Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-10

the wisdom shown in the establishment of
weather observing stations at points on
the isthmian coast ana the West Indies
fcan system. The great stress laid by
Chief Moore and his assistants on the i'm
portance of always taking precautions to
be on the safe side rs Also proven to have
been wise in the present instance, when
warnings were sent out, not only along the
Atlantic coast, up which IT was believed the
storm would most probably move, but along
the gulf coast as well, owing to the possi-
bility of its passage in that direction, which
1t took.
Very Serious Outlook.
Chief Moore received telegram early
this morning which placed even a more Sc
rious aspect upon the conditions along the
gulf coast and especially at Galveston,
than any previous information. 1t was from
G. L. Vaughan, manager of the Western
Union Telegraph Company at Houston,
Tex, and read as follows:
First news from Galveston just received
by train, which could get no closer to the
bay shore than six miles, where prairie
was strewn with debris and dead bodies.
About 200 corpses counted from train
Large steamship stranded two miles inland
Nothing could be seen of Galveston Loss
of life and property undoubtedly most ap-
palling. Weather clear and bright here,
with gentle southeast wind"
II fear said Chief Moore that we
have not yet begun to get any idea Of the
loss of life, not only at Galveston but along
the gulf coast generally. The telegram
from Mr. Vaughan indicates that the
waters from the gulf encroached six miles
Inward. The sudden passage of the storm
permitted, l am afraid, this water to re-
cede rapidly, and in such a case no one
can estimate the damage to life and prop
erty done. I heartily trust my fears are
groundless."
Some Words Of Wisdom.
considerable criticism and not a little
fun was poked at Professor Moore last
week because Of the failure of that South
American storm to follow its expected
course and come up the Atlantic coast"
said an observer Of men and things today
THE chief complaint on the part of the
critics and humorists seemed to be based
on the fact that the. disturbance didn I
come and break the hot spell up. None of
them seemed to think that such a storm
might do material damage to property while
1t was diminishing perspiration.
"The trouble with the average city dwell
ler,'' he continued. who has not substantial
interests of an agricultural or commercial
character is that he only regards the wealth
er bureau as a medium which shall indi-
cate whether he shall carry q cane or an
umbrella when he leaves home in the morn
ing or wear diaphanous or substantial ap-
parel. He looks at 1t merely as creature
supported by the government for his own
comfort, and II 1t don't happen to rain
when such moisture s indicated, or does
rain when clear weather Is promised, or is
not, in a word. infallible on everything
meteorological, he rises IN his wrath and
smites it with sharp, sarcastic raps. The
farmers. the fruit growers, the truck
raisers, the shipping owners, the men.
in word, who keep the American
mare Of prosperity trotting, know the
enormous material value Of the weather
hrr 7 h.a herarft<n that II
saves more property from destruction by
frosts and storms by reason of It's warnings
in one year that 1t would cost TO maintain
1t for q hundred"