The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1915-08-25
Galveston, Texas, Is Again
Victim OF Wave.
THOUSAND FEET OF SEA WALL
Swept Away and Damage To
City Is Estimated At
S15,000,000.
MANY LIVES LOST IN FLOOD

Dallas, Tex, Aug 1S.-Cheerini
news was brought to this city to
night in a message that was flashed
TO thousands of anxious persons whit
had friends and relatives in th'
storm-stricken city of Galveston
S'only fourteen dead in Galveston
Galveston has undergone one Of
the severest storms in the annals Of
the Gulf of Mexico, and has emerged
battered and sorely burdened, with
financial loss, but saved so far as
life and death are concerned by its
gigantic sea wall.
The water mains leading to the
city's supply wells at Alta Iona
eighteen miles over on the mainland,
have been broken, and the available
supply is fast diminishing, adding to
the discomforts.
The first messenger from the is
land to the mainland reached Hous-
ten to-day, bringing summary OF
<he results OF the storm which began
Monday afternoon and ragged with
unabated ferceness until dawn Tues
day.
A thousand feet of the sea wall
which skirts the southern side of the
city have been torn away, and the
causeway which connects Galveston
with the outside world has been cut
in two at the drawbridge.
Three fires have done great dam
age and the city is without adequate
water supply.
Those who attempt to estimate
the financial loss the city has under
gone say that it will equal that of
the 1900 storm, which was estimated
at S15, 100000.
For more than fortyeight hours
Galveston was wholly out of touch
with the world, except for a few
feeble wireless messages which told
but scraps of news. Shortly after 6
O'Clock Monday night the wires went
down after several dispatches to the
outside world told of the increasing
vigor of the storm which had been
brewing all the afternoon. From
that tipe until late to-day only the
wireless has been able to send few
fragments of fact from the United
States transport Buford to the army
wireless station at San Antonio.
{ Despite the fact that a thousand
feet of the wall was battered away
Galveston attributes its salvation as
a city to the big dyke which was
built few years after the storm of
1900.
The Mayor proclaimed the city
under martial law. and after a sur
Vey OF the losses announced that
Galveston would not call on other
communities for aid.
The surprisingly low loss of life is
due probably to the lesson of 1900.
The population Monday night sought
refuge in the stronger buildings of
the city, whereas in the disastrous
storm of fifteen years ago the resi-
dents remained in their homes. feel
ing secure against the gale which |
took the lives of 5000.
All the city's resorts, bath houses
and beach amusements have been
swept away. The Murdoch, the
Breakers and the Surf. bath houses,
each of which was a commodious
frame structure, were demolished
and heaped upon the boulevard in
debris.
Huddled near the beach boule-
ward. from Twenty-frst to Twenty
sixth streets, was a row of small
shops, booths, dancing pavilions,
restaurants and hotels. These are re-
ported to have been destroyed. To
the west and to the east of this sec
ton We're summer cottages, skirting
the boulevard, all of which are said
90 have been total losses.
The loss to the city port facilities
has been ENORMOUS and all kinds of
craft have suffered. The United
States transport McClelland is high
aground on Pelican Island. an artif-
cial spot north of Galveston, just
across the ship channel. Many YES
sells have been capsized and several
rrnoptad nc dacfrovad
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