New-York tribune., 1909-07-29
UNEASY GALVESTON
Sea WaU Safe, but Other Protective
Measures Needed.

q Of The Tribune
Galveston. July 24-This city, despite the mes
sages of sefcongratulation sent because of the
victory of the great wall on "Wednesday over
the hurricane-driven Gulf waters, is uneasy. The
is not far 10 seek. a walk along the ooule-
ward skirtine the guarding stretch Of concrete re-
veals If there is knowledge of the comparative
force of this last heavy wind and that OF 1900
which sped the waters over the island ana de-
stroyed eight thousand lives
The Galveston Business League met last night to
consider the situation 1t was decided that the
boulevard should be raised. Nearly mile OF the
heavy brick way had been wrecked-by the spray
II was said. No Galvestonian VIII ADMIT that the
sea wall is not high enough; hence Whatever water
came was just spray. But this spray was
heavy enough 10 tear away great stretches OF
heavy iron railing toss wster-soaked logs over the
barrier into the streets and to cover the streets
with from one to three feet OF water
In 1900 the wind smashed the wind gauge AT the
IanniIe record On Wednesday the maximum
snu.a vos sixtv-nine miles and that for only a
few r,,sts To he sure the Gulf waters were hlSh
and forcefuI but they were tarnely propelleu dS
con1psred with nine years ago Inc sea wan was
unscsthed despite the battering by logs ana the
fragments from bathing pavilons II Is MOI DC
lieved that anything short of an earthquaNe 00uu
damage the wall ., . .,,,.
The opinion freely expressed last nSht was Oh1s
the boulevard should be so graded tnat II NoUt
in a measure supplement the wall. II - .,a
tons of sand were carried over the wan oy "ie
..xr-a,- covering the trolley tracks ana had u
he pioughed away Ike snow
Ho,bIng was said in the published dispatches
.bo,,+ tho panic here when the storm was wen
,,,5er 1rav Women and men were frantic lheS
-trueSIed through the water-covered stree's ~ '0
~oo-s solidlv built houses. and calls for help were
gent to the business district Every sor' %
bcle was sent in hot haste, and soon lile o1|,S'
r,hlic buildings Young Mems ChriStdh -,
t,o, buildings and churches were CROWDED Aiie
spectr. of the 1900 had risen but there
-a.ix m danger The storm was not severe ei'oUs
The meeting of last night requested t"e Ve'es -
cou1panies to lay their wires so 'hal uNu' 49,
circ,1r1 stances communication with uhe IeS' "a
,,,o-,d might not he interrupted. But not "oIu
u-as said about the necessity for more means
-eacbing the mainland in time OF stress Cno
wooden trestle which all wires are oraCAe'.u -
the only means for transportation ~ ran nc
mas mt out Of commission by barge eet'E j." '
storm fifty feet being splintered. and repairs "e'
not completed until over a day later. faouS'o-
lnevr less about the effect OF the storm mere aii
New York City. Hence those who had reis'i'es on
the and frantic. And 1t never occu'ieu !"
the railroad or municipal officials until lhursosE
az mon that the island city could have been reacheu
t,- hours after the storm on Wednesday by
means of a boat from Texas City. six miles from
CaIve ston the mainland
This treste is a relic Of the 1900 storm 1t was
N, sole survivor Of several railroad bridges into
Galveston One company owns IT, and ever since
800 has been collecting toll from the otheF roadS'
In some occult way the building by the state
county, city and joint roads Of great concrete
csuseuay has been persistently delayed The storm
had hardly subsidized when work on this causeWaY'
begun several years ago, was reopened II vii no"
be pushed unless some influence succeeds In caus-
ing another delays
Galveston is a splendid city, enterprising and re-
sourcef,il II is to the interest Of New York city
manufacturers and the travelling public that 1t Re
safeguarded in every way possible Owing TO the
damage TO the bridge the steamer Concho, Of the
Mallory Line had TO sail with half the passengers
booked for New York. From the same cause the
San Marcos Is crowded with passengers. and when
she sails to-day will have her full complement
of freight because of the delay 70 freight trains
The Concho held until 1870 m. Thursday. but
as the railroads would promise 10 have passen-
gers in Galveston before night she cleared
From the accounts coming in here Of storm dam
ages loss OF life in this state is placed at sixty
and the damage to crops and other property at
81 $4,000.