Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-09-14
APPALLING Loss Of LIFE.
Meager Reports from Galveston In
dictate That Thousands of People
Were Drowned.
Oscillation FOLLOWS STORMS WAKE
Property Loss at Galveston VIII Reach
Over 81O.OOO.OO0, Including Over g.
100000 Bushels of WheAt-At Houstos,
Eagle Lake, Richmond, LerltiA and Else
where Destruction Is Great

of desolation and death, not only at
Galveston, but at many inland points
in Texas, is the condition presented
as result of Saturdays storm. Es-
Inmates of the number of dead are
placed between 1,5O0 and 1900. The
property loss will aggregate many
millions of dollars, although no ac-
curate figures can be given at pres
ent. The streets of Galveston are
mostly under water; wires are in a
hopeless tangle, and dead bodies are
thickly strewn among the floating
debris. No complete list of dead is
obtainable until the water recedes.
Narrowing tales of the loss of
whole families and many miraculous
escapes are told by the few survivors
who have thus far reached this city.
The relief trains which arrived here
have been the only means of commune
cation with the storm-swept Galveston
and definite information as to the
present situation is scarce. The cot
ton and rice crop throughout the dis
trict devastated by the storm is bad
ly damaged in many places, and in
others totally destroyed.
Government Aid Asked For.
Washington, Sept. 1.-THE presi-
dent received a telegram from Mr..
Stillenane, of Houston, Tex, in be-
half of the mayor and citizens COM
mittee of Galveston, and says that
money, food and clothing are needed
Immediately; also that they must be
furnished by the state and nation. He
calls on the president for aid. The
president has replied stating that he
has instructed the secretary of war
to Immediately furnish tents and
provisions for the destitute people in
Galveston and expressing his sympa
thy with the sufferers.
President Mckinley also sent a tel
egram to Gov. Sayers in which he
says that he will instruct the secre-
tary of war to supply tents and pro-
visions to the flood sufferers upon his
request.
War Department to tho Rescue.
Washington, Sept. 11.-Gov. Sayers,
of Texas, applied to the war depart
ment for 10000 tents and 1000 rations
for immediate use for the sufferers
from Saturdays storm. Acting Sec
rotary Meiklejohn issued an order
granting the request. The tents will
be sent from San Antonio and JEFF
ferson barracks, Mo. 1t is expected
that a large portion of the rations
can be procured at San Antonio. If
not they will be sent from Kansas
City.
Loss OF Life May Reach 10000.
Dallas, Tex, Sept. 11.-Houston &
Texas Central railroad officials at
noon received bulletins from their
general offices in Houston that the
loss of life will reach 5000 in Calves
ton. The Missouri, Kansas & Texas
relief forces near Galveston and along
the coast telegraphed at noon that
the loss of life will not be less than
5000 and may reach 10000.
Houses Destroyed at Eagle Lake.
Eagle Lake, Tex, Sept. 11.-Three
churches. together with many houses,
were completely blown to pieces. The
rice crop and the pecan crop are
ruined. The cotton crop is nearly
ruined. The cane crop is considera-
bly, damaged. The loss to this COM
munity from the storm is ESTIMATED by
the most consecutive citizens at $780,
600. No lives were lost here, but the
town of East Bernard has been blown
away and three persons were killed.
Devastation at Richmond.
Richmond, Tex, Sept. 1.-THE most
terrific storm that has ever visited
this section of the state has swept
this town and there are but a few
houses that are not damaged. Many
buildings were demolished. The court
house was greatly damaged. The
Baptist church is a total wreck,
ho CT oh ol
most destroyed. Three lives were lost
Ransom and two children, colored;
one person was killed at Booth and
four lives were lost at Beasly.
Lives Lost at Letitia-
Brookshire, Tex, Sept. 11.-Letitia
is a wreck. The houses which stood
in the place, including the depot, have
been blown down and the timbers
from some of them carried for miles.
Mrs. Sophia Schultz was killed. She
was 70 years of age. Mrs. Amelia
Quade was fatally injured.
says Loss Will Reach S1O.00O.OoO.
New Orleans, Sept. 1.-THE follow
ing message was received from Mr..
Hayes, a newspaper correspondent
we'll known throughout the south:
Houston, Tex.I have just arrived
from Galveston by boat. Storm de-
stroyed $1O,OO0,OOO of property and
f,5OO lives lost. National aid asked
orr
Destroys Over e. 100000 Bushels of Wheat.
Chicago, Sept. 11.-According to the
board of trade statistics, the damage
10 the grain elevators at Galveston
mounts to the loss of 2,223, 900 BUSH
As of wheat.