The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-22

daylight the storm clouds began gather
ing in the south, far out over the waters.
The white caps growing in size as each
moment passed gave even a better warn
ing that bearing down upon Galveston
was one of those storms, peculiar to the
tropics and known as West indian
hurricane. Every moment the wind in
creased in velocity until It had attained
O maximum of rs miles an hour and the
mercury in the barometer fell as low as
20 SO as against II 80 when the 1900 storm
was at its height.
BY 8 o'clock this morning the wind had
attained a velocity Of As miles an hour
and was still increasing. The waves even
then rolling high, dashed furiously against
the massive concrete sea wall. hurting
dense clouds of spray into the air where
they were caught by the wind. Just be-
fore II o'clock heavy barge was torn
from its mornings on the bay side of the
city and after being tossed about like q
chip was hurled against the bridge at
Virginia Point. With the exception OF one
telephone wire which, although torn loose
from it's fastenings on the bridge, re-
NAMED intact for a short time, all COM
munication with the outside world was
at a standstill.
Excitement Intense.
Intense excitement prevailed throughout
the entire city according to the advices
received here late in the day.
Tonight only the Postal Telegraph COM
pany's submarine cable into Galveston Is
working. and it is overcrowded with pri-
yate messages from anxious people out
side the city who have friends or reia-
tives living In the island city.
At II O'Clock today the wind had
reached it's highest velocity when the In
struments registered gale OF rs miles
an hour with the barometer standing az
20. 49, Then far more rapidly than II mao
swept down upon the city the wind be-
gan to subside. With the passing OF the
storm the fright of the citizens passed as
| they realized that their ga wall. which
had been built at a cost Of $20o0,ooO, had
held fast, and to 1t they probably OWED
| their lives and property
Rescue parties were sent out onto the
beach, for there it was that the storm dic
It's damages lighthouses, pavilions and
booths along the speedway as the drive
way outside of the sea wall is known
were turned topsy-turvy, the more frai
ones being crushed and splintered by the
| force of the wind and waves.
Murdochs big bathhouse and me
Breakers. another large bathhouse, were
completely wrecked by the storm, as were
| the old and new fishing piers Both bath
| houses and piers were literally battered tc
proper they did no more damage thar
| to flood the streets nearest to the wall
! Other parties were sent to the resorts
along the beach. Sixty persons were res
cued from these places, and tonight tn
| early reports that no lives were lost are
confirmed. The greatest damage was don'
to the railroad bridge and to the jettie'
extending far out into the gull. Al
ocean-going tug rescued 30 persons from
Re1izon's fishing pier as the storm came
up. Reports received here from Sabine
Pass state that It Is for the most par
under water, but that no great damage
has been done. and no lives have peer
from other coast towns.
By early afternoon Galveston had agar
assumed it, normal state and business
was conducted a. usual.
The people knew that their wall hat
stood severe test and felt satisfied witt
its strength.