The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-09-29
TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
1 Stirring Appeal In Behalf OF tho suner-
ers and Survivors of b Gal
weston Disaster.

weston Di00Dters
Galveston, Tex, Sept. 26.-The fol-
lowing signed appeal was issued last
night:
To the American People:
Seventeen days after the storm at Cal
weston it is still impossible to accurately
estimate the loss of life and property. IL
is known that the dea in the city WIZ
number at least six thousand. or approxi-
mately one-sixth of the census population.
The island and adjacent mainland will add
perhaps 1900 to this NUMBER.
The actual property damage Is i~ncaicula-
BILE in precise terms, cut we believe the
Individual losses and losses in public prop
erty, such as paving, waterworks, schools,
hospitals. churches. etc. will easily
no account of the direct and indirect in
Jury to business.
Along the beach front upwards of 2,6os
houses. by actual map count, were to-
tally destroyed. OF these not a timber
remains upon the original site. and the
wreckage constitutes an embankment OF
debris extending along the entire beacn
from three to four blocks inward for
about three miles, the removal of which
will cost from s750.000 to $1,000, 200
From this debris there are still daily I'M
covered by the now systematl-
cally employed, from thirty to fifty bodies
which are burned or buried upon the
spct.
Moreover, we estimate that 911s per cent.
of the remaining houses throughout the
city are damaged in greater or less de-
gree. On the removal of this debris In the
clearing of the streets, to make temper
airy repairs on houses. partly destroyed.
In distributing supplies and in the general
work of restoration. our entire citizenship
are engaged. Men whose services could
not be secured at this season ordinarily,
are giving their time without compensa-
ton. Firms whose affairs ordinarily re-
uuire the attention of three partners, re-
tain one for the transaction of their BUSH
ness, and lend the other two to the pub
lie service. The stevedores, cotton jam
mers and other bodies of organized skilled
workmen who command handsome wages
at this time of the year, have been giving
their time free of cost, and one associa-
charity fund $1,000 in cash to the general
relief, while all other organizations are
caring for their own to the utmost of
their resources.
This devotion to the general welfare at
the expense of private interests Is shown
by all classes. visiting
versal condition of self-sacrifice.
The burdens of our committees have
J. D. Savers. who has personally under
taken the supervision of relief to the
mainland sections, and by the splendid
success of Adjt.-Gen. Scurry and staff il
maintaining discipline and directing L.
Dor from the beginning of this work.
until his department was merged into
the regular relief work and city govern
We can not command language to ex-
press our gratitude for the generous up
from all quarters and all agencies. Nor
can we overrate the service performed
by the American press. And we desire
q rnoLn epaoiaI raaaonfftnn IF tho r,nfrO-
politan newspapers and the Red Cross
society that have raised funds and sent
relief trains and cargoes and whose repre-
sentativeS are here not only distributing
their supplies but joining hands with US
In the sorrowful and strenuous labors of
By the worlds generosity there has been
no hunger and no n~akedness in Galveston.
and especially do we return grateful
generosity of the railroads.. express, tele-
graph and telephone companies. without
whose prompt assistance We would longer
have remained in isolation and chaos, and
who are not only rendering services for
relief work free of charge. but are giving
1t precedence over any other business.
sent to the governor and directly to the
relief committee are perhaps sufficient to
d DE ,5s I the nseess snG dessppeesniSness OF Of t remSva
bodies and meeting the most urgent SAM
tary requirements.
But when this is lone the special work
of restoration will have begun. The home
less will still be without shelter or house
hold goods: the mechanic without. tools.
the seamstress without a machine.
Our people are meeting this disaster
with characteristic American pluck. Not
forgetting their dead, they. nevertheless.
hide their sorrow and turn their faces
the future.
Were our task but to afford temporary
orphans. an appeal to Texas alone would
be sufficient. The wounded and orphans
are comparatively few. since only the
dened elements. But a greater and a
graver work confronts us. Some kind of
h hTm n Pc so they ,Se Eyer ~ ao so ne6 humble DGa, must b1st be
in ruined houses, public places and i'm
p~rovised camps, to the end that they may
up their households wherein repose ali
that is best and noblest in American life.
We believe that the well-to-do and char
to merely appease hunger and
bind up bruises, but will. in very large
measure, and with more far-reaching eff
people to a plane of ~self-support and self
1t is for this purpose that we
this further appeal
Fer such temporary measures as are ex-
planned in the foregoing we have at pres
ent sufficient supplies. But they are only
q 1.-THE of the larger needs herein set
forth. and generous people of the nation
will best serve the situation and their own
aims by making their contributions in
money.
We refer to Gov. Sayers, Miss Clara
of the Red Cross, or to any prom
firm or bank in Texas, in regard to
the business ability and discretion of our
central relief committee.
In the midst of sorrow such as no other
community ever suffered, we
are consOled by the gracious sympathy
md prompt relief rendered by our coun-
trymen and other nations in the demon
stration of the kinship of the world.
With our last breath we will bless the
of these funds and our every eff
'ort Will be devoted to proving our peo-
,e and our city worthy of their assist.
ance.
WALTER c. JONES, Mayor,
NJ. LASKER,
CLARENCE COUSLEY
For the Committee.
'The manly. straiGhtforWard statement