Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-19

storm was a warming to those who knew
the characteristics Of the West Indian
hurricane. The barometer dropped rap
idly. The Weather Bureau had sent out
ample warning and this procuution in
great measure saved many lives
Tho exodus was too great for the ca
pacity of trains, and the iniC:urbans and
those who could not got away settled
down to face the music" Virtually all
the people living near the waterfront, or
the beach, came uptown fC, safety early
Monday afternoon.
Tho gale steadily Increased 10 velocity
Of 20 miles at O'Clock Tuesday. Street
car service had then been suspended for
considerable time Lights and power
were gone and wires and si%ns began to
crash to the streets from every direction.
At that time the wind was north-north-
Gust, and 1t was hoped tho hurricane
would pass Galveston to the east
a tropical downpour had augmented the
force of the wind from II o'clock. and
shortly after noon the streets began ~
flll with water.
BY four o'clock the waters of Calves
ton Ray were being backed up by the
north wind, and soon tho streets werc
covered to a depth Of two feet, and water
began TO run into all stores and base
mcnts. The rise continued until midnight,
when throughout the business district the
depth ranged from shoulder deep to over
n mans head.
This put all the telegraph companies
out OF commission, but remained at the
telegraph office until nfter o'clock Mon
day night, writing messages which I
knew could not be delivered. In the
Western Union office / sat until tho
water was waist deep, in hopes that "A
wire would be opened, I saw water al
most all the way to whcrc ! had my
family, 10 blocks away
Terror over the ominous situation was
further increased shortly after 10 o'clock
that night by the simultaneous appear
ance of two fires which cast a glow over
the whole city The o. X Laundry and
a large cotton warehouse on the water
front were burned to the ground. Many
feared that the city would be destroyed
by fire
a fortunate veer in the wind which
turned to the southeast was received with
shouts of JOY by refugees in the build
ings and there We're many joyous shouts
Of she's letting up; she's letting up"
But this joy was short-lIved. The storm
king had been bracing himself for an
other blow from different direction
Soon the fierce roar of the storm was
heard and IN a short time the velocity of
the wind was 30 miles an hour
This wind came directly off the gulf
and water was dashed over the seawai in
torrents. The force of the waves tore
down the bathhouscs along the beaches
and destroyed long sections of the spen-
did causeway. II added also to the great
swamps of water in all the streets.
The gale continued for hours and while
the velocity never reached the proportions
OF the 1900 storm. it was of greater dura-
tion than any other and had the added
danger of blowing from the northeast for
hours and then repeating worse than ever
from the southeast.
As l write the wind has subsidcd and
practically all the water has run off into
the bay. The tug Pilot Boy and the
launch r. Waverly, with Is men. have not
been accounted for and are given up by
their owners for lost. Dredges, including
the Miller Davis. the San Jacinto, the
Sam Houston, the Sudorman and the Dol
son and Manson, It Is expected are also
lost with their crews.
One schooner blew all the way into
Galveston from Mobile, loaded with
hemp, and was deposited on top of the
sea wall near Fort Crockett. Two of her
sailors suffered broken limbs. but no
lives were lost.