The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-09-14
The Texas Calamity,
New York Herald.

new YORK Herald.
The Herald's latest special kilograms
from the storm swept Texas coast tell a
tragic story of fatality and havoc utterly
unrlyalled In American annals. This ca
lamity should awaken the whole country
to the necessity OF sending Immediate re-
lief to the brave people who have SUI
Tered so unspeakably 1t is impossible to
eNagserate the distress and want which
must follow the awful visitation. After
a severe summer, which has proved dis
appointing To the agricultural interests
the losses now sustained by Texas seem
almost irrepirable. The latest tldlngs
from the Inundated Districts report that
N Galveston alone 5000 people have per-
lshed. and nearly 5000 elsewhere IN the
state. and the value Of the property de-
htfoyed approaches 100000 900
The tropical cyclone when for Ave days
had been stealthily Advancing from the
WinGWard 'slaLcs Of the West indies Nss
accaMpa MED, as all o-ean hurricanes are.
ny 4 gigantic sea-waye, ANA on SATURDAY.
thls imuenke mass oil moving waters was
hurried upon the low tying island city OF
Galveston ana from twelve to nfteea
noShhnring coast toWas.
Ot all the awful phenomena accompa-
nying hurricane the worst by far IN us
destructive effects is the storm waya.
Around the outer circle OF tho swift
~ revolving storm the atmospheric pres
sure is high, while within the area of
tho cyclone the waters OF tho sea are
heapod up. forming Il wave which Is pro-
polled with terrific force, In the Indian
cyclone Of October ., 1861, the sea rose
over the Hooghly estuary to u height of
10 is feet. and in the BlckerEunge cy-
clone OF October ~, 1876 the attaudant
sea-wave burst over tae eastern edge OF
the Ganges delta, reaching heights from
ten to forty-iive feet and sweeping 1907
600 OF the inhabitants headiong into the
surging ocean.
On Saturday last as the gulf cyclone
was approaching Galveston several forces
combined to lend Intensity TO It's sea-
wave and to precipltate the plled-up
waters upon tho coast. Not only tho
furies OF the hurricane but tho action of
the gulf currents and high tides and the
drifting power OF the trade winds Tin
which the revolving storm was 'mhedded)
united In increasing the level of the Rea
and thrusting II with tnaescribable eff
tects upon the doomed cities OF the coast
To such foundations the depressed coasts
OF the Western gulf will always be sub
iect when tropical storms bear down
hFHh NutAi, anu pNuNfuNH Woutu suggest
the necessity OF building the towns OF
this sea-girt region far enough inland to
escape the danger OF inundation. In the
cyclone Of September Is, 1875 the little
Texas town OF Ind,anoll was almost de-
stroyed by tho inrush OF gulf waters.
and in the hurricane OF August 10, 1888.
It was completely swept away by a like
inundation, not a house being left stand
ing.
The terribly appalling calamity and the
sunerings OF the unfortunate Texas pco-
pie which We now chronicle anpesl Ia
most powerful tones TO thA sympathles OF
the whole Nation for speedy relief The
loss Of property Is incalculabis, but the
loss az human life Is incomrarahly more
frighttul. Many thousands OF homes hay,
been desoated and many Thousands more
hopelessly destroyed 4 single stretch
OF the gulf coast has been strNwn with 700
dead bodies
The Herald VIII gladly receive and
promptly forward all contributions in
trusted 10 It's care TOR the relief OF tina
Texas sufferers.