The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-12-27
jim MARTIN
A Hero Of the Galveston
Storm.
By CATHERINE D. SCHUREMAN.

2 Bf CATnEkiAE u. SChUkEAAN.
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Jim Martins father was of rowing
disposition, SO after moving about half
a dozen times or more In the northern
states he decided to take his family
and go south. as he expressed 1t. Ito
seek his fortune" Jim was then q
boy about eight or ten years Of age.
the youngest of six children.
Already he could build dog house.
a dovecot and even help his father in
many ways. His talent pleased the
old gentleman immensely. for he
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 well until
the yellow fever broke out all over the
south In a terrible epidemic. cutting
down thousands of victims In its aw-
full march, When at last II had spent
its fury. Jim Martin came back to life,
only to find that he was alone-father.
mother. brothers and sisters all had
fallen prey to the yellow demon"
linn had q brave heart. but this SEEM
ed almost more than be could bear. As
health and strength came back to 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 man be was q marvel
Neatness. strength and beauty were all
combined in his work-in fact. Jim
had more than be could do. Every
body wanted his advice when they
could not get his work. 1t was COM
mon saying that -.Iim Martins fathers
houses stood the storm of 1873 without
so much as the loss Of shingle. and
be can do better work than his father"
And so II happened that Jim made
money and friends and became a ia
vorite with the Galveston people.
/ 1t was In the spring Of 1892 when It
occurred to him be was getting along
| In years and he who had built SO many
homes for others ought to have one Of
| his own. He knew the woman he
| wanted to share 1t 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 he was
| equally charmed when It rolled beyond
| Its shore. So with love In his heart
for this wonderful. beautiful but
treacherous body or water he selected
a spot only two blocks from Its shore
for home. At the end of the year the
house was complete. and such 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
was 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
they lived until Sept. 8. l9O0 when q
/ storm wherein a cyclone and hurri.
cane combined swept over the gulf and
extended into the state Of Texas more
or less for nearly hundred miles.
Wednesday morning. Sept 8. as jim
was passing the signal station he saw
young doctor looking at the mar
which was made for the Cotton Elk
change. He heard him remark. 1.-THE
barometer Is low. the wind Ii from the
northeast. and the whole map pretty
plainly shows cycionic disturbances tC
the south or southeast OF Key West
When the doctor passed on. Jim walk
ed up to the man who was making ths
map and asked. Are there any sign.
of a cycloner There are" he answer
ed. but our Office has received no no
rice Of the kind" Jim thought of thu
storm OF 1873 and shook his head
Don't want to see another" he re
marked to himself. Had he known
that the coming storm was to make tn,
one Of 1879 appear as nothing he nigh
have done differently. but all uncon
seiously he passed on to bis work. A
noon he went to his home and ate .
Substantial meal. As he passed out a
the front door he said to his wife. VIII,
stood by bis side: "MollIe. they sa,
there are some signs of a cyclone.
haven't anything Of importance to d.
this afternoon. SO I'm going down t
the gulf to see how she looks. III b
back In little WHILE"
When he reached the shore. he wa
astonished to see that. while the win,
was In the north. the tide was running
high. which was never the case wit
north winds. Thursday he again Wis
tied the gulf and found much the sam
condition of things. Friday the win
was still from the north. and as nigh
came on q increased In violence. tn
tide was high and the gulf very rougf
Again he went to the beach. gaze
long on her turbuisut surface. the
walked briskly home. "Mollie."
called out. come. look at our oil
friend. ] have never seen her so will
End rough since 1875. and do you nt
tice the peculiar hazy appearance ths
generally precedes great storm.
Yes. Jim. II does look like q storu
hut. please God. we don't have anothe
like the one OF 1875" Jim felt a iIttI
anxious all night.
= AS early as y o'clock Saturday morI
ing he arose and FASTENED to the beacI
> The tide seemed to be at q standstil
but while he stood wondering how
would end the tide began to rise an
was soon over the street railwa
tracks. He went back to his hom
told MollIe not to be frightened. that
, was going up town to learn what Il
people thonght of the weather. By
. O'Clock the wind had increased ar
$ vas blowing between forty and ffl
miles an hour. After talking to ha
a dozen or more and finding that vel
few felt any alarm he went to Il
wharf front. The wind had shifted
point or two east OF north and W,