Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-09-22
CITY CAN Be MADE SAFE.
All buildings Hereafter 10 BE buii'
Under CITY specifications.

Galveston, Tex, Sept. IA, by tug TO
Houston. Sept. 15.-The idea that calves
ton Is being abandoned by Its people Is u
mistake. Hundreds and thousands are
leaving, il is true, but this does not mean
that thousands Of people who nave iost
and suffered will Lot remain mere ana
build new homes and continue their pusi-
ness. There Is little fear OF a rspetitloh
Of the disaster among the old-time CAL
weston people. They say that Lisbon
might as well have been abandoned after
the earthquake as Galveston after the
storm. In a few days the cotton men,
bankers and business men of Galveston
will get together, 80 they say, 10 make
the city's rebuilding definite and decisive
They say that the chief lesson or the
storm was that the building laws had
been criminally lax.
The fact that every heavy well con-
structed. puiIdlng in town Is STANDING
gives the Survivors consolation anu nope
Iney say tnat IL Galveston had been SUP
stamtiaIly constructed there Woulu haNe
been comparative little loss OF NE, ana
IL the people mad not been permitted "
build TO the waters edge on the Sult
siue the chief invitation 10 disaster Woulu
have been removed. In TINS staleheht
they are certainly right TO the extent thae
the ciean swash ana sweep was along the
gulf beach, whose cheap lots encouraged
tne bulluIng OF little homes, nearly Al
WHY'S HIS lEdIIlG loAcNSs 1AS PN~h~
bulit right up to the water, although the
wa,er and land were apparently on the
same level.
1t seems that the people of Galveston
had been clinglng TO lne Moray theory,
Moray, IN his physical Geography OF the
sea-" written many years ago, sald tnaI
the island OF Galveston would never De
caught In the center OF a great hurricane.
The idea was that the island, being on
! the extreme convex or the arc OF the GulL
or Mexico, would be protected on potn
sides. In 1875 and 1856 the great storms
caused no loss OF lite and lIttle loss OF
property in Galveston and seemed TO bear
OUT the Moray theory. j.
james s. Montgomery, VINO mas nVeu
here thirty-siX years, Is a leader In the
new movement of confidence. lie cites
his own sattey as an instance OF what
OF the story of death. He lived In a strong
frame house which was pinned down by
mud stills and not setting on pins, as was
the rule. The roof was shingles, which
withstand the wind and rain best. Upon
going nome ne nailed the doors tight and
Sraced them TO keep out the wind. Then
he fastened the windows, which were
OF heavy glass, ana, as the water rose,
cut holes In the floors so as to let the
house fiji to the level of the water and
prevent 1t from being lifted by the tide.
Irhe house stood. Mr.. Montgomery, who
poses that all buildings hereafter shall
be erected under city specifications. Par
tiCularly ne proposes mat C~nurches, with
widespread arches, thin walls, use
mortar instead OF cement; tall chimneys
and slate roofs shall be prohibited. A sea
wall about three feet high on the gulf,
with openings toilet the water through
so as to act as a breakwater and not dam
IL up. is another proposal OF this leader
Of a new Galveston.