The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-09-02
WAS IN TEXAS STORM
Prof. Give Alexander, of This City,
Writes of Ms Experience Ia BIG
Storm at Port Arthur, Texas.

The many friends of Prof. Give
Alexander will read with interest the
following letter to his father, w. A.
Alexander, telling of his exciting ex-
periences in the recent big Gulf
storm which did SO much damage at
Galveston and other Texas points.
Prof Alexander recently went to
Port Arthur to commence his duties
as chemist with one of the big oil
companies:
Port Arthur, Tex, Aug. 20, 1915.
Dear Father:-I have been having
quite an exciting time the past week.
Just a week ago today everybody
along the coast was warned that
big storm was coming. 1t was ex-
pected early last Monday morning,
but did not get here until about noon.
In the mean time had gone out to
the plant as usual which is about
21h miles from town. The streets of
Port Arthur that morning looked
like big celebration as people were
coming in from the coast towns by
train loads with the feeling that they
were safe here Is miles from the
coast. In the afternoon the plant
was shut down and everybody beat
it for brick buildings. Very few
stayed at the plant as most of them
went into town to take care of their
families. The post office and high
school buildings were jam full OF
people. There were nine of us, all
chemists, who stayed at the labora-
tory, which was the best building on
the place and it was good one too.
The wind had blown all day with a
gradual increase and with some rain.
About dark the ground was covered
with water and still rising. Along IN
the night some of the fellows got
some water outside and found that
it was salty. Then everybody knew
something was doing If the sea was
coming in Is miles. At day light
the water was two feet high and the
wind still blowing at about Is miles
an hour. The water kept rising until
late in the afternoon when it reach
ed it's best, about four feet deep on
an average, although it was over our
heads in many places, The plant
happened to have q commissary
about quarter of = mile away and
we got into it for our food supply:
In fact we floated six tubs full OF
IOOU anu WdLcE supply W tAV AoOOA q
tory. The wind did not stop blowing
ard it lained until Wednesday. Ev-
cry night and day we kept watch
about the refinery for fires. Fires
were dangerous thing with hum
dreds Of oil tanks $4,000 barrcls)
all around and the water all covered
with oil. We had three very small
fires but they didn't spread. The
rest of the week was mainly spent in
watching the water go down and
killing rats, snakes and alligators.
There must have been millions Of
animals washed in from the sea. The
snakes and alligators were the most
numerous. Last Saturday evening l
got on a tug boat and came up the
canal to a landing near where l am
rooming, then waded in water knee
deep to my room. Last night we got
in row boat at our door steps and
took q moonlight boat ride down
Port Arthur streets. The last two
days 1 have been doing nothing but
sleep as / had to spend six nights
trying to sleep on the laboratory
floor. The water will perhaps get
off the streets by the end OF this
week.
/ am feeling fine after the week
OF excitement.