The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-08-20
SEAWALL SAVED CITY
FROM HORRIBLE FATE.

FHOM HOhhlbLEl "A E1s
Dallas, Texas, Aug. 19.-With in
formation from Galveston and other
points on the Texas southeast gulf
coast slowly sitting through, it SEEM
ed certain early today that the ter
rife tropical storm of this week had
exacted only a comparatively small
number of human lives and that the
toll on property in the city Of Calves
ton at least, was small as compared
to the storm of 1900 That the great
two and a half million dollar seawall
saved the city of Galveston from even
a worse horror than that Of 1900 was
evidenced by the outstanding fact that
the storm of last Monday and Tues
day caused property damage estimat-
ed at 100000 in Houston which is
nearly four times larger than the
damage resulting from the 1900 hur-
ricane.
The damage in Galveston this week,
based upon meagre reports, is placed
at 100000 with the loss of four
teen lives. In 1900 eight thousand
persons met death and the property
loss reached $4,000, 900.
First reports yesterday placed the
Galveston death list as high as 500
1 and the damage as high or even high
er than the $4,000, 900 mark but this
apparently was disproved last night
| by later advices brought out by cour-
iers, newspaper men and other per-
sons who spoke with more authority.
; 1t is possible however, that the num-
Der of dead at Galveston and other
points may be increased by the find
: ing of bodies as the water recedes.
A large section of the storm dis
, trict is yet to be heard from, but the
present number of deaths, based or
the best obtainable information, was
Ill.
: BOAT LOST SIS MEN.
3 Reports from Beaumont say 81
2 were lost when the dredge Sam Hous
! ton went down in Galveston bay. /
e also is reported that the dredge Sal
4 Jacinto with a crew of fifty and tug
t are missing and believed lost. Thirt.
d persons who boarded steamer a
Port Bolivar lighthouse are though
I to have persisted when the vesse
broke from its moorings and drifte
7 into the gulf, according to refugee
i at Beaumont from Port Bolivar.
y Fires which have been raging i
e Galveston was reported under contrc
o last night, this item of damage alon
e having been estimated in excess o
e $3.50 900. There is no train servic
z out or into the city and telegraph an
" telephone facilities were destroye
early Monday night and still wer
q out of commission; with prospects c
, their restoration within the nes
4 twenty-four hours very doubtful. tn
g only means of transportation there
by boat.
The Galveston seawall evidentl
ID --'+hstood the storms fury and
intact but the causeway connectin
Of Galveston with the mainland We
I'd washed out at each end where Il
II concrete and earthworks connected.
e. Galveston's greatest problem t
nc day was fresh water, the city wat
to mains, which crossed from the mai
IS land on the causeway, having BEE
K broken. While no appeal for on
rt side aid had been issued, it was sa
IS. -four and other foodstuffs and fire.
ty water were needed. Sanitary mea
se, ures are already being taken to pr
n vent disease, and the city was We
ne policed by United States soldier
ed army officers having taken over Il
&c work at he request of civil autho,
Vn ties.
OF The exact conditions at small Coz
ch towns and other points in the storm
path near the coast is not yet know
in these points being isolated from WI
vel and in many instances, from railro
al communication owing to high waite
of
ity GREAT STORM STILL
NJ, PERSISTS milan