The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-17
ADDITIONAL LOSS
. OF LIFE IN STORM
!. BEING REPORTED;
RED CROSS HELPS
Two Army Trains Carrying
Relief Supplies and Work
ers Rushed to .Hurri-
cane Stricken District
of Texas
Nv Associated res.


, > mates that the toll will
s cunt to Is or 100 in that city
lone, the situation in the storm
swept west gulf coast region of
Texas continued uncertain
Tuesday night.
While the death toll in the affected
territory outside Corpus Christi proba-
bly, is considerable. there was no con-
firmation of reports placing the total
well into the hundreds. Probably the
most definite news came from Corpus
Christi Tuesday night, in the statement
that IS bodies, none of which had been
identified, had been drowned between
Poland and Taft This information was
brought across Neuces bay by resident
who asserted that 26 of the dead were
at Portland, which lies across the bay
eight miles west of Corpus Christi; II
at one ranch house and Is at another.
Reports in railroad circles at San An
tonic were that the dead in Rockport
would not exceed three. Radio advices
a. Galveston said six men were drowned
at Port Arkansas and that all the women
and children there had been saved.
Telegraphic advices received by the
vaca, which had been isolated since Sun
day. reported no loss of life there or at
Seadrift and Port OConnor, but said the
property damage at Port Lavaca would
be about 100000, chiefly on the bay
front and to shipping. Port O'Connor
and Seadrift were said to have been con-
siderably wrecked by the wind, which
reached a velocity of IS miles an hour.
The velocity for few seconds at Port
Lavaca was reported as having reached
80 miles.
RELIEF WORK UNDER WAY
State machinery for the relief of storm
sufferers was completed late Tuesday by
Gov. w. P. Hobby, who ordered units
of the Texas national guard to relieve
federal troops now in charge OF thu stt-
uation at Corpus Christi as quickly as
transportation could be arranged
The governor issued proclamation
urging prompt contributions of money
and supplies to the relief fund. This ac-'
ton followed receipt by the chief execu-l
tive of message from Corpus Christi
stating the losses there far exceeded
previous estimates.
Three relief trains reached Corpus.
Christi Tuesday with food, bedding,
clothing and medical supplies for the
thousands of homeless and stricken resi-
dents, and other trains were en- route.
Two relief trains were reported stalled
by washouts at Alice, Tex.
Seven scout airplanes were ordered
from Kelly field, San Antonio, to go to
Corpus Christi and find suitable landing
fields for larger planes, which may be
used to transport supplies from stalled
trains The scouting planes were also
under instructions to endeavor to get
news from Port Arkansas and Rockport.
launch likewise left Corpus Christi
Tuesday in an effort to learn the fate
of Rockport.
Latest estimates placed the property
loss in Corpus Christi at $10.ooOoo0, and
meager advices indicated the damage at
Port Arkansas would be very heavy. De-
struction in the lower part and business
section along the North Beach at Corpus
Christi was reported ''indescribable.
RESCUE WORK DIFFICULT
Rescue workers faced a tremendous
TASK VI CkCdIl thC ucci AS-DAOSf>Su
streets, and a steady rain which set in
at noon Tuesday turned the rapidly
drying streets into slush Of mud,
greatly interfering with clearing away
the wreckaze and increasing the suffer-
ing Of the destitute and homeless.
Several Of the city bakeries at Cor
pus Christi resumed operation Tues
day, turning their entire output over to
the Red Cross.
The list of missing at Corpus Christi
was being gradually reduced. Tuesday, as
refugees were found after having float
ed in the bays on wreckage or having
been driven inland by the storm. Ap.
proximately ITS were taken from wreck
age at Odem, 30 miles west Of Corpus
Christi. They were reported to have
suffered intensely from exposure.
The storm carried buildings and
wreckage many miles inland, according
to meager reports from Odem and Sin
ton, in which region 10 bodies are re-
ported to have been found. This still is
unconfirmed, and it is probable several
days will elopse before the true situation
is known.
Hundreds Of persons were reported be-
sieging the telephone offices in Corpus
Christi awaiting an opportunity to send
word of their safety to outside relatives
and friends. Wire conditions. however,
continued virtually paralyzed