The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-09-12

Day We passed many floating Do1les, some
OF men, some OF women and some of chill
dren.
The Huntington works are1n bad condi-
ton. They were badly damaged By the
storm and large number OF men en-
ployed on these works we're lost.
The railroad yards in the western part
OF the city are filled with wreoksge and
debris. The roofs and portions OF build
ings are lying on and between the tracks.
The large warehouses for cotton are
wrecked Much OF this cotton Seated
ashore to the mainland. The congresses
suffered.
Martial law was proclaimed in Calves
ton on Monday and every soldier was
called to duty Mayor Jones was appoint
Ing special policemen when | found him
on fremont street and the orders were TO
protect the property of every citizen and
to protect the dead. The military au-
son was caught lootlng the dead that he
Was to be shot and before I left the city
at p. m. the report was that four per-
sons had been executed by the soldiers.
The citizens committee established a
number of uorgues about the city and
during the morning OF Monday bodies were
carried to these places No effort was
made Sunday to recover the dead, as the
water was still high. A large number were
collected before noon, and the burial OF
the dead began, but 1t was found imprac-
tlcable TO dig graves on the island for
this purpose. Messrs. McMaster and Nor
risey then took charge Of the duty, and
engaging tugboat and barge, they began
arrangements TO send tho bodies to sea
Center street wharf was used for the load
ing, and every wagon, dray, float or cart
to be found was impressed into service,
and the bodies were carted to the wharf.
There was no time to stop for identifica-
ton. Decomposition had set in the town
was full OF the stencil, and at once every
one began to think OF the pestlence which
would follow unless the dead were at
once disposed OF. Volunteers were called
for and few responded. Others were i'm
pressed, and Father Kerwin of the Cath
olio church went through the city calling
for volunteers to load the barge. l saw
Hoatload after fioatload, fifteen and twenty
bodies at time, brought to the wharf and
put upon the barge The endurance of
men was not for long time, however.
They could not stand the stencil and
others were called for, but the curious
crowd which gathered at the wharf would
dispense whenever 1t was said that more
men were needed Mr. Morrissey said he
found 1t impossible to get the labor neces-
sary. Mr.. McMaster told me that what
Galveston wanted was men to help dispose
of the dead, that 1t was impossible to
handle the bodies with the limited num-
Der Of men at hand. The day was there
the barge was loaded with 1000 bodies and
was towed out 10 sea. Weights were at
tached to each and they were buried in
the gulf. The captain OF the steamship
Pensacola. which was in the harbor at the
time, volunteered his ship for burial pur-
poses. and as I left the island arrange
ments were being made to load his vessel.
~
The estimates as to the loss OF life arc
varied. The island did not escape the
fury OF the storm in any ert OF II. and
every house is damaged ana nearly one
half OF them are total wreckA The bust.
ness portion Of the city suffered TO
great extent. Provisions could not b
used because OF the damage by salt water
and every place visited I found destltu-
tion present. From what could learn
consider that more than 5000 persans wer,
Lost hesitate to say 1000 because ! an
told that am placing the number too
high, but do not think so. The com
plete list will never be known. Families
have been wiped out OF existence and tn,
condition OF the minds OF the people Il
such that they can not remember VIII
we're their friends and neghbors, and the.
are thinking only OF their own. Thus
great many Will be lost sight or
never saw people In such condition
Il was almost complete insanity. The
knew not which way to turn for euccor
they were cut on from communicate
with the mainland and did not know wha
had been done for them by the OUTSIDE
world. They had started messengers L
Houston 10 give a report but they did no
know the fate OF those messengers, and
state OF complete frenzy existed. / hR
but to say 81 am from Houston and {
brought out crowd OF questioners
Charles Quinn OF the Houston police de
pArtment and c. H. Hartwell and V. r
Terrell Of the Houston fire department &C
oOmpanied ME. From what could lear
we we're the first to land on the island
1t he'd been reported about Galveston tina
Houston had been blown away, and the,
feared on this account that the condition
Of the Island City was yet unknown to tn
world. They were relieved when informe,
OF the arrangements being made 10 zen
them supplies
Up 10 Monday afternoon water was
very scarce article. The water work
plant was not in working condition an
what water wes-Nn hand was used ju
dieIously. During the day the brewery an
ice plant began furnishing Ice to all win
would call and this supplemented tn