The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-14

4
There is one peculiar feature of the
| situation in Galveston. as reported In re-
cent dispatches. 1t is that some OF the
| business men of that city are actually con-
| templsting rebuilding it, repairing those
edifices which are not wholly destroyed.
and making the city larger and more pros
porous than before. This. to anyone who
has read newspaper accounts of the recent
| terrible calamity, seems almost criminal
folly
This is not the first time Galveston has
suffered from flood. There was an event
almost like this. on a small scale. gen.
Grafton ago and several similar disasters
along the coast should have made /; plain
! to the people of Texas that there is no
| safety in a city built on sand. and only
little above sea level. on an island exposed
to the violence Of every great storm in the
Gulf of Mexico. These warnings. how
ever, have been disregarded by the re-
spnnsible people OF the community, and
the result is the horrible condition of things
now existing in that seaport. 1t is to be
hoped that the harbor has been rendered
unavailable by being filled in with sand. as
has been reported. for this will effectually
prevent a repetition. fifty or seveniy-hye
years hence. of the present fearful state
of affairs.
A city is not thins or day. Its life
outlasts that of many generations. and it
cannot AFFORD TO take risks that the indi-
vidual may blamelessly assume. The max
ers of a city have no moral right TO place
the lives and interests of their descendants
in jeopardy by any short-sighted policy
which may suit their own convenience
With a singular disregard of propriety.
some Galveston business men who have
net suffered seriously from the flood are
said to have remarked that the loss was
probably exaggerated. and that the city
would be rebuilt. as it was after the storm
OF .lSss.s stronger than before. They say
that although there may be much suffer-
ing among the poor for n while. the pros
perous will be able to relieve it.
This kind OF talk IS foolishness. Allow
ing for all possible exegge-ation in the
number OF dead-and it is probable that
there has been none-the loss of life has
been something fearful. What can make
up 10 the unfortunate men VINO IOat InelF
families in the disaster, for lives blasted
and haunted by such horror? Who can
estimate the misery caused by families
broken up. mothers without children. chill
dren escaping as by miracle. when all
their relatives have been swept away,
There is no excuse for allowing the repe-
tition OF such a trsgedy.
When the JohnstoRn food occurred II
vas plainly the result Of carelessness, and
as plainly could be avoided in the future.
But there is no surety that this Calves
ton horror may not be repeated. The city
is exposed to tidal waves, to hurricanes, to
anything which may send the waves dash
ing up on the mainland with irresistible
fury. No properly interests should be al
lowed to count against the safety Of hui
man nfe II is to be hoped that the ex-
perience Of the past week may so impress
the public that no sensible man. hence
forth. viii consent TO risk his life and tina;
OF his family in 4 town placed in such a
ureearious position.