New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-08-17
GALVESTON READY
tn REPAIR DAMAGE
DONE BY HURRICANE
Texas Town Passes Through One
Of Worst Storms in Past
Fifteen Years
FIVE FEET OF WATER
STANDS IN THE CITY

STANDS In lHE Ull l
Several Communities of Southeast
Texas Isolated From Rest of the
World-Crops and Farm Houses
Along Coastal Plains Ruincd-
Velocity of Wind Attains Ninety
Miles an Hour
Dallas, Tex, Aug. 17.-Only meagre
information was availa BILE at noon to-
cay concerning the terrific tropical
storm that yesterday struck the Texas
coast, flooding Galveston, and which
then swept inland, doing heavy dam
age to crops and farm property.
80 Tar as known nc lives were lost.
galveston, Houston and Beaumont,
three of the principal cities of south
Texas, still were cut off from wire
communication. A brief wireless
despatch stating that Galveston, after
Weathering one of the worst storms in
hfteen years, was under five feet OF
water, brought the only definite infor-
nation in several hours concerning
the coast city, concerning which many
rumors had been afoat in the las;
few hours.
No Loss of Life.
A Galveston despatch made no
mention of loss of life It said the
five feet of water in the streets was
slowly draining off and that fires,
started probably as a result of the
lightning, were yet t. DC placed under
control. The despatch said also tina,
the United States transport Mcclellan
mad broken from her noorings and
drifted half a mile seward. Wireless
stations at Port Arthur and Fort
Crockett were also said to be out OF
commission.
No direct word concerning the sea
wall had come from the city itself
Railroad and other reports from vari
Gus sources, however, stated tina
large sections of the "a uscWay which
connects the city with the mainland
had been blown washed away
One report was that a large vissel had
been blown through the causeway AT
the offices of the Santa ire railroad
at Temple, Tex, it was stated that
two work trains had been ordered to
the coast to assist in repairing the
damaged causeway.
Safe From High Waters.
While wire communication with
Beaumont and Houston remained cut
eff little anxiety was felt for those
cities because they are situated some
distance from the coast and were be-
neved practically safe from high gulf
waters.
Streets Filled With Water.
The streets Of Galveston were re-
ported filled with rain water but the
level of the sea water several feet be-
low that of the city last night
The greatest damage is that to crop
and farm houses along the coastal
plains.
Velocity of Wind Increases.
Reports from Galveston last night
indicated that the velocity of the wind
miles an hour in the forenoon to be-
tween sixty-fve and seventy miles
late in the afternoon and that occa-
sional gusts even attained ninety
miles, 1t was stated water was run
ming in streets on the bay front but
that the damage had been compare
lively small.
5000 People Leave Galveston.
About 5000 persons are estimated
to have left Galveston for Houston
and other interior points during the
last thirty-six hours, fleeing from the
storm. The interruption with Beau
mont and Houston, was said by tele-
graph and telephone officials to have
been caused by heavy rain and winds,
but not SO severe as to cause anxiety
for the safety of the citizens in those
localities. Hundreds of residents of
Port Arkansas, Sabine, Sabine Pass,
Port O'Connor and other small coast
cities, were reported also to have left
their homes and hurried to places
away from the gulf coast but there
have been no reports that the storm
did damage to any of these places.
Port Arthur reported last night that
the storm had attained only forty-five
miles an hour at that place, while it
was stated to have reached SiXty-fiVe
miles at Sabine.
Numerous bath houses and small
buildings blown down at these small
cities and towns. however, was the
extent of the damage. according to
last reports.
Ready to Repair Damage.
Ca1x