The Meeker herald., 1900-09-15

Galveston, the metropolis and le}ding
seaport Of Texas, has been visitkl by
the most destructive gale and ftd in
the history of America. Estimat,s Of
the loss of life vary from 1000 to 1000,
while no computation Of the property
loss has been made.
Port Arthur Is under four feet OF wa
ter and many other towns on the gulf
coast have suffered disaster, the extent
Of which cannot be known for da's.
The storm has extended inland and Is
still raging, leaving in Its wake sores
of corpses and dozens Of demolished
towns and villages.
Houston, Tex, Sept. 30 p. m.-The
West Indian storm which reached the
Gulf coast yesterday morning has
wrought awful havoc In Texas.
Reports are conflicting, but It Ia
known that an appalling disaster has
befallen the city of Galveston, where,
1t Is reported, thousand or more lives
have been blotted out, and trcmend-
GUS property damage inflicted.
Meager reports from Sabine Pass
and Port Arthur also indicate a heavy
loss of life, but these reports carnot be
confirmed at this hour.
The first news to reach this city from
the stricken city of Galveston was re-
ceived tonight. James G. Timmlns OF
Houston arrived here at 8 o'clock to-
night from Galveston. After remain
ing through the hurricane on Saturday,
he departed from Galveston on a
schooner and came across the bay to
Morgan's Point, where he caught a
train for Houston. The hurricane, Mr..
Tmmins said, was the worst ever
known.
The estimates made by citizens of
Galveston was that 1000 houses, most
of them residences, have been destroy
ed, and that at least 1000 people have
been drowned, killed or are missing.
Some business houses were also de-
strOyed, but most of them stood,
though badly damaged.
The city, Mr.. Timmins AYERS. is a
complete wreck, so far as he could see
from the water front, md from the
fremont hotel. Water was blown over
the island by the hurricane, the wind
blowing at the rate of eighty miles an
hour straight from the gulf, and fore
ing the sea water before 1t in big
waves. The gale was steady one, the
heart of 1t striking the city about 5
O'Clock yesterday evening and contin-
uing without intermissiOn until mid
night last night, when 1t abated some
what, although 1t continued to blow all
night.
The scenes during the storm, Mr.
Timmins said, could not be described
Women and children were crowded in
to the fremont hotel where he was
seeking shelter, and all night these un-
fortunates were bemoaning their loss
Of kindred and fortune. They were
grouped about the stairways and In
the galleries and rooms Of the hotel
What was occurring in other parts OF
the city he could only conjecture.
The city Of Galveston, he says, Ii
now entirely submerged and cut Cd
from communication. The boats ART
and the water Is SO high that the people
cannot walk out by way Of the bridg,
across the bay, even should that bridge
be standing.
Provisions will be badly needed, as I
great majority Of the people lost nj
they had. The water works powel
house was wrecked and water fam
inc is threatened, as cisterns were ruin
ed by the overflow of salt water. Thii
Mr.. Timmins regards as the most seri
GUS problem to be faced now. The city
Is in darkness, its electric plant having
been ruined.
There Ia no way of estimating tn,
property damage at present. SO far Al
he could see or hear Mr.. Timmins say,
the east end portion Of the city. which
Is the residence district. has been prac
tically wiped out of existence.
In the west end. which faces the gull
on another portion of the island, very
much havoc was done.
The beach was swept clean, the batl
houses are destroyed and many of til,
residences are total wrecks
The town of Alvin Ii reported to b'
practically demolished.
Hitchcock has suffered severely from
the storm. while the town OF Alta 10
ma Is reported without house stand
ing. The town of Pearland has los
one half of its buildings.
One-half Of the state of Texas wal
swept by the hurricane.
1t ragged furiOusly from half past
O'Clock until noon to-day. The storm
prevailed for thirty hours. but was mos
destructive during the night. Hard1!
n place, from the Red River on til,
north, to the gulf on the south. escaped
Galveston and the gulf coast were
stricken yesterday afternoon, and thu