Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-09-15
the GALVESTON DISASTER.

IhE GAltsStuN UISASIek.
Terrible Story Not Exaggerated In First Re.
The Galveston disaster was not ex-.
aggerated in the first reports. 1t de-.
velops that exaggeration would have
been almost impossible. Words are in
adequate to clear description Of the
exact situation, even as it has existed
since the subsidence Of the food.
For the past week, or al least since
the people Of the city began to recov-
er from the stupefaction into which
they were thrown by the disaster, the
leading citizens have been engaged in
heroic efforts to bring order out of cha
os. It has been q question of burying
the dead, caring for the bruised and
MANNED, feeding the hungry, fighting
ghouIs who rob the dead, and taking
all possible precautions against pesti-
lence.
During Sunday and Monday, but lit
tie practical work Of any kind could be
done. People were appalled, by the
paralyzing disaster. There were few
to think and there could not find many
to act. It was not long, however, be-
fore ghouls went to work, robbing
houses. searching the pockets Of the
dead, and stripping jewelry from their
bodies. knowledge Of this condition Of
affairs first aroused the intelligent law
abiding people Of the city to proper
sense Of their responsibility, and dur,
ing Tuesday, partial order was estab-
lished by means Of martial law, en-
forced with the help Of the survivors
of the United States garrison, the local
militia and hundreds Of citizens who
were. sworn in as special marshals.
Even before the flood had subsided,
hundreds Of ghouls, mostly Negroes,
but some whites, had begun searching
the debris for dead bodies, on which
their were valuables. and robbing de-
serted houses. Unable to pull rings
from swollen fingers, these vandals
would cut the fingers off; also ears. At
the outset the authorities decided that
death should be the punishment for
tfiese caught In such acts, and during
Wednesday not less than so Negroes
were summarily shot to, death by the
military. One Negro was caught with
his pockets literally bulging with fin
gers and ears on which there was jew
elry. He was shot to death at once.
It was realized early that to bury
the dead was impossible. In the first
place the labor could not be secured,
and in the second place the water
soaked condition Of the soil made 1t
During Tuesday and
Wednesday, some 5000 dead bodies
were consigned to the sea to be carried
off by the tide. Hundreds Of others
were burned with debris with which
they were entangled and from which 1t
was impossible to extricate them.
It Is estimated that the total num-
ber Of dead not counting those who
may die Of wounds, will aggregate not
less than 5000. It is admitted, however,
that there is no means by which an ac-
curate estimate can be made and 1t Is
quite probable that figures will run far
in excess of those quoted.
Since Monday, relief in the shape Of
food, clothing, medical supplies, physi-
clans and money, has been literally
pouring into the city, and everything
that can possibly be done for the
stricken people is being done. But
Galveston is not exactly monopolizing1
attention. The distress is as great in
many smaller towns and in the imme-
diate interior as in the city. During
the past few years the Texas coast has
been dotted by thick settlements in
town and country, and the plight OF
the people Is simply fearful.
Galveston dispatch published yester-
day morning, says:
The work Of relief continues ener-
getically. Mayor Jones and his associ-
ates are bending every nerve to open a
direct line Of transportation with
Houston by which he may be enabled
to receive the great quantity
of provisions which are now on the
way to the city.
"I wish to say however" said Mayor
Jones, I'VE have made such arrange
ments as will make it possible for us
to feed the needy until we can get in
our supplies. We are relieving every
case presented to us. I think within a
day or two our transportation facilitie
will be sufficient temporarily to meet
our needs. Galveston has helped other
cities in their distress despite her size
and we are consoled by the generous
response Of the country to our appeal"
The relief committee is striving to
systematize its work and there Is un-
distress here which oughS
to be relieved. Weazen-f faced
barefooted children were engaged yes
terday on the streets in eagerly appro-
priating spoiled cast off stocks Of food.
The committee has instructed the local
drug stores to provide the poor and
needy with medicine at the expense Of
the relief fund.
THE CLOSING OF THE MILLS. Il