two powerfus
elements. while the winds howled and
rapidly increased in velocity.
Railroad Communication Cut OF.
Railroad communication was cut
off shortly after noon, the track be-
ing washed out; wire facilities COM
pletely failed at three o'clock, and
Galveston was isolated from the
world. The wind mometarily in
creased in velocity. while the waters
rapidly rose. and the night drew on
with dreaded apprehension depicted
in the face of every one. Already
hundreds and thousands were bravely
struggling with their families against
the mad waves and fierce wind for
places of refuge.
Public Buildings Crowded.
The public school buildings. court
house, hotels, in fact any place that
offered apparently a safe refuge
frcm TIE elements, became crowded
to their utmost Two minutes of
C:3O p. NJ, just before the anemo-
meter blew away, it HAD reached the
velocity of 100 miles an hour.
buildings that had hitherto stood.
tumbled and crashed, carrying death
and destruction tohundreda of people.
Roofs whistIed through the air, win
dows were driven in with a crash or
scattered by flying slate, telegraph,
and electric light poles,
with their masses of wires. wera
snapped off like pipe stems, and wa
ter communications were broken.
A Matter of Speculation.
What velocity the wind attained
after the thermometer blew off ia
a matter of speculation. The
point touched by the barom-
in the press correspondents Of
flee, which was filed by frightened
men and women, was 2s.04H; this
was about 7:30 ?. m. 1t then began
TO rise very slowly. and by 10 p. IN.
had reached $500, the wind gradual
~ subsiding, and by midnight the
had passed. The water, which
had reached a depth of eight feet OH
The Strand at 10 p. m, began t ebb,
and ran out very rapidly.
The Storm Paused.
Thus passed out one of the mos.
frightful and destructive storms
which ever devastated the coast of |
Texas.
The city is filled with destitute, be-
eft and homeless, while in the i'm
revised morgues are the rigid forms
If hundreds of victims. Whole fami-
lie side by side. /
SOIdiers' Miraculous Escape.
The city beach in the southwestern '
part of the city was under ten feet
If water, and the barracks. located /
here, are destroyed, the soldiers hav-
ng a miraculous escape from drown
ng. Many substantial residences in
he western and southwestern part of
# the city were destroyed. and the
leath list from there will be large,
HATI0G9 ANn TEYTS L