The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-09-19

hoped that it will be possible to turn
on the wafer for awhile today, and |,
is planned to set fire to the debris under
the direction OF the chief Of the fire
department and crematc the bodies
buried under it.
Mayor Jones has given very full
scope to Chief OF Police Ketchum and
Mr.. j. II. Hawley, chairman OF the
committee on public safety, to swear
in citizens OF good character as officers,
end has told them that able bodied men
must be made to work or get off the
! Island. The city, he said, was under
martial law. Picket lines have been
established around the large stores and
guards placed on duty. The soldiers
and police are instructed to shoot any
one caught looting or attempting to
loot. The jails are full anu summary
| measures are necessary. AS the work
OF collecting the bodies proceeds and
as reports come In Of details, 1t becomes
apparent that the death list will run
much higher than was at first suppos-
ed. Conservative estimates place the
number OF dead In the city at 5000.
Other points on the coast also suffered
and reports are that the main land,
Galveston island and Bolivian peniu-
sula are bestrewn with dead.
DESCRIPTION OF ILL.FATED CITY.
MIR. d. B. Clarkson, of Galveston,
was on q visit to Indianapolis when the
great disaster took place, and in speak
Ing OF the flooded city, its location
and population, he said:
Galveston ia situated on an island
extending east and west for twenty
seven miles and is seven miles in its
greatest width north and south. No
city could be In greater danger With
such horrible visitation as has now
come TO Galveston. In no part OF the
city with It's 68,000 population is it
more than six feet above the sea level.
The fat condition not only points to the
desperation Of the situation of the peo.
pie at such times as this, but their
danger may be considered emphasized
when 1t Is known that exactly where
the city Is built the island Is only one
and one.quarter miles wide.
ION the bay, or north side OF the
city, is the commercial section with
wharves stretching along for nearly
two miles, lined with sheds and large
storage houses. In that portion of
Galveston there are three elevators;
one OF 1000 900 bushels capacity, one
OF 1000, 600 and the third OF 150, 900.
The island from the north side Is con-
nected with the main land by railroad
bridges and the longest wagon bridge
in the world, tho latter nearly two
miles in length.
''In 1872 the entire east end OF the
city was swept away by the tidal wave
that followed terrific storm that
swept the Gulf Coast for three full days.
Then the eastern land on which build
ings stood was literally torn away. 1t
is On the south side Of the city, begin
ming within fifty yards OF the medium
gulf tide, that the wealthy resident
portion Is located and which was the
first part OF Galveston to be stricken by
the full force OF the recent storm and
flood. All the eastern end OF the CITY
must certainly be wash I'd away and in
this quarter, between Broadway and
avenue | some Of the handsomest and
most expensive residences are locat ed.
There was located there one home
which alone cost the owner over 81 COO
900. Most Of the residences are frame,
but there are many OF stone and brick.
In the extreme eastern end OF the city
there are many of what are called
raised cottages T..cy are built on
piling and stand from eight tJ>.oc feet
from the ground as precaution
against foods, 1t being possible for the
water TO sweep under them.
The only protection that has ever
been provided for the Gull side OF the
city has been two stone brcakwaters,
but many times, with ordinary storms
coming Ia from the Gulf, the high tide
water has been hulled over the low
stone walls right to the very doors of
the residences. From Virginia Point,
elk miles from Galveston, in ordinary
conditions OF the atmosphere the city
can be plainly soon. If 1T is true that
Galveston can not now be seen from the
Point, the cond ition of the people In
the city must be one OF indescri6able
horror"
When asked as to the wealth OF some
of the principal business quarters OF
Galveston, MIR. Clarkson said:
Many millions Of dollars are invest.
ed 10 the wholesale and retail business
OF the city. On Strand street alone
there are ten blocks OF business cs.
Establishments that represent an in.
vested capital OF 1927 100000 Market
street is the heavy retail street. and
there in the heart OF the Hooded dis.
trict the losses can not but reach away
into tho millions. The fact, as indicat d
by the dispatches, that water Ia stand
ing several feet deep In the fremont
Hotel, furnishes startling evidence to
me that Galveston has been indeed
devastated. The hotel is In almost ex-
actly the oenter OF the city. Two years
ago Galveston did the heaviest ship.
ping business In cotton and grain OF
any Southern city. When was homo
two shiplOads OF cattle we're leaving
tho port on an average every woek."
RELIEF FOR THE STRICKEN CITY.
From all parts OF tho United States
and many portions in England many
thousands Of dollars are pouring In for
the relief Of Texas destitute storm
sufferers. Train loads OF provs and
clothing are also hurrying towards
Houston and Galveston, and those OF
the refugees who have arrived In
Houston are being made as comfortable
as possible. Estimates OF the number
OF deed still vary. Mayor Jones, of Gal.
weston, maintains his opinion that the
number will be no less than I've thou
sand.
Property losses are mounting higher
as further details arrive and some
estimates for the city OF Galveston
reach as high as twenty million
dollars. There are $4,000 homeless
people to be taken care OF, and 1t is q
question whether Galveston can or will
be rebuilt. There seems to be dispo-
sition on the part OF the leading citi-
zens, however, to start resolutely where
the storm left Off and raise a new city
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