The sun., 1900-09-19
GALVESTON SITUATION
Latest Reports Show That 1t Continues
to Improve.
SUPPLIES KEEP POURING IN.
People still Leaving the City In
Numbers, but Marked Diminu-
tion of the Exodus Is IIx-
pected Very Soon.

Galveston, Sept. IS. -"The situation
continues to improve" is what one is told
now when one applies at any of the vari-
GUS headquarters for information. In
fact, this statement is being made with
gratifying monotony all over the city.
The work has been brought down to a
business basis as far as possible, and the
amount of system and order displayed in
the various departments would furnish
cause for considerable surprise to any
one who might return to Galveston aftei,
an absence of three or four days.
One feature that has caused a better
feeling and more pronounced willing
ness to work is afforded by the fact that
the time OF all of the laborers employ
| cd is being Kept at headquarters. The
men have been assured of compensation
for their labor, and, quite naturally, they
now so abont their unpleasant tasks
with much better grace than heretofore.
Then, too, there are not so many irri-
tating little conflicts of authority as there
have been in the past when the progress
of the work was in some eases material
ly hindcred by petty demonstrations of
personal feeling. A thorough investiga-
ton reveals the fact that every depart-
ment is as well organized as is possible
under the circumstances and that every
thing is harmonious. This is eminently
as it should be.
| Supplies and money are now pouring
in from all over the country. 1t is stated
that Mt least seven figures are needed to
express the amount of cash so far re-
ceived. This is being used judiciousy,
and the good effects of the presence of
such relief fund in the city are already
becoming apparent.
Go0d Work by Militia.
The state militia companies which have
been stationed here have been doing
splendid 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, if the
matter of transportation does not stand
in the way, to let them return and send
others to replace them.
Reluctantly one is forced to the opinion
| that the number Of dead, which had been
placed at 5000, is too low and that the
number will 90 rs high as COCO and per
/ haps above that number. The eoncln-
| sion has not been reached without con
siderable thought and careful inresti%a-
| ton. The death list will reach tlEh total
Of 4,437. with the additions JUST sent out.
In addition To all this it must be remem-
bered that only Il 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 6,000 Every one has tried tc
be as 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 situation to be seer
now, it is not possible to reiterate the
former estimate of 5000.
Judge Morgan Mann stated that in his
opinion the list would go as high a:
1000. The exact number, of course, viii
never be definitely known. One can onl!
hope that these larger estimates vii
nrove too high and that at least a part O