The state herald., 1900-09-14

Galveston, the metropolis and leading
seaport of Texas. has been visited by
the most destructive gale and flood II
the history Of America. Estimates OF
the loss of life vary from 1000 to 5000
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 gull
coast have suffered disaster, the extent
of which cannot be known for days.
The storm has extended inland and is
still raging, leaving in its wake scores
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 1t is
known that an appalling disaster has
befallen the city of Galveston, where,
| 1t Is reported, Il thousand or more lives
| have been blotted out, and n tremend-
Gus property damage inflicted.
Meager reports from Sabine Pass
and Port Arthur also Indicate heavy
loss Of life, but these reports cannot be
confirmed at this hour.
The first news to reach this city from
the stricken city of Galveston was re-
ccived tonight. James C. Timmins OF
Houston arrived here at s O'clock to-
night from Galveston. After remain.
ing through the hurricane on Saturday,
he departed froW Galveston on n
schooner and came across the bay to
Morgan's Poift, where he caught a
train for Houston. The hurricane, Mr.,
rimminS ssaid, was the worst ever
known.
The estimates made by citizens of
Galveston was that 1000 houses, most
,fof them residences. have been destroy
ed, and that at least 1000 people have
been drowned, killed or are missing.
Some business houses We're also de-
stroyed, but most Of them stood,
though badly damaged.
The city, Mr.. Timmins AYERS, is n
complete wreck, so far as he could see
from the water front, and from the
fremont hotel. Water was blown over
the island by the hurricane. the wind
blowing Mt the rate of eighty miles an
hour straight from the gulf. and fore
ing the sea water before II In big
waves. The gale was steady one. the
heart of ii striking the city about 3
o'clock yesterday evening and contin-
uing without intermission until mid
night last night. when 1t abated some
what, although II 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 bemoanlng their loss
of kindred and fortune. They We're
grouped about the stalrways 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, Is
now entirely submerged and cut OF
from communication. The boats are
gone the railways cannot be operated.
and the water is SO high that the people
cannot walk out by way of the bridge
across the bay. even should that bridge
De standing.
Provisions will he badly needed. ms n
great majority of the people lost all
they had The water works power
house was wrecked and water fam
Inc Is threatened. as cisterns We're ruin
WI ny VI NsilA ulN
Mr.. Timmins regards as the most scri-
Gus problem TO he faced now. The city
is In darkness, Its electric plant having
been ruined
There is no way Of estimating the
property damage AT present. So far as
he could see or hear Mr.. Timmins says
the east end portion Of the city. which
Is the residence district. has been prac.
tically wiped ont of existence.
In the west end. which faces the gulf
on another portion of the island, very
much havoc was done.
The beach was swept clean. the bath
houses are destroyed, and many Of the
residences are total wrecks.
The town Of Alvin Is reported to be
practically demolished
Hitchcock has suffered severely from
the storm. while the town of Alta Lo-
ma is reported without II house stand
Ing. The town of Pcarland has lost
onc-hnlf OF Its buildings.
Onc-hnlf OF the state of Texas was
swept by the hurricane.
II ragged furiously from half past o
o'clock until noon to-day. The storm
prevailed for thirty hours, but wns most
destructive during the night. Hardly
place. from the licd River on the
north. to the gulf on the south, escaped
Galveston and the gulf coast were
stricken yesterday afternoon, and the