Evening star., 1900-09-18
The Conditions at Galveston Are
Steadily Improving.
LAB0RERS NOW CREDITED FOR TIME
Supplies and MoneyFrom the Out
side Coming IN.
CONTINUATION OF EXODUS

GALVESTON, Tex, September 1S.-'The
situation continues to improve is what one
is told now when one applies at any of the
various headquarters for information. In
fact this statement is being made with
gratifying monotony all over the city. The
work has been brought down to business
basis as far as possible, and the amount Of
system and order displayed in the various
departments would furnish cause for con-
siderable surprise to any one who might re-
turn to Galveston after an absence of three
or four days.
One feature that has caused better feel
ing and more pronounced willingness to
work is afforded by the fact that the
time" of all the laborers employed is be-
ing kept at headquarters. The men have
been assured of compensation for their
labor and, quite naturally, they now go
about their unpleasant tasks with much
better grace than heretofore.
Then, too, there are not SO many irritating
little conflicts of authority as there have
been in the past, when the progress of the
work in some cases materially him
dered by petty demonstrations of personal
feeling. A thorough investigation reveals
the fact that every department is as well
organized as is possible under the circum-
stances, and that every one is harmonious.
This is eminently as it should be-
Supplies and Money Pouring In.
from all over the country. 1t is stated that
al least seven figures are needed to express
the amount of cash so far received. This is
being used judiciously, and the good effects
of the presence of such relief fund in the
city are already becoming apparent.
The state militia companies which have
been stationed here have been doing spen-
did work, and many of the men are now of
the belief that they should now be allowed
to return to their homes and troops sent
from other parts of the state to fill their
places. They have seen hard and almost
continuous duty, and it would really be the
proper thing to do, if the matter of trans
portation does not stand in the way, to
let them return and send others to replace
them.
that the number of dead, which has been
placed at 5000, is too low, and that the
number will go as high 5000 and per-
haps above that number. The conclusion
has not been reached without considerable
thought and careful investigation The
death list will reach the total of 4,437 with
the additions sent out today. In addition
to all this, it must be remembered that
only a comparatively small number of the
negroes who perished in the storm have
been reported After considering all these
facts, one can hardly do anything else but
conclude that the total to be finally reached
will be above 5000.
Effort to BE Conservative.
as possible in making estimates. both as to
the losses Of life and property, but in view
Of all the features of this part of the situ-
alton to be seen now, 1t is not possible to
reiterate the former estimate of 5000 Judge
Morgan Mann stated today that in his
opinion the list would go as high as 1000.
The exact number, of course, will never be
definitely known. One can only hope that
these larger estimates will prove too high.
and that, at least, a part of the horror of
the work Of the storm will not be so
strongly in evidence.
There are no developments which would
lead to the belief that the estimate of a
property loss of So, ,5OO,0OO is too high.
While one occasionally finds a business man
whose property has not suffered greatly, it
must be stated that the class is hopelessly
in the minority, and that large losses
the rule.
The people becoming more cheerful
every day, and it is more than remarkable
to observe the composure exhibited by some
of them under the terrible circumstances.
The individuals woe has been lost in the
community's grief. and on every hand may
be seen cases of people who have lost their
all doing everything in their power to COM
fort neighbor, who perhaps has not been
so unfortunate. Everybody seems to be
doing all there is to do toward ultimate re-
Mobilization. and the determination to build
city which will be bigger and broader in
every way than the one which has been de-
stroyed appears to be general
People Still Emigratfng.
The people are still leaving the city IN
considerable numbers, but the relief work
locally has now been gotten down to such a
fine point that 1t Is likely that there will be
a marked diminution of the exodus during
the next two or three days. The fears Of
an epidemic have been allayed by the pres
ence and the distribution of medicines and
disinfectants and therefore a feature which
would undoubtedly have had the effect of
causing many to seek succor elsewhere has
iraiI a tad from fho cit,