Smyrna times., 1900-09-19

THE news that came a week ago of
the great West Indian storm that first
struck Galveston, thence up through
Texas diminishing in force as it circled
into Canada, and thence ont into the
Atlantic by way of Quebeck, grew in
horrors with every succeeding day of
the week.
Galveston was nearly destroyed.
The water in the shallowest places
was four to five feet deep and many of
the buildings were beat or washed
down. The drowned are stated at five
or six thousand. When the water had
subsidized the water works were found
in ruins and the cisterns were found
all blown away so that the lack of
water was one of the most serious
troubles. Ruin was everywhere. Elec-
trio light and telegraph poles were
nearly all prostrated and the streets
Uttered with timbers, slate, glass and
every conceivable kind of debris.
There was hardly habitable house IN
ltke city and every business house was
badly damaged. She storm began
about 8 A. NJ. on Saturday and cOntin-
ued with constantly increasing vio-
lence, until after midnight. The
island was inundated. The height of
the tide was from II to 13 feet.
One of the worst features was the
disposition of thieves and ghouls be-
fore order was restored to rob the dead,
the soldiers having to shoot fifty or
sixty of them before it could be stop
ped. The waters of the gulf and the
winds spared no one who was exposed.
Whirling houses around in its grasp,
the wind piled their shattered frames
high in confusing masses and dumped
their contents on top. Men and women
were thrown around like so many logs
of wood and left to rot in the wither-
ing sun.
In the piles of debris along the
street, in the water and scattered
throughout the resident portions of the
city are masses of wreckage, and in
these are to be found more human bod
les and household furniture of every
description. Hundreds of lives were
lost and millions of property swept
away in a region bordering on the
= upper half of the gulf and extending
back approximately 100 miles. Distress
exists in these swamps, bayous, tim
Der belts and prairies. Fully fifty
small towns and communities, having
practically no wire or railroad facili-
ties, have to be looked after or the in
habitants will perish.
Large supplies of purchased food
and relief trains laden with provisions
arrived in Galveston Thursday, and
famine no longer adds to the suffering
of the survivors of the storm. Ty.
phoid fever has, however, broken out,
and hundredsjof cases are reported
The epidemic is due to the drinking o.
water polluted by the presence of de
composing dead bodies. But supply
of fresh water is now available. The
ashes of 600 of the dead whose bodie,
had been burned in the streets were
buried in one grave. The identified
dead now number 2700, and it is esti
mated that no less than 1000 lost thei
lives in the storm in Galveston, anC
other cities and t4"4 on the Texa
Gulf coast. Gangs of citizens were pu
to work clearing the streets of debris
all the large cities proceeded vigor
rously with the work of raising relic
funds, and these now aggregate 81, 800
900,
The Philadelphia Times of Monda
had the following ''The ill-fated cit,
of Galveston is emerging slowly froI
the Valley of the Shadow of Death
Last night the estimate of the dead wa
5000. Some persons estimate it a
high as 10000. Pestilence now threat
ems and an urgent appeal for disinfe,
tants has been made. These must a
rive at once else many will die.
The dead now in the city are beir
disposed of as rapidly as possible
cremation and burial at sea. Decon
position has set in to such an extei
that Identification is impossible. Re
ugees are in Houston and no one
allowed in Galveston except the si'
and injured and those whose presen
as necessary. Vandalism has cease
and last night the city of the dead vi
under excellent patrol and suryeillanc