The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-09-14
THE STORM SWEPT CITY
ADDITIONAL NEWS INCREASES H0R-
R0RS OF THE SITUATION
THE 10000 DESTITUTE PEOPLE
Call Upon the Country for Food and
Clothing Five Thousand Families
homeless One-Third of the Resi-
dences of the City Destroyed-The
Deaths Estimated at From 1000
to 5000 Liberal Responses to the
Call for Aid.

Memphis, Tenn, September u.-Au-
thentic information from the storm
swept city of Galveston reached the
Memphis office of the Associated Press
shortly after 9 o'clock tonight. The in
telligence came in the shape o. & tele-
gram addressed to the Associated Press
from Mayor Jones and five of the most
prominent citizens of Galveston. The
TELEGRAM bears date of September 11th
nj states that a conservative estimate
Of the loss of life in Galveston is that
it is not over 5000. Fiv thousand
families are exported destitute and the
destruction to property is great. Fo:-
lowing is the telegram in fun:
Galveston. Texas, September II.
To the Associated Press. Memphis,
Tenn.
The following statement of ccndi-
lions at Galveston and appeal for aid
is issued by the local relief committee
a conservative estimate of the loss
of life is that it will reach 5000, at
least 5000 families are shelterless and
wholly destitute. The entire remainder
OIL the D"ODuIdIlOn Is suffering Ill great
er or less degree. Not a single church,
school OF charitable institution, of
which Galveston had so many. is left
intact. Not a building escaped damage
n half the whole nunber were en-
tirely obliterated. There is immediate
need for food. clothing n household
goods of all kinds. If nearby cities
will open asylums for women and chill
dren the situation will be greatly re-
lieved. Coast cities should send us
water as we'll as provisions, including
kerosene oil, gasolene and candles.
(Signed) w. c. JONES,
Mayor.
NJ. LASKER,
President Island City Savings Bank.
]. d. SKINNER,
President Cotton Exchange.
G. H. McMASTER,
President of Chamber of Commerce.
re. LOWE,
Manager Galveston News.
CLARENCE DISNEY,
Manager Galveston Tribune
TEN THOUSAND DESTITUTE.
Austin, Texas September 11.-Offi-
cial reports from Galveston to Gov
ernOr Sayers today are that 400 bodies
nave been identified, 200 more are in
an imprOvised mOrgue awaiting lden-
LITIGATION and many more are thought
to have drifted out to sea and their
identity will not be known for weeks.
A telegram from Adjutant General
Scurry, who is at Galveston, TO the
governor is as follows:
Have just returned from Texas City
with several Galveston parties who as
sure me that conditions there beggar
description. The accounts have not
been exaggerated. One ous lives
lost is too conservative.
While a portion of the provisions
have haan DESTROYED by wafer sufficient
is on hand to relieve immediate neces-
stiles. The citizens seem to nave the
situation well in hand. United States
troops and Company c., volunteer
guard, with citizens, patrol the streets
to prevent lOoting. / requested w. Il.
Workman to go to Galveston from
Texas City for the purpose of advising
me of the city'S most urgent needs
and I returned here to report and ask
for further instructions. l respectfully
suggest that the distress is too great
for the people of Galveston even with
the assistance of Houston to stand,
and that a general appeal for help
would be welcomed. The of
TO- 900 destitute does not seem to be ex-
ceSSiVe."
1t is estimated by the telegraph COM
panieS at this point that upwards OF
10000 private messages were handled
out of Galveston by boa to Houston,
thence to relatives and friends of Gal
weston people, notifying them of their
safety, n so great has e the
strain of business that all telegraph
companies have been using their full
forces all the t~wenty-four hours with
out relieving the rush. Hundreds OF
messages pouring in here to-day bring
relief to some and sad news to others,
recording the safety or death OF rela-
-iveS in Galveston.
From reports reaching the governor
-l,;- ,,arnin~ II will ha necessary 10
cooperate with the federal troops to
place ali the mainland opposite Gal
weston, as we'll as the island,
martial law.
If reports reaching here are true,
thieves have begun to enter the city
for the purpose OF pllferlng the DodleS
Of the dead.
TROOPS TO TAKE CHARGE.
The governor has been informed hat
the commander OF the Texas troops has
been ordered to Galveston by the fed
eral authorities and the governor will
lend him every assistance possible
with state militia TO keep vandalism
down.
There is only one Dad operating 10
the coast from Houston and that will
be placedf under military supervision
temporarily.
Governor Savers was today in re-
Ceipt of a telegram from Miss Barton.
u the lieu STOSS society Offering bue
assistance of that association n he
replied that he would call on the soci-
ETY. if he found that its help was need
ed.
According to reports TO the governor
tonight the work OF recovering cOrpses
continues undated and while a num-
Der of them are so mut1lated that they
cannot be recognized, they are being
held as long as possible in the hope of
securing their names. Quite a number
Of children are noted among h list.
A large number of state militia tents
LILO -