People's voice., 1900-09-13
FIVE THOUSAND DEAD.
First Reports of the Galveston Horror Not
Exaggerstsd-2,3GO Bodies Taken Gut

rirsI kepOrtS OF the Galveston Horror Not
Exaggeratsd-2,5CO Bodies Taken Gut
Galveston, Tex, Sept. ll-Mayoi
walter Y. JOGes estimates TIE uumOeT
OF dead at 500, anG he is conserya-
tive. Over 1900 bUdies have already
oeen taken cut tUsea or buried in the
trenches.
Other hundreds are yet to be taken
from the ruins. These bodies are now
all badly decompOSed and they are
being buried in treuches where they
are found Others are being buried
in the debris where II can be done
safely. There is little attempt at
Identification, and il is safe TO say
that there will never be complete
list Of the dead Chief Of Police
Ketchum is in charge OF the work of
burying the dead. There are large
bodies Of men engaged in this work
tearing up The ruins and getting out
the cOrp'eS. Some OF those whose
bUdieS are being taken out were prob
ably only injured when they were first
struck down, but there was no getting
relief to them and they perished mis-
erably.
The remnant OF the force Of regular
soldiers VINO were stationed here, and
it is a very small remnant, have
Joined the police ID patrolliDg the
city. Several persons have already
been shot, IL is reported. A soldier OF
Captain Rafferty's battery. while
patrOiling the beach this morning,
ordered man to desiSt from loOting.
The fellow drew weapon and the
soldier shot him dead. The soldier
was attacked by four other men, and
he killed all Of them. He had FIVE
cartridges in his rife, and each of
Them found a victim. Other men
have also been shot, but the details
are not known, nor can the exact
number be aScertained. 1t Is proba-
BILE that twenty-five were killed.
Some OF these were shot for falling to
halt when ordered to do so. Others
were shot for vandalism.
The ruins of the heavy brick build
Jugs have not been searched for the
dead, and there is large number in
them. ln the mass of rubbish which
marks the site of the Lucas Terrace
bridge house, forty or fifty people
were killed outright and their bodies
are stillin the ruins. The Orphans
Home is totally demolished. Ninety
two children and eleven nuns were
killed. IL is rnmOred that one sister
escaped, but il she did no trace can
be found Of her.
Of the regular soldiers few remain.
Twenty-three were drowned at the
barracks AZ Camp Hawley, and seven
at Bolivar. One man drifted about
in the bay until Monday aud was
taken out alive.
The correspondent stood at the foot
Of fremont street and counted nine
floating bodies without moving, aad
this is one instance. It is not known
whether these are water front victims
or dead being cast up by the sea.
A lot Of rubbish was being loaded
on barges and this stuff had many
bodies 10 it.
Dead bodies have decomposed so
badly II is impossible to send them to
sea for burial. The water has receded
so far, however, that IL is possible to
dig trenches, and bodies are being
buried where found. Debris covering
bodies is being burned where it can
be done safely.
The terrific cyclone that produced
suth a distressing disaster in Calves.
ton and all through Texas was pre-
dicted by the United States weather
bureau TO strike Galveston FRIDAY
night and creaIed mnch apprehension,
but The night passed without the
prediction being verified. The condi-
tiOns, however, were OminUus, the
danger signal was displayed on the
Hay staff OF the weather bureau, ship
ping was warned, etc. The south
eastern sky was sOmbre, the gulf beat
high on the beach with that dismal
thunderOus roar that presaged trOu-
BILE, while The air had that stiffness
that betokens a storm. From out
the north, 10 the middle watches OF
the night, the wind came 10 spiteful
pufs, increasing 10 volume as the day
dawned. By 10 o'clock Saturday morn
ing it was almost gale; at noon it
had increased in velocity and was
driving the rain, whipping the pools
ana tearing things up 10 a lively
nanner, yet 10 apprehension was
felt by residents remote from the en-
croaChmentS Of the gulf. Residents
near the beach were aroused to the
danger that threatened their homes.
Stupendous waves began to send their
waters inland and the people began a
hssty exit to secure places 10 the city.
Two gigantic forces were at work.
The gulf force drove the waves with
irresistible force high upon the beach
and the gale from the northwest
pitched the waters against and over
the wharves, choking the sewers and
flooding the city from that quarter.
The streets rapidly began to fill with
water, communication became diff
cult and the helpless people were
caught between two powerful ele-
mentS, while the winds hswled and
rapidly increased in velocity.
Mrs Mnr,In 1nona nnA Ao Aanl