The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-09-12
THOUSANDS persisted BY FlOODS|
STORMS AWFUL HAVOC.
Three Thousand Human Lives Lost in Calves
ton. Texas-Four thousand Houses
Wrecked by Wind and Water.

The city OF Galveston, Texas, has been
overwhelmed by the waters OF the Gull
OF Mexico, driven before a furious hur-
ricane. The lowest estimate OF the loss
OF life is 1000; the highest $500. But,
like the Johnstown flood. the horror
may grow greater every day. The bay
is strcwn with wreckagc of vessels bot
tom side UP, mingled with hundreds OF
carcasSes OF horses and mules and the
bodies OF human beings.
No attempt has been made to conjec-
turc the property loss. At least 1000
houses have been entirely destroyed.
Communication is interrupted, and
the bridges, which afford the only ac-
cess 10 the shore, are either submerged
or entirely destroyed. Although some
what less violent the storm prevents all
attempts TO reach the unfortunate city.
No boat could successfully ride the
mountainous seas nor combat the gale
which has strcwn the coast OF the main
land with ghastly proofs of its strength.
kilograms from Houston, Tex, dated
Sunday say: Relief train just returned.
They could not get closer than six
miles OF Virginia Point. where the
prairie was covered with lumber, debris,
pianos, trunks and dead bodies. Two
hundred corpscs were counted from the
train. A large steamer is stranded two
miles this side OF Virginia Point, as
though thrown up by tidal wave
Nothing can be seen OF Galveston.
The first news to reach Houston from
the stricken city OF Galveston was re-
ceived tonight James c. Timmins,
who resides in Houston, and who is the
general superintendent OF the National
Compress Company, arrived in the city
at o'clock Sunday night from Calves
ton.
The city, Mr.. Timmins AYERS, is a
complete wreck, so far as he could see
! from the water front and from the IRE
mont hotel. Water was blown over
the island by the hurricane, the wind
! blowing at the rate of 80 miles an hour
straight from the gull and forcing the
sea water before it in big waves. The
| gale was steady one, the heart of it
striking the city about 5 o'clock Satur-
day evening, and continuing without in
termssion until midnight last night,
when it abated somewhat. although il
continued to blow all night.
The estimates made by citizens of Gal
weston was that 1000 houses, most oi
them residences, have been destroyed
and that at least 1000 people have been
drowned, killed or are missing. Some
business houses were also destroyed, but
most of them stood, though badly dam
aged.
Governor Joseph d. Sayers telegraph
ing from Austin, Tex, says: Iniorma-
tion has just reached me that about 5000
lives have been lost at Galveston, witt,
enormous destruction of property.
Galveston is situated on an island cx-
tending east and west for 27 miles, and
is seven miles in its greatest width nor;t
and south. In no part OF the city, with
its 6S,ooo population, is it more than six
feet above the sea level. On the bay, OF
north side of the city is the commercial
section, with wharvcs stretching along
for nearly two miles, lined with shed,
and large storage houses. The island
from the north side is connected with
the mainland by railroad bridges ant
the longest wagon bridge in the world
nearly two miles in length. In 1872 the
entire east end OF the city was swept
away by the tidal wave that followed Z
terrific storm that swept the gulf coas
for three days.