Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-12-02
jim MARTIN
A Hero of the Galveston
Storm.
BY CATHERINE D. ScllIRTaiN


states he decided to take his famii;
and go south. as he expressed IL. TO
I seek his fortune" Jim MAS then 9
Z boy about eight or ten years OF age.
: the youngest OF six children.
/ Already be could build q dog house.
I a dovecot and even help his father in
I many ways His talent pleased the
old gentleman Immensely. for liz
thought TO be a good carpenter was
all and everything that one could de-
sire. AT first they located in Louisiana.
and then after accommodating and los
ing much of this worlds goods they
moved TO Texas. All went We'll until
the yellow fever broke our all over the
south in a terrible epidemic. cutting
down thousands of victims in its aw-
full march. When at last IL had spent
its fury. Jim Martin came back TO life.
only TO find that be was aione-fatller.
mother. brothers and sisters all had
fallen prey to the yellow demon"
lin had a brave heart. but this SEEM
ed almost more than he could bear. AS
health and strength came back 10 him
his spirits rose. and he set about his
old trade. He was considered one of
the best carpenters In Galveston. And
for so young a man he was a marvel
Neatness. strength and beauty We're all
combined in his work-in fact. Jim
had more than he could do. Every
body wanted his advice when they
could not get his work. 1t was com
mon saying that Jim Martins fathers
houses stood the storm of 1879 without
SO much as the loss of shingle. aud
h.aT do har
And SO it happened that Jim made
money and friends and became a IA
vorite with the Galveston people.
II was in the spring of 1892 when il
occurred TO him he was getting along
in years and he who bad built SO many
homes for others ought TO have one of
his own. He knew the woman he
wanted to share it with him. so after
getting her consent he cast his eyes
about for the proper location. The
gulf of Mexico had strange fascina
ton for him. He loved TO gaze on its
glasslike surface in calm, and be was
equally charmed when it rolled beyond
its shore. SO with love in his heart
for this wonderful. beautiful but
treacherouS body OF water he selected
a spot only two blocks from its shore
for a home. AT the end of the year the
house was complete. and such a house.
for substantially at least. had never
before been built on the island. The
enormous chimneyS were started away
down in the ground. and plenty of shell
wss used in the mortar TO make them
strong enough to stand the wind and
weather. Jim married and took his
wife to the beautiful new home There
81
storm wherein a cyclone and hurri- |
cane combined swept over the gulf and
extended into the state of Texas more
or less for nearly a hundred miles.
Wednesday morning. Sept. ;. as Jim /
was passing the signal station he saw
young doctor looking at the map
which was made for the Cotton EX- /
change. He heard him remark. THE /
barometer is low. the wind is from the I
northeast. and the whole map pretty |
plainly shows cyclonic disturbances to /
the south or southeast of Key West"
When the doctor passed on. Jim walk
ed up to the man who was making the I
map and asked. Are there any signs /
of a cyclone%' There are" he answer
ed. but our office has received no no /
tice of the kind Jim thought of the [
storm of 1870 and shook his head. +
Don't want TO see another" he re- /
marked to himself. Had be known 4.
thar the coming storm was to make the
one of 1879 appear as nothing be might /
have done differently. but all uncon-
sciOuSly he passed on to his work At
neon he went to his home and ate a
substantial meal. AS he passed out at
the front door he said to his wife. who
stood by his side: "Mollie. they say
there are some signs of a cyclone | .
haven't anything of Importance 10 do
this afternoon. so I'm going down to
the gulf to see how she looks. I'll be
back in little WHILE
When he reached the shore. be was
astonished to see that. while the wind
was in the north. the tide was running
high. which was never the case with
north winds Thursday he again Wis
tied the gulf and found much the same
condition of things. Friday the wind
was still from the north. and as night
came on 1t increased in violence, the
tide was high end the gulf very rough
Again she went to the beach. gaze.
long on her turbulent surface then
walked hriskly home Mobile" he
cHlieu out. come look at our old
friend. | have never seen her so wild
and rough since 1875. and do you no.
tice the peculiar hazy appearance that
generally precedes great storm"
Yes. Jim. IL does look like a storm:
Aut. please God. we don't have another
like the one of 1879" Jim felt a little
anxious all night.
As early as O'Clock Saturday morn
ing I've arose and fastened 10 the beach.
The tide seemed to be at sta ndStill
but while be stood wondering how it
would end the tide began TO rise and
was soon over the street railway
tracks He went back TO his home.
told Mollie not TO be frightened. that be
was going up town 10 learn what the