Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-08-12
THE BIG STORM OF
THIRTY YEARS AGO
GRAPHICALLY DESCRIBED BY AN
EYE WITNESS
Today Anniversary of the Tempest
that Wrecked Maria Teresa and
Other Vessels at Point Isabel.
Described by Judge Pierce.

kindly prepared for The Herald the
following graphic description Of the
great storm which visited this region
thirty years ago today. The Judge,
as will be seen, not only saw the
storm, but he saw ii close at hand
and was intimately connected with
some of its thrilling episodes
Just thirty-two years ago today,
on Angst IL 1880, we experienced
our most violent storm-perhaps not
SO severe in Brownsville as that Of
October z, 1867, when the Episcopal
church and part of the old Jail
were destroyed, and many other
buildings in town somewhat dam
aged, but undoubtedly the worst we
had suffered at Brazos Santiago and
Padre Island
The lighter schooner Braisted ana
pilot boat Agnes had been hauled up
on provisional blocking on Brazos
Island just northeast Of what is now
known as Yturrias wharf. They
were being overhauled and recop-
pered and there were thirty-Ieven
persons living on the wharf, all
more or less participating in the
work, except Mrs. James Baker, the
old pilots wife, and her daughter
Nellie and Katie afterwards Mrs.
ThorselD, who were there spending
couple Of months with Capt jim
At about O'Clock p. m. August
1lth, it was first noticed THAT the
tide was swelling more than usual
and that the waters Of the gulf were
gradually encroaching upon and
covering the island Capt jim.
whose life had been spent on the
seas, began to grunt about a certain
rheumatic pain in his left leg, and
predicted a severe gale. Old Bill
Lightburn, who had just assumed
charge of the new life saving sta
ton, had slight touch of the same
pain and at about p. m, hustled
his wife and children into a bUk
and sailed them over to Point Isabel.
By p. m the water covered the
island two feet and washed the
blocking from under the two boats
At D. m. the bark Maria Teresa
which had been in the offing for
more than a month tightening her
cargo, suddenly hois,ed full sail and
headed straight for the beach and
destruction, her captain afterwards
explaining that his barometer fell 80
rapidly and the wind from the east
had become so severe, he realized the
storm was upon him, and. unable to
tack out to sea, believed Bleaching
to be the only safe course. She
struck the beach on Padre Island a
little east Of where the present bath
house is located Eight of us sailed
\ over there and though the island was
already covered with water, sue
ceeded in getting line to shore and
safely bringing the crew to land.
One Of the men was 80 drunk and
abusive and resisted so much that
we were finally compelled to leave
him there at the then quaran inc
station. a long, low one-story build
ing. We afterwards found this man
near Palmito Hill, close to Oribe' 5
ranch on the Rio Grande. he having
floated there on wreckage. and hav-
ing spent a terrible night in the sea,
AT 3 a. m. a regular gale was
blowing. At a. m. Pat Hagen, an
Irish sailor, Basilio Castro, Malay
the writer and seven Mexicans
headed by old Grandote. undertook
to wade and swim from the wharf
TO the life saving station. The
three first mentioned succeeded il
swimming over a little sluice abou
forty feet wide, but as some of th'
Mexicans could not swim they re
traced their steps to the wharf.
Hagen, Castro and continue'
and finally arrived at the station
with by that hour was surrounds
( by six feet Of water The building
5 was locked so we broke in the door
! entered, equipped the life boat wit
!. oars. ropes, blankets and provision:
!. and after two hours work opene
Z he big doors which faced the beac
Z and rolled the boat out. The min
Z ute the wind had a full sweep at !
: il raised ii in the air as though
: were a feather and. carrying il bod
! lily some $50 feet let il fall on II
I bow. shiyering the keel planks
= as TO render it useless. Hagen RI
\. NAMED at the station. and Basili
l. and | waded and swan across
:. Dyer's Island. Twice the water wa
! too deep for me and the undertow 5
Y. strong that my feet could not touc