The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-01
breaches OF GALVESTON.
Rev. Z T. Creek Tells Topeka Congre-
cation of His Experience.

Rev. I. T. Greek, who was pastor of
the Second Baptist church of Galveston,
Texas, was in the city Sunday and
spoke at the regular church services Of
First Baptist church concerning his ex-
perience. He said: ION September 8,
the day of the storm, in early morning
the wind was blowing hard. The clouds
looked threatening and I remarked to a
friend who was with me. that we were
going to have bad storm. While get
ting my breakfast, as my wife was
away from home, two ne1ghbor boys
drove into the yard and left big chunk
of ice at my back door, to repay some
favor I had done them. The rain began
to fall while was talking to the boys
and told them that they had better run
home as I thought we were going to
have a bad storm. They did and 1 never
saw the boys after that The wind and
rain increased in violence and at noon
it was awful The wind was blowing at
the rate of % miles an hour. All after
noon, the wind and rain increased. The
streets were being filed with small
branches of trees and other light mater
ial. The water was coming from the
west and the wind from the northeast.
AS looked from my window, I could see
people running to reach higher places
of safety Now the wind and rain SEEM
ed to be coming from all sides and the
water was four feet deep in my yard,
the wind blowing at the rate of 65 miles
an nOuT. L seemed DQC a moment
the water was in my house. 1t got so
high that I climbed to the highest point
1 could find in the house Water on the
outside rose until it was IL feet high.
Above all the noise could hear a rumb-
ling, roaring sound and then boomi It
was like the sound of distant cannon.
Each time a wave would strike house
I could hear this sound. The waves
were rushing on and on. Houses.
churches, small buildings were floating
down the street. Waves had increased
in height until now they were Is feet
high Soon darkness came on. Such a
noise. I can never forget it. The rain
and wind seemed to increase. Above the
noise could hear a man cry, Help me-
and looking out of my window could see
a man clinging to the top of a telegraph
pole braved the storm enough to tell
him to hold on or he would drown He
let down until he nearly touched the
water then climbed back up again and
held to the top, for two more hours.
When at last we did rescue him, he was
so numb that after wrapping him in
blankets and putting him to bed, he was
soon asleep and had apparently forgot
ten the storm.
From to $50 o. m, it was still. but
at O'Clock came the worst. The wind
veered from the northeast to southeast
1t was then destruction came. It seemed
like could hear II, 900 voices CRYING for
help. l remember one woman whose
husband had gone away for some gro
ceries before the storm came up When
the house was taken away, the mother
took four children and braved the
storms fury The nurse had charge of
the other two. She told me afterwards
that they sunk three times. In her dis
pair she let go of her babe and with a
cry Mamma the child sank. All of her
children were drowned except one In
the morning I went out on the street
where I often Travelled. I walked down
to the beach. Solid blocks of houses, sew
ing machines, pianos, bicycles, and in
Vulnerable objects met my gaze. Where
my neighbors' houses stood were now
three feet of sand. Nothing of their
homes in sight I think two-thirds of
houses blown away. On my way back
to my house helped many people out
of the wreck. I saw men robbing the
dead. They were cutting the ears and
fingers off of women and getting what
ever plumber they could find. My church
was swept away as bare as a floor.
THE inhabitants of our town expect
ed yellow fever or cholera to break out.
Some thought to build new houses and
better stores. Others did not know what
Johns Methodist church was blown on
top of house. The First Baptist church
was completely wrecked. Only three
of my congregation were left with any
thing valuable. Some had no clothing
except that that they could get in the
wreckage. The people of Galveston have
decided to rebuild the city. They will
make better buildings, build a better
sewer and improve the city in many
ways
Rev Mr.. Creek has been sent out by
the remaining members of ms church to
church. A collection was taken at the
church services and at the Sunday
school of the First Baptist church. Mr..
Creek left this morning for Kansas City.