New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-08-19
Death TOLL in
FLOODED TEXAS
MAY Reach 400
NeWspaperman Estimates Casual
ties at That Number Total
Dead Reported About 200
DAMAGE IN GALVESTON
PLACED AT 100000

PLACED AT $S,OOO,O00
FTfty-six Persons Drowned When
Dredgc Sinks in Galveston Bay
Thirty Persons Aboard Steamer Be
lievcd to Have Perished When YES
sci Broke From Its MOorings And
Drifted Into Gulf.
Dallas, Tex, Aug. 19.-With infor-
nation from Galveston and other
points on the Texas southeast gulf
coast slowly sitting through, it seemed
certain early today that the terrific
tropical storm of this week and cost
a small loss of life compared to the
storm of 1900 and that the destruc-
ton of property, in the city of Gal
estOn at least, was considerably less.
The total number of lives lost, so far
definitely reported, was about two
hundred, although a newspaper man
who reached San Antonio from Gal
weston and Houston today estimated
the total at four hundred. The dam
age in Galveston this week, based up
on some reports, was placed at
100000 with the loss of fourteen
lives Other estimates placed the
damage at $1O,O0O,OOO. In 1900
eight thousand persons met death
and the property loss reached s15,-
100000.
Reports were that the Galveston
n
saving the city from a worse fate
than it suffered Is years ago.
Drcdgc Went Down.
In addition to the reports tctalling
more than one hundred dead in Texas
City, Galveston, Virginia Point and
other communities advices from Beau
mont say that the fifth-six persons
were lost. when the .dredge Sam HouS-
ton went down in Galveston Bay 1t
also is reported that the dredge San
Jaclnto with crew of fifty and tug
are missing and believed lost. Thirty
persons who boarded a steamer o+
Port Bolivar lighthouse are Thought
to have persisted when the vessel
broke from its moorings and drifted
into the gulf, according to refugees
at Beaumont from Port Bolivar
There were various reports of miss
ing persons throughout the devastat-
ed zone and in all proba ability the list
of dead Of these places will be in
creased to a small degree at least.
$2.0GO,OOO Damage At Houston
Next to Galveston the greatest prop
erty loss reported was at Houston,
where the damage was said to total
100000.
An estimate of the deaths in the
vicinity of Galveston and Houston was
placed at II by a representative of
the Associated Press from Galveston,
who last night arrived at Houston
after thrilling trip. Reports from
other places, however, told of deaths,
reports of which had not reached
him.
Death Estimates.
According to apparently reliable in
formation available early today, the
death estimates were as follows:
Texas City 80 (26 soldiers and six
civilians); Galveston, IA; Virginia
Point, IA; Morgans Point, 7; Hitch !
Geek, Z; La Porte, I; Port Arthur, 4:
Houston, 5; Lynchburg, 3; Sea Brook, /!
3: Sylvan Beach, 3; Dickinson l.
Estimates from some other sources /
placed the number at Virginia Point |
at 80 and other reports said II were |
dead at Morgans Point. !
Property losses arc known to run |
into millions of dollars but only rough |
estimates were available.
$15.OOO,O0O Loss at Galveston.
Galveston suffered e ross of SIS
100000 Or more, according to the es-
Inmates. Nearly half million Of the !
loss was due to fires, which broke /
cut in the height of the storm and !
burned unchecked because of the in
ability of the firemen to fight the
flames in the terrific gale and because
the water system was put out of COM
Houston's loss was estimated at
100000.
Other cities where losses had been
estimated were:
Texas City 100000: Port Arthur,
100000; Sea Brook 100000; Sabine |
Sabine Pass 100000; Ka-
mas $4,000.
Farming Regions Hit.
Enormous losses also were sustained
in the farming regions and oil fields
swept by the storm, and only the most
m eagre estimates of damage in those
sections were obtainable.
Gaveston's sea wall was not washed
out, according to the Associated Press
who left Galveston at !
Continued on Eleventh PagcD
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