Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-17
GALVESTON WALL
IS W|THSTAND|NG
HURRICANE FORCE
But Great Seas Are Sweep
ing In, Driven by 70
Mile Wind.
CITY is IN DARKNESS.
CUT OFF FROM WORLD D
Late Report Says Water Rises
Ten Feet, and Vessels Are
Overturned.
PEOPLE ARE IN FLIGHT
I~sA Ill
PEOPLE ARE IN FLIGHT
Trains and Automobiles Take 5000
Away on Approach of
Storm.

DALLAS. TEN. Angus, ls-A wcs,
Indian hurricane lashed the Texas Cult
coast tonight, the wind reaching
velocity Of seventy miles an hour, but
up TO late hour no loss Of life or
serious property damage had been re-
ported ashore or anoat
;aiveston's sea wall had withstood
the force of the waters. and except
cor minor damage as result Of the
hooding OF the streets on the bay side
OF the c!ty, the property loss had been
ncgligible.
sabine. TEX. reported wind OF
sixty five miles. and at Port Arthur the
gale reached velocity of forty-fve
miles at 10 o'clock.
The majority of the residents at
Sabine and Sabine Pass. as we'll as the
numerous summer camps and resorts
along the coast moved TO places OF
safety las, night and early to-day AT
Galveston residents along the beach
abandoned their homes and spent the
night in the more secure buildings In
the business district
Follower. Caplcn, Patton and Boliver
were reported under water All these
towns were deserted Tonight
Late tonight newspaper correspon-
dent attempted 10 go from Port Arthur
10 Sabine In an automobile but was
forced TO abandon the trip
The wind would have blown our
machine away II VIC had continued the
trip he declared.
TRIP TOO DANGEROUS
For SAILORS TO ATTEMPT
Efforts 10 charter boat TO reach
Sabine were futile. sailors refusing to
make the trip.
Failure of wire communication TO
Galveston tonight increased anxiety,
but the fact that the wind was blow
ing from the north and the water
which had backed in the streets was
from the bay side OF the island reas-
sured those familiar with the history OF
the city's storms.
The wall is on the south side OF
the city. and faces the open gulf The
waters OF the bay. directly opposite
across the mile-wide island, are shall
low. except for the narrow ship chan
mel
The storm which devastated Calves
Ton and drowned 5000 persons on Sep
tcmbcr s, 1900. tore AT the city for ten
hours from a southeasterly direction
and piled great seas in upon the frame
buildings at the south side of the city,
dashinG them TO kindling and making
floating ram with which to batter
away buildings further inland.
To-nights storm. according to bull
letins. had none of those dangerous ele-
ments because the wind was blowing
from the north. bringing only the shall
low bay water to play upon the most
substantial brick and stone buildings
of ha pIt he huS
tion.
Wireless communication with Calves
ton. maintained from Houston early to-
night. was cut off at 10 o'clock. Eff
forts to communicate with army head
quarters at Texas City across the bay
from Galveston were futile.
Communication with Beaumont. Tex.
also was cut off shortly after 10 o'clock.
and 1t was believed by the weather
observer at Houston that the hurricane
had left the gulf and had struck the
mainland between that city and Gal
weston.
train was started from Houston
over the Southern Pacific Railway to-
night in an effort to reach Galveston.
At last reports the causeway between
Galveston and the mainland was intact,
and IL was believed the train would be
able to cross early tomorrow. The
last interurban car to leave Galveston
late to-day was an hour crossing the
causeway.
WATER RISES TEN FEET
IS WIRELESS REPORT
BROWNSVILLE. TEXAS. August 1s.
Tho army wireless station here re-
ceived report from the transport Bu-
ford at Galveston tonight that the
thora hoI rie
several vessels had been overturned.
The government wireless station was
unable to raise Galveston or Texas
City. but received the following from
San Antonio:
Fort Sam Houston here reports II
has been calling Galveston since 8
o'clock Texas City reported at p. NJ
that he expected his mast to blow down
AT any time"
Fort Sam Houston also reported that
water was going over .he causeway
at 6 P. M.