New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1915-08-21
By Special Request.
STORY OF THE GALVESTON
STORM BY AN EYE
WITNESS,


Galveston for my vacation.
o reached that place on tSunda
: last at noon. The day was seren
e and bright. The famous boul'
ward was thronged with ga
4 crowd of promenaders. Thou
: sands Of Fathers enjoyed tn
e surf, and hundreds of automc
biles glided swiftly to and fir
along the roadway overlookin
l the Gulf. 1t was about this tim
that the wind turned to tn
north, and instead Of partakins
: Of the nature Of the usual nortl
wind, i. e. cool and refreshing
this one was warm and puffy
The Gulf waves began creeping
in angrily towards the beach
swapping at the bathels. AT abou,
1880 I changed my bathing suit
for citizens clothes. By this time
the people focked out to the
usual Sunday evening concert,
rendered by the Municipal Band.
Among these listeners We're a
number Of people who had with
them grips and suit cases. There
was also to be noticed a large
throng Of people on the sea wall
after dark. These were watch
ing the tide creeping steadily
higher and higher. The out Of
town visitors began to leave the
City. The outgoing trains were
crammed full. Special trains
were hastily put on, and the In
teru1'ban was in operation all
night to accommodate the outgo-
ing crowd Those leaving Gal
weston increased in numbers OH
Monday. The unusual puffy
northerly breezes freshened into
a heavy gale. The barometer
was falling, the wind velocity in
creased and it rained ceaselessly.
Still l decided to stay in Calves
ton in hopes that the storm will
not be severe. The last train
that left Galveston was on Mon
day at 3 40 P. M. The one that
left at 4 p. NJ. had to return, the
tracks We're washed away. By
this time the people focked into
substantial buildings for shelter.
Humanity seemed to struggle
desperately against the fearful
elements. One stepped from the
sidewalk waist deep into water
stumbling and in imminent dan
ger Of drowning. Automobiles
were turned over and horses re-
fused to go against the wind. The
cars had stopped running. By
six o'clock the wires were down,
the gas and electric plants ceased
operating. By $50 the water in
the lobby Of the fremont Hotel
was about foot deep and dark
ness ensued, except for candle
light here and there. A crowd
Of young and old of various races
and nationalities and of both SEX
es, consisting Of several thou
sands filled every nook and cor
ner from the second to the fourth
door inclusive. 1t was literally
to take a step without
stepping on somebody's feet or
head or any other part of the
body, for the candles were few
md far between.
To make an attempt to describe {
he feelings Of people crowded
ike sardines and feeling the Vi (
'rations Of heavy stone and {
rick building in respond to a
'O-mile gale, and realizing that !
here is from five to six feet of I
water covering the streets, and
10 sooner had one tremendous
ire, two blocks away, burned it.
elf out when another one started 6
n and the burning boards and !
ogs are brought by the wind r
Nth crash that breaks a whole !
window to pieces and endangers =
ne building you are in. add to it 7
ne cry of wet babies and women 7
nd the restlessness of men, then Z
on NAV get an idea what it .
cells like staring bare death into E
he face. AS far as myself is r
l do not wish to ex- 9
erience such thing again. D
Naturally there is the comical =
de attached to it, for instant a =
ian going out swimming in the
fiddle of the street. Women
'alking around in one-piece bath
lg suits or overalls, slim and t.
out alike. Houses taken off B
heir foundations and carried CT
of feet from their orig Ell
lal positions without breaking a :
ane of glass. or turning them =
YER up side down, or placing
arge on top Of dry wharf.