Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-08-18
TEXAS STG :
MOVES INLAND
Galveston Still Isolated and
Entire Water Front
Devastated
PEOPLE USING BOATS
Transport Mcclellan Carried Up on
Beach Half Mile From Shore
Other Cities Da~aged.

Dallas Tex. August 1S-Scores oil
persons perished in the West Indian
hurricane that swept coast points,
accarding to roundabout reports re-
ceived here today from the stricken
, district. Property damage will run
into the millions
!! Twelve soldiers, it is said, were
killed at Texas City, the regular ar
my camp near Galveston, and thirty
or forty civilians also are reported
dead.
Dallas, Texas, Aug. lS-Wireless
messages from Galveston last night
gave the only direct news from that
storm stricken city. No definite news
of loss Of life has been reported, but
the desperate situation in which the
liftizens of Galveston found them
selves was indicated vaguely by the
statement late afternoon radio
gram that boats were taking people
from buildings on the main streets
to the United States transport bu-
ford.
The tropical hurricane which swept
down upon the Island City yesterday
extended its devastation inland yes
terday, and last night wire comn"-
nication was impossible beyond Waco,
that city being absolutely cut off
from the coast country. Beaumont
Houston. Taylor, Temple and other
cities Of Southeast Texas were
thought to have been hard hi5 by the
storm. last reports from these places
telling Of unroofcd buildings, uproo;-
ed trees and other damage. Because
of the lack of wires, railroad traffic
was at standstill to the storm
swept district.
Although latest reports Indicated
that the storm was subsiding in Gal
weston and that the water had start
ed 10 drain slowly from the streets.
there was no prospect that wire COM
munication might be restored for
several days. Hundreds of miles Of
wires are broken aud thousands oi
poles have been blown down.
The wireless equipment on board
the army transport Buford was the
sole means Of communication be-
tween Galveston and the outside
world last night. The transport Nc
Clellan. companion ship to the Eli
ford was reported high and dry half
II mile inland.
The greatest damage in Galveston
is believed to have occurred in dis
tricts fronting the sea. All buildings
on the water front were ruined, this
circumstance being almost rcpeti-
tion of. the .city's experience in pre-
vious storms. Vessels caught in the
harbor also suffered heavily. The
giant waves thrown up by the storm
carried large and small craft alike
far beyond the usual beach roun-
daries and the marine salvage work
probably will he complicated by the
necessity of getting many boats back
to their own element.
1t will probably he weeks before
the full extent of the property iam-
age can be given accuratel.. Farms
, on the coastal plains undoubtedly
suffered severe damage and many vii
lagos in the path of the storm nave
not been heard from since early Mon
day.
At Waco. 200 miles northwest or
Galveston. the barometer was falling
early last night and a gale was blow
! ing with unabating force This indi.
Gated according to the Weather Blu
reau, that the storm centre was ap-
preaching that part of the State and
the experience of Taylor and Tenn
pie bore out that conjecture.
At both these towns buildings were
unroofed and wire communication
hampered. Temple and Taylor are il
the path Of the storm from Calves.
| ton to Waco.
San Antonio, Texas. Aug. 1S-Tht
following wireless telegram was re-
ceived at Fort Sam Houston Wireless