The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1900-09-19
CALAMITY GROWS.
Early Estimates Kept Down to Avoid
Exaggeration-Looti


Houston, Sept. 1.-THE magnitude
of the calamity grows. Newspapers
statements from here have been too
conservative in their effort to guard
against eXtr9vagance or exaggeration.
The newspaper men have so far fallen
below in their statements of the loss
of life in Galveston. Reports first
placed the death list at about 1000.
Parties through whom these reports
were obtained gave very high figures
and it was feared that they were ex
aggerations. hence the reporters made
some allowance for excited mental con-
ditlons and cut it down bit 1t is
beginning now to be recognized that
the big figures were nearer correct.
The pressing mead of the hour is
food and dresses for the women. They
have only the clothes they had on
when the storm caught them. There
is every confidence that relief will be
adequate in few days. Dire distress,
however, during the interval. The aid
which arrives promptly is that which
will save life, prevent sickness and
suffering. Barges and steamers are
now passing between Texas City and
Galveston, n distance of six miles.
They connect with trains that pass
over the Galveston, Houston and Hen
derson and Texas City tracks. The
break in the track has been re-
paired as far as Texas City Junction.
The telegraphic wire connections,
however, are broken and trains cannot
be run by telegraph. AS soon as the
wires are put UP the train service can
be greatly increased. Some 800 people
have left Galveston SO far for Hous-
ton and more are leaving as fast as
possible.
The citizerS of Galveston are strain
ing every nerve to clear the ground
and secure from beneath the debris
the bodies of human beings and ami
mails and to got rid OF them. 1t is a
task OF great magnitude and is attend
ed with untold difficulties There is a
shortage of horses to haul the dead
and shortage of willing hands to
perform the gruesome work. When
it become apparent that 1T would be
impossible to bury the dead, even in
trenches, arrangements were made to
take them to sea. Barges and tugs
quickly made ready for the purpose,
but it was difficult to get men to do
the work. The cityls firemen worked
hard in bringing bodies to the wharf,
but outside of them were few who
helped Rev. Father Kirwin, who
went out to summon men for the work
reported that it was impossible to get
any considerable number and urged
that able-bodied men be impressed.
Soldiers and policemen were sent out
and every able-bodied man they found
was marched to the wharf front. The
men were worked in relays and were
liberally, but not too plentifully sup
piled with stimulants to nerve them
Eor their task. Three barge loads
containing about 700 human bodies
were sent to sea where they were
sunk with weights.
a large number of dead animals
were hauled to the bay and dumped
in, to be carried to sea by the tides.
AS the work of collecting the bodies
proceeds and as reports come in of
deaths, it becomes apparent that the
death list will run much higher than
was at first supposed. Conservative
Estimates place the number of dead in
the city at 5000. Other points on the
coast also suffered and reports are
that the mainland, Galveston island
and Bolivar peninsula are bestrewn
with dead.