The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1915-08-25
BIG PROPERTY Loss
BUT FEW CASUALTIES

Less Than Score Perish, Though Ma
terial Damage May Amount to $15,-
100000, as Much as in Great Hurri.
cane OF 1900.
! Dallas, Texas, Aug. 1S.-Galveston
has emerged from one of the most
| severe storms in the annals Of tho
Gulf Of Mexico, battered and severe
ly burdened with financial loss, but
with the known loss Of life less than
a score.
| This summarizes the first definite
news received from the island city
snce the tropical hurricane which
Monday began battering against the
gigantic sea wall which protects the
city from the waters Of the gulf. An
accurate estimate Of tho property
damage was not possible tonight, but
those who did venture an estimate
say that it might reach the proper
tons of the storm Of 1900 when pro-
pcrty valued at $15,000,000 was swept
away.
The first messenger from the strick-
en- city reached Houston today and
reported thousand feet Of the sea-
wall swept away; the causeway which
connects Galveston with the mainland
cut into, and the city strewn with the
debris of 500 buildings crushed by
the assaults of wind and tidal waves
Fires Add to Damage.
Three fires also did great damage
and the city is without an adequate
supply Of drinking water, the mains
leading to the city's supply wells at
Alto Iona, Is miles away, having
been broken
The bclatcd report today says that
the storm reached its zenith at 3
o'clock Monday and tho cottages
along the sea wall were crumblcd and
scrattercd into flying timbers The
waters Of the gulf whipped into fury,
tore away bits of sea wall until an
opening had been dug into the tough
cement, then the battle between wat
or and concrete began. Despite the
fact that q thousand feet of the wall
was battered away, Galveston attrib-
ntcs its salvation as city to the
big dixie which was built few years
Eaftcr the storm Of 1900. One break
20 feet wide in front OF the Galvcz
hotel let in most Of the water that
damaged the residential section.
Gay Sections Swept.
All the city's resort bath houses and
beach amuscmcnts have been swept
away. The Murdoch, thc Breakers
and the Surf bath houses, each Of
which was a commoditious frame
structure, were demolished and heap
ed upon the boulevard in debris. Just
lack Of the beach boulevard from
Twenty-iirst to Twcnty-siXth streets
was a row Of small shops and booths.
dancing pavilions, restaurants and
hotels. These are reported to have
been destroyed. To the west and to
the east of this section were pretty
summer cottages skirting the boulc-
ward, all of which are said to 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. Mcclellan is high
aground on Pelican island, an arth-
cial spot north Of Galveston Just
across the ship channel. Many YES
sells have been capsizcd and several
reported as destroyed.
Yesterday the city was placed under
martial law and after surveying the
property damage the mayor announc-
ed that the city would not need TO
call on other communities for finan-
cial aid.
The surprisingly low loss OF life
probably is due to the lesson OF 1900
for the popuation Monday night
sought refuge in the stronger build
ngs, where the disaster OF - years
ago found the residents sleeping while
the gale took the lives OF 5000.