The gold leaf., 1900-09-20
GALVESTON'S HORROR.
BEYOND PEN OF MANKIND IS The STORY
OF ClTYS DESTRUCTION.


Reaches 5,ooo-Property Loss Ines
timabIe Disposition of
the Dead-Ready Response to Ap-
peals for Aid.
GALVESTON, Texas, sept. lo,-(By
Western Union dispatch boat to Hous
ton. n.)-To-night the city OF Galveston
is wrapped in sackcloth and ashes
She sits beside her unnumbered dead
and refuses to be comforted Her
sorrow and sufTerings are beyond de-
scription. Her grief is unspeakable.
Friday and Saturday she was happy,
prosperous and buovant. and with
bright and prosperous season opening
up uspiciously. Last night she was
stricken down and crushed by mis-
fortune that seldom befalls any com
and in her ineXpressible an
guish appeals for he p to bury her be-
loved dead, feed her stricken, and af-
ford temporary relief for those who
almost in the twinkle of an eve lost
home, loved ones, and the savings of
a life time. Tonight the city is
dark, desolate and drearv. \ pail
has fallen over the living. 1t is pit
liable and pathetic beyond descrip-
ton.
The cyclone that produced such an
appalling disaster was predicted by
the United States Weather Bureau to
strike Galveston Friday night, and
created much apprehension, but the
night passed without the prediction
being verified. The conditions, how
ever, were ominous. The danger sig
nal was displayed on the flagstaff of
the weather bureau. Shipping was
warned The South h-Eastern skv was
sombre, the Gulf beat high upon the
beach with that dismal, thunderous
roar that presaged trouble, and it had
that ominous stiffness that betokens
a storm. From out the North in the
middle watches Of the night, the
wind began to come in spitful puffs,
titful at first, but increasing in vol
ume as the day dawned.
BY 10 a. M, Saturday, it was al
most a gale: at noon it had increased
in velocity and was driving the rain,
whipping the pools, and rattling
things up in a lively and ominous
manner, yet no serious apprehension
was felt by residents remote from the
encroachments of the Gulf section Of
the beach. AS stupendous waves be-
gan to send their waters far inland
the latter began a hasty exit to more
secure places in the city.
Two gigantic forces were at work.
The Gulf drove the waves with ire
sistible force high upon the beach and
the gale from the North-East pitched
the waters against and ovel the wharf
abutments, bursting the sewers and
flooding the city from that quarter.
The hopeless people were caught be-
tween the two incoming floods, while
the wind shrieked, howled and rapid
ly increased in velocity.
Business suddenly came to stand
still. Car traffic was impossible, and
all of them that had homes and could
reach them either by conveyance or
otherwise hastily left their places of
business and offered fabulous prices
for any kind OF vehicle that would
carry them to their loved ones.
Railroad communication was cut off
shortly after noon, the tracks being
washed up. Wire facilities complete
" failed at ) O'Clock, and Galveston
was isolated from the world.
The wind momcntarilv increased
in velocity. while the waters rapidly
rose, and the night drew on with APP
prchension depicted in the faces OF
all. Already hundreds were >trug
Cling with wave and wind for places
OF refuge. The public school build
inyS, the court house, the hotels, and
in fact any place that offered an APP
parent refuge became crowded to
the city with pail, and the wind
shrieked with a frightfui velocity.
The rain fell in torrents
At 6:22S p. m. ust before the ane
mOmcter blew away, the wind reached
the frightful velocity of 100 miles per
hour. Buildings that had hitherto
withStood the gale collapsed, carry
ing death and destruction to hun
dreiS. Roofs whi>tled through the
air. windows were driven in with a
crash or shattered by flying slate. aud
telegraph. telephone, and electric
light poles, with their mass Of wires.
were snapped like pipe stems,
What velocity the wind attained
after the thermometer blew of is
purely a matter Of speculation. The
heavy detonatiOn Of falling building,
and piercing cries for help that brok g
through the roar and rush Of the elc-
mcnts and the picture OF dead bOdie,
floating along the streets made it 4
might to those who safely passed
through it that will never be obliter-
ated from their minds. The lowest
point touched by the barometer in the
correspondents office. which was filled
with frightened men and women. was
2s.Of5. This was about 7:3D p. N.
The barometer then began u rise
slowly and by 10 p. IN, it had reach
2S. O9. The water which had reached
a depth Of ; feet on strand street al
10 p, N. began to ebb. 1t ran out
very rapidly. and BY , a. III. the
crown of the street was free from
water
Thu, passed out the most des,ruc-
tive storm that ever devastated the
coast Of Texas. Tonight the city i
filled with the bereft destitute, and
homeless. At a temporary morgue
are stretched out hundreds Of bode,
Of all ages. epresenting all nationali-
ties and conditions Of life. Whole
families lie side BIZ side. The living
are searching for their loved ones
amid the slime and waters Of the
streets or under the debris Of their
no mes.
GALVESTON, Tex, sept. II Word'
are inadequate 10 convey any rea
conception Of the situation here.
The mind becomes dazed amid thu