Mexico weekly ledger., 1909-07-29
HUGE WAVE BLOWN AeINsT 49,
AND BY HURRICANE THROWN
BACK INTO euLF-SIxTEEN RE-
PORTED MlsslNo-BRiDeE TO
MAINLAND WRECKED,
Beach Resort Occupied by Fishing Pa
ty Is Swept Away by Waves-Part
Of the City Is FIooded-pamage in
Protected Portion Ie 100000.
Galveston, Tex. July q.


day from a repetition of the holo-
caust of September 8, 1900. With
the wind arriving at a velocity of
from 60 to rs miles an hour, the wat
ers of the Gulf we're hurled into the
island, only to break against the
concrete abutment of the wall and
breaking into crest of foam and
spray hurled high into the air and
back into the Gulf. Built for the
purpose of preventing another hor-
ror, the sea wall was put to
the test and withstood 1t grandly.
Had 1t not been for the wall the
story of 1900 would last night have
been told over again.
Sixteen Reported Lost.
In Galveston not single life is be-
lieved to have been sacrificed. How
ever, a party of sixteen at tarpoon
fishing pier, located on the north
jetty, are missing. A tug boat visited
the scene and the house had been
swept away. This is outside OF the
sea wall and it was here that the
greatest damage was done. In the
city, entrenched behind the 17-foot
wall, no estimate has been made
of the damage, but it is believed to
range between 100000 and 100000.
A dredge was blown against and
wrecked the single bridge that con-
meets Galveston with the main land.
The cables parted, cutting off COM
munication.
The great Galveston flood in which
5000 lost their lives, occurred Sat
urday, September 8, 1900. The dam
age to property in the city alone
amounted to $20,000,000, while other
Gulf towns near by suffered losses to
the extent of $15,000,000. The COM
mercial metropolis of Texas and the
Southwest was practically wiped out
by the water.
The flood was caused by hurri-
cane from the Bermudas. Shortly af
ter midnight Saturday the gale be
gan lowing. Before sunrise 1t was
travelling at the rate of eighty miles
an hour and the pillows from the
Gulf were surging into the streets Of
the city. Galveston is located on an
island, the Gulf and Galveston Bay
completely surrounding it. The two
bodies of water came together and
the residents of the city were caught
like rats in a trap, There was no
way to escape.
By noon Saturday the city was en-
tirely under water. To venture from
house meant being crushed to death
in the debris. Most of the people
took the latter chance.
AS the water arose and the founda
tions began crumbling away the
houses eaved In, burying thousands
in the wreckage. Most of the loss oi
life occurred In the public institu
tions. Three orphan asylums, tive
hospitals and other institutions col
lapsed, killing all of the inmates.
The railroad bridges connecting
Galveston with the mainland ant
the giant wagon bridge, which wal
believed at that time to be irrlsista
BILE, were swept away with the firs
rush of the waters. For several day
no outside help could be gotten in
| to the city and as result the sur
vivors were face to face with starva
. tion seven after the waters were be
ginning to recede.
i To add to the horrors, ghouls be
: gan to get In their work. Bodie
were mutilated and stripped by tn
fiends. Later, when the militia reacl
ed the city, 100 of the ghouls wer
shot down in the streets.
/ Although the city was destroye
and lay heap of debris on the shor
, of the Gulf of Mexico, the indomi
: able spirit of the Texans was by 4
Y means crushed. Before the water
4 had receded plans had already bee
e made to restore the city.
After the water returned to Il
}. Gulf the work of rebuilding the ci
|. commenced and progressed with ph
nominal speed. The Government WI
d interested to the extent of spendii
millions of dollars in the erection
a sea wall. 1t was said after Il
completion Of the barrier in 1906 tn
the water could never get over it
II to the city.