The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-09-16
TEXAS DEATH
TOLL MOUNTS;
MANY BODIES
BEING FOUND
Seventy Mutilated Corpses
Washed up Near Stinton--
Relief Committees Work as
Corpus Cristi Receivers.
CITIZENS SEND HELP
(By Associated Press)

CORPUS CHRISTI, Tex, Sept is.
The death toll in Sundays storm
will reach between 75 and 100. il
Corpus Christi and surrounding towns
along the coast, according to an csti-
mate today by DR.. W. E. Wills. city
health physician.
Three women who sought refuge
from the storm in the federal building
Sunday night became mothers while
the hurricane was at its height. They
were attended by physicians who
were among the 100 or so people who
sought safety there. Reports today
were that all were doing nicely at
hospitals where they were removed
when the storm abated.
Building Carried 20 Miles.
The storm Sunday carried buildings
and wreckage 20 miles inland Near
Corpus Christi, where the railroad
tracks were washed away, they were
twisted into the shape of a corkscrew
one-half to two miles In length.
Huge bridge timbers weighing thou
sands Of pounds, bales Of cotton, parts
Of houses and their furnishings, cattle,
rabbits and other animals were thrown
into the tops Of trees by the waves
at this point and left there as the wa
ter went down.
Practically the entire country be-
tween Odem and Corpus Christi was a
raging sea all Sunday night and every
low point is still fodoed with water.
70 FOUND AT sINToN
SINTON, Tex, Sept. 15-Seventy
bodies of flood victims. mutilated be-
yond recognition, have been recovered
near Sinton, the relief headquarters
for the entire surrounding Bay Shore
territory.
The count so far shows that there
were 40 found at Westport, % at
Whitepoint, 4 or 5 below Odem and
few at Portland. No one was killed
at Sinton, but property damage was
high. Bodies are being held at ranch
houses and schools.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Tex. Sept 16.-
With troops patrolling the main streets
and relief trains headed this way from
many parts Of the state, Corpus Christi
today began slowly emerging from the
wreckage caused by the gul hurricane
which struck the city early Sunday,
bringing death to an unknown num-
ber Of persons, and doing property
damage Of millions.
1t was impossible this morning to
get anything like a correct estimate
of the fatalities. In the city proper
the death list was placed by some Of
ficials at between fifteen and twenty
five but that was regarded by many
as far too conservative. In some quar-
ters it was said the number of injured
would exceed 200.
One report in circulation today, but
as yet unconfirmed, was that 100
bodies, most of them recognized as
residents of Corpus Christi, had been
taken from a reef near Portland. on
Nueces bay, upno which Corpus Chris
tt is situated.
5000 Are Homeless.
More than 5000 persons were made
homeless by the storm and the prob
lem of taking care of them was one
officials faced when they began the
day. However with the coming Of re-
lief trains, 1t was expected that by
night most of those made destitute by
the storm would be taken care Of
Considerable anxiety was expressed
regarding the fate of the launch Wal
do, with fifteen persons on board,
which left Corpus Christi Sunday aft
ernoon on a fishing excursion. Since
the storm no word has been receiv ed
from the party, which includes four
women.
Fears are entertained that a heavy
casualty list will be reported from
surrounding towns, several of which
were directly in the path of the storm
The storm sent a tidal wave ten
feet high over the business and north
Beach district of the city.
Citizens Were Warned.
That the loss of life was not appal
ling was due to the prompt warning
sent out to the lower portions of the
city early Sunday morning. urging al
persons at exposed places to seel
safety in the higher districts OF the
city.
All day Sunday, hundreds of person.
carrying their most valuable possible
belongings, poured out of the bay
front district into the higher sections
Hundreds of others who remained II
their homes until the water reached
a dangerous depth were brought tc
safety by volunteer rescue partie!
which kept a sharp lookout in the
flooded districts during the height o
the storm.
At the height of the tidal wave
practically the entire business sectior
. was partly submerged. The water
was about four feet deep in the lobby
of the Nueces hotel and every bust
ness house between the bluff and the
, bay was under water from eight tc
ten feet.
The work of removing the debril
from the streets of the lower portion
, of the city was begun Monday and
, hundreds of men. worked without re
, lief throughout the day.
, Houses Piled Up
, Households. fishing craft and
wreckage of every conceivable char
acter were piled in the streets by tn,
3 waters.
| Nothing remains on North Beach
: the city's bathing and pleasure dis