The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1900-09-15
star Correspondence Of tho rIm...p.monr...

staf Correspondence of the TImes-Democrat
Galveston, Texas, Sept. IL!
a. M, via tug Juno to Houston)
Galveston is nearly wiped of
the face of the earth. Fifteen
thousand people are homeless
The loss Of life will reach into tn,
thousands. Bodies are piled up
everywhere from Thirteenth street
east tosthe Gulf, There are few
houses standing. The east end OF
the island is totally obliterated.
Every house in town, big or little
public or private, is more or less
damaged, A thousand small craft
lie wrecked on the shore. A big
vessel is ashore north of Pelican
island, two others near Texas
City, one against the railroad
bridge and one at Deer Island. A
sloop is stranded in a hallway in
the centre of the city, at its high
est level. Another is berthed in
. stable near the fremont House.
The hurricane in Galveston last
ed from
O'CLOCK SATURDAY AFTERNOON UNTIL
l:ao SUNDAY MORNING.
All agree that if the wind had
continued from the same direction
another hour the entire island
would have been swept away and
the loss of life would lave been
limited only by the population.
AS it happened. the populace
were caught like rats..in a trap.
Between 8 and 9so'clock nothing
could be seen from the island but
an unbroken circle of sea. Ii
looked for all the world as if Gal
weston would be swallowed up in
the terrible embrace of monster
cyclonic hurricane.
The tempest howled unceasing-
ly. The angry currents of the
deep were seen in a torment, LASH
ing the wharves and pouring into
The streets. The wind howled
and screached and shrieked, max
ing wild, uncanny
FuRoR THAT SENT TERROR INTO THE
HEARTS OF THE BRAvEsT.
There were no electric lights and
the town was shrouded in dark
ness. Men hid in their homes or
cropped their way here and there
III the streets, and breathlessly
Watched in the distances the tiger
eaps of each mountain wave.j
An hour after the storm struck
& THE city the streets were deserted.
Later, when the more lightly
built houses began to sway and
became dangerous to stay with
iis, some people came into. the
Streets again. Men tied their
wives and children to them with
ropes and stood out in the open,
sl0lging flying timbers and bray-
iag the elements rather than risk
being crushed to death within
doors. The streets rapidly be-
eame flooded. Shutters and doors
mere cut down in many instances
with axes and improvised as RATS.
4{iE MEDLEY OF CRIES AND sHRIEKs OF
THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN
And even Of stout-heartcd men
were weird in their tones Of hor-
4r Fiercer and louder howled
fAc wind and greater became the
Hood. Men were drowned in sight
of each other. The heavens grew
darker and darker. The waters
sWlrled; the breakers could be
/ board roaring in the streets. The
xnIn came down in torrents. The
tfeets took on the aspect Of an
illgfy river,
Al indescribable scene OF panic
7S In progress. Men and wo-
asau stood on RATS and prayed.
Alne were seen to succumb and
n lifelessinto the waters. Above
rose the shrek Of the tempest.
~ combers lashedup by the gale
.se fierce in their death-deal-
1|l powing. Houses bordering
||@ ocean and bay front could b,
lard crashing to destruction, th'
fies Of tho dying mingling will
Y weird screeeh Of tho gale, th'
lrrential rain and the genera
zndemonium. Through a ghast
grewsome night, the like o