The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1900-09-14
TERRIBLE DEATH STORY.
Late Conservative Estimate Places
Dead at 5000

Galveston, Tex, Sept. 1.-Mayor
Walter e. Jones estimates the number of
dead at 5000, and he is conservative.
Over 1900 bodies have been taken ont
to sea already or buried in trenches.
Other hundreds are yet to be taken
from the ruins. These bodies are now
all badly decOmpOsed, and are being
buried in trenches where they are found.
Others are being burned in the debris
where 1t can be done safely. There ia
little attempt at Identification and il ia
sale to say that there will never be q
complete list of the dead Chief of Police
ketchum is in charge of the work of
burying the dead. There are large
bodies OF men engaged in this work.
tearing up the ruins and getting out the
cOrpses. Some of those whose bodies
are being taken out were probably only
injured when they we're first struck
down, but there was no getting relief to
them and they perished miserably.
Soldier Shot VandaIs.
The remnant of regular soldiers sta
toned here, and it is only a small rem
nant, have Joined the police in patroll-
ing the city. Several persons have al
ready been shot, it is reported. A
soldier OF Rafferty's battery, while pa
trolling the beach this morning, ordered
man to desist from footing. The fel-
low drew weapon and the soldier shot
him dead. The soldier was attacked by
three other men and he killed all of
them. He had four cartridges in his
rifle and each of them found a victim.
Other men have also been shot, but the
details are not known, nor can the ex-
act number be ascertained. 1t is prob
able that % were killed.
The ruins OF the heavier brick build
ing5 have not yet been searched for the
dead, and there il a large number i'm
them. In the mass OF rubbish which
marks the site of the Lucas Terrace
bridge 40 or 80 people were killed out
right and their bodies are still in the
ruins. The Orphans home is totally
demolished. Nnety-two children and
IL nuns were killed. 1t is rumored that
one sister escaped, but if she did no
trace can be found OF her.
OF the regular soldiers few remain.
Twenty-three were drowned at the bar
racks at Camp Hawley and seven at
Bolivar.
CHASTITY Work of GhouIs.
Dallas, Tex, Sept IA horrible
story is told by Dallas citizens who ar
rived tonight from Galveston. They de-
clare that negroes and many white per
sons are hourly committing the most
astrOcious acts of vandalism. j. N.
GriswoId, division freight agent OF the
Gull, Colorado u Santa Fe, who was in
that city during the storm, and had a
narrow escape from death, said:
EARS and fingers bearing diamonds
we're hacked off with pocketknives and
the members placed in the pockets of
the vandals. The bodies of women who
wore fine clothes have been stripped of
the last thread and left to tester in the
sun.
ION all hands there is horrible work
going on. The offenders are generally
negroes, although there are some white
men who have demonstrated that they
are sufficiently devoid of honesty and
manhood to participate in these ghoul-
lsh deeds. AS soon as the storm sub
sided the negroes stole all the liuuOr
they could get and the beastly drunken
sOts proceeded with their campaign of
loot. Troops are needed If they are
not sent without delay God bel o the
survivors in Galveston"
Address to the Nation.
Houston, Tex, Sept. II, 1915 D. m.-
The Post correspondent was instructed
to forward the following address to the
people OF the United States:
Galveston, Tex, Sept lit is my
opinion, based upon personal informa-
ton, that 5000 people have lost their
lives here. approximately one-third OF
the business portion has been swept
away. There are several thousand peo-
pie who are homeless and destitute-how
many, there is no way of finding out.
Arrangements are now being made to
have the women and children sent to
Houston and other places, but the
means OF transportation are limited.
Thousands are still to be cared for here.
We appeal to you for immediate aid.
walter c. JONES,
"Mayor of Galveston"
The secretary OF war authorized a
special train from st. Louis to carry
government supplies.
At least 5000 families are shelterless
and wholly destitute. The remainder
of the population is suffering in greater
or less degree. Not single church,
school or charitable institution, of which
Galveston had so many, is left intact.
Not a building escaped damage, and
half the whole number were entirely
Obliterated.