The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-15

American people that no such disaster
has ever taken place in any community
or section in the history of our country
The loss of life is appalling and can
never be accurately determined. 1t is
estimated at 5000 to 5000 people There
is not a home in Galveston that has
not been injured, while thousands have
been destroyed. The property loss rep
resentS accommodations of six years and
more millions than can safely be stated.
Under these conditions with ten thou
sand people homeless and destitute, with
the entire population under a stress and
strain difficult to realize, we appeal di-
rectly in the hour of our great emergency
to the sympathy and aid of mankind.
''WALTER JONES. Mayor.
"R- B HAWLEY, NJ. c.
.'McKIBREN,
Commander Department, Texas
The information reaching here from
an official source states that reports Of
prOmiscuous shooting of vandals at Gal
weston has been exaggera{ed.
CRY OF DISTRESS FROM SMALLER
TOWNS.
Houston, Tex, Sept. 15.-The following
statement and appeal was sent to the
Associated Press by R W. King Of
Il arrived in Alvin from Dallas and
was astonished and bewildered by the
sight of devastation on every side
Ninety-five per cent of the houses in
this vicinity are in ruins, leaving six
thousand people without adequate shell
ter and destitute. Everything in the
there is speedy relief there will be ex-
ceedingly great suffering.
1.-THE people need and must have as
sistance. Need money to rebuild their
homes and buy stock and implements.
They need flour-fiour, bacon, corn
They must have seeds Cor their gardens
so as to be able to do something for
themselves very soon- Clothing is badly
needed. Hundreds of women and chill
dren are without a change and are al
ready suffering. Some better idea may
i ltr-&- -14..v. 10 lrv1Nr
that box cars are being improvised as
houses and hay as bedding. Only four
teen houses in the town Of Alvin are
standing on their foundations and they
1.-The necessities of the people must
be met or great suffering and starva-
ton will follow.
TT is believed that a generous public
will quickly respond when they know
the dire distress among this people.
While the great sympathetic heart of
this grand nation is responding so gen.
erously for the stricken city of Calves
ton, it should be remembered also that
the smaller towns-where the same con-
dition of total wreck exists, though
miracu1ously with smaller loss OF life
need immediate help from liberal peo-
pie"
SAN FRANCIsCO'S CONTRIBUTION
San Francisco, Sept. 15.-Contribu-
tions to the Galveston relief fund in this
city now amount to nearly $4,000 Two
more car loads of provisions have been
sent east
New York, Sept. 15.-In accordance
with the letters sent out from police
headquarters by Chief Devery, collections
of money from the members of the force
for the sufferers of the disaster at Gal
weston is going rapidly forward The
money will be hurried to the proper
source for distribution as speedily as
possible.
Dallas, Texas, Sept 15.-There is ur-
gent call for fresh troops at Galveston
Those there are worn out with guard
duty, burying the dead and cleaning up
the wrecks, or are sick from the unsani-
tary conditions Governor SayerS last
night ordered the Craddock light in
fantry of Terrell to Galveston The COM
pany reached Dallas To-Day ana Went
south.
A special from Galveston says: There
is no concealment to be made of the fact
that a pestilence is feared. Efforts of the
local and military authorities are direct
ed now to minimizing this new danger.
They are sending the women and child
ren to the interior as fast as possible.
All the able bodied men must remain for
a time at least. There is work for thous-
ands of them and work that must be
done. The disposition of bodies contin-
ues to be one of the largest duties and
besides this, there are yet in the city and
on the island thousands of carcasseS
which need attention. The stagnant
water in the streets filled with all man.
ner OF QeCOlnpOSlDS matter Is d threat
against the living which makes man
tremble. In saying that ten thousand
barrels of lime can be used to good ad-
vantage no exaggeratfon is made
The community that will donate
train load of lime at once and get it
there will render a greater service than
by giving twice the value in money.
Send an abundance of lime and other
disinfectantS and help remove a danger
far more imminent than starvation
M'KIBBEN TO LEAVE
Houston, Texas, Sept. 15-So much
progress has been made here toward to
the rehabilitation of Galveston and SO
harmoniously are the various forces
working that Gen. McKibben, who was
ordered here with his staff to assist the
authorities as soon as the storm disaster
befell Galveston, has decided that his
presence is no longer necessary, and he
made arrangements to leave for HouS-
ton After having largely assisted in the
restoration of local confidence, the with
mean that little to be done here but to
care for the distressed, until normal
business conditions have been resumed
In this connection the information was
made public through the local represen-
tatives of the federal authorities that the
war department will undertake as soon
as possible the reStOrations of its pro-
perty at this point
Associated Press dispatches quoting
eastern financiers on the future of Gal
weston were read with much interest.
LA-c .uSa, nov ever lu4t t1e STATUS q
the city will be changed, finds no local
adherents. The various railroads enter
ing here have determined to assist the
citizens of Galveston to the full extent
OF their ability in rebuilding the city
Col L. J. Polk of the Santa Fe has
received a very enthusiastic and encour-
aging message from the headquarters OF
his road, declaring confidence in Calves
ton, urging the business community to
proceed at once with the work of recon-
struction and promising every help in
their power AS q result of the receipt
OF the message Col. Polk said to the rep
resentative of the Associated Press.
The railroad interests have decided to
hirsa fl1eil.