The Bemidji pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Beltrami County, Minn.) 1896-1917, 1900-09-13

Texas Suffer Loss of Life and
Damage to Property-SevernI YES
sells wrecked - Greatest Distress
Prevails.
Chicago, Sept. I.--A dispatch to the
Chronicle from San Antonio, Tex,
says: -
The startling news has just flashed
over the wires informing GOV. =. =.
Savers that messenger at great FISK
of his life has reached Virginia Point
from Galveston with the report that
R.5OO are probably dead as result OF
the fearful storm. An urgent appeal
to all Texas for help was made. The
messenger said that the grain elevators
At the water front are wrecked and
hundreds of buildings have collapsed
or were carried out to sea. The great
ast distress is said to prevail
wrought Awful Havoc.
Houston. Tex, Sept. 1.-THE West
indian storm which reached the gun
eoast yesterday morning wrought aW-5
Sul havoc in Texas. Reports are con-
f,tcting, but it is known that an appall-
ing disaster has befallen the city OF
Galveston, where, it Is reported two
thousand or more lives have been
hIotted out and a tremendous property
damage incurred. Meager reports
from Sabine Pass and many other
points also indicate heavy loss OF life
but these reports cannot be confirmed
ut this hour. The first news to reach
this city from y, i
The Stricken City
OF Galveston was received yesterday.
James c.. Timmins. who resides In
Houston and who Is the general super
tntendent of the National Compress
company, arrived in the city at CLOCK
last night from Galyerton. he was
one of the first to reach here with It'd
lngs Of the great disaster which has be-
fallen that city, and the magnitude or
that disaster remains to be told be-
cause of his endeavors to reach home.
After remaining through the hurricane
on Saturday he departed from Calves
ton on schooner and came across the,
bay to Morgan's Point, where he
caught a train for Houston.
The Hurricane,
Mr.. Timmins said, was the worst ever
known The estimates made by citi-s
gems Of Galveston were that 1000
houses most Of them residences, have
been destroyed and that at least 2.5oO
people have been drowned. killed or
missing. Some business houses We're
also destroyed, But most Of them stood,
though badly damaged. The city, MIR.
Timmins ayers, is complete wreck, so
far as he could see from the watos
front and 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 forcing the
sea water before it In big waves. The
gale was a steady one, the heart of 1t
striking the city about S o'clock Satur-
day evening, and continued without in
Permission until midnight, when it
abated somewhat, although it contin-
ued to blow all night. Of his own
knowledge Mr.. Timmins knew of only
one house succumbing with fatal re-
suits, though he heard of many resi-
dences being carried away, with in
mates. The house that he saw de-
stroyed was Ritter's saloon and restau-
rant at 259 Strand street, principal
business street of the city. This three
story building 5.la ...
.& Was Blown Down
ard nine men, prominent citizens. were
killed. 1t is reported that the orphan
asylum and both the hospitals were de-
stroyed, and if this proves true the
loss Of life will be great, as these in
stitutions were generally crowded and
as they were substantial buildings the
chances are that many had taken ref
uge in them, The water extended
across the island. Mr.. Timmins said
it was three feet deep in Market street.
Small craft are floating bottom UP in
the bay. Along the water front the
Damage Was Very Great
The roofs had been blown from all the
elevators and all along the water front
the buildings had lost their sides and
were no protection to their contents.
There is small steamship ashore three
miles north of Pelican island, but Mr..
Timmins could not distinguish her
name She is flying a British flag. An
other big vessel had been driven ashore
at Virginia Point, and still another is
aground on the island. A short dis
lance from Pelican Point another vessel
is ashore. The lightship that marks
Galveston bar is hard and fast aground
at Bolivar Point. -g
Z Vessels Wrecked.
Mr. Timmins and the others with him
on the schooner rescued two sailors in
the Middle bay who had been many
hours In the water. These men were
foreigners and he could gain no infor-
anation from them. A wrecked vessel
looking like q large steam tug was
seen in the bay just before landing,
The carcasses of nearly 200 horses and
mules were seen, but no human bodies
were visible The scenes during the
storm, Mr.. Timmins said, could not be
described. Women and children We're
crowded into the fremont house,
where he
Had Sought Shelter
AT night they were bemoaning their
losses and completely filled the hotel.
What was going on in other portions of