Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-09-19
WRECKAGE CO|NBED
IN HUNT FOR MORE
BODIES Of. TEXANS
Worst Hurricane in History of
Texas Coast Sweeps Death
and Disaster - Property
Loss Great

The worst hurricane and storm in
the history of the Texas coast, which
passed over Galveston and surround
ing counties, has left toll of death
and destruction in it's wake. Scores
of bodies have been washed up along
the Texas beaches and hundreds OF
persons were injured. Thousands
! are homeless and property losses will
reach $4,000, 600 or more. AS yet an
accurate estimate of the dead is i'm
possible, as reports are coming in
gradually.
The list of known dead in Corpus
Christi, Tex, and environs is now
nearing the two hundred mark and
is being swelled almost hourly.
1t is now feared that the death
toll will reach far into the hundreds
as reports reaching here from
across Nuceces Bay in the vicinity OF
Portland, White Point and Rocita
and other towns in that section tell
a uniform story of heavy casualties.
According to reports from that
section today the receding waters
have left bodies strewn along the
entire north shores Of the bay. Burial
parties are being sent out from
here to scour all lowlands along
Nueces bay and bury them in the
most expeditions manner, as prac-
tica1ly all hope of identifying any of
the bodies has been abandoned.
The temporary morgue opened in
the Corpus Christi courthouse was
closed today, and all bodies now are
being carried directly to the ceme-
teries. where they are buried with
simple rites by waiting c1ergymen.
Pieces of clothing. jewe1ry and other
keepsakes found on the bodies of
the victims are being preserved and
filed with the county recorder in the
hope they may later be of use to
relatives and friends as means of
Identification
Five military airp1anes from Kelly
field, San Antonio, will arrive in
Corpus Christi this afternoon to aid
in the search of the victims and ma
munication with points still cut eff.
A plane circled over Corpus !hris-
ii and Port Arkansas yesterday aft
ernoon and reported that many bod
les could be discerned at Port Aran-
sas, but that a landing was impos-
sible before high water.
The most reliable estimates here
today place the loss Of life at Cor
pnus Christi. Port Arkansas and Ran
sas Pass at about ESQ. The bodies
being recovered today are in such
condition that Identification will be
almost impossible. A drenching rain
began falli' this forenoon, handi-
Gaping relief workers and adding to
the suffering of the. homeless.
Today. more than seventy hours
after the tropical hurricane and tidal
wave that tore huge rents in this
Texas coast city and environs, it
was still impossible to estimate with
any degree of accuracy the loss of
life or damage to property.
Each report from searchers, how
ever, revealed the Increasing magni-
1ieved that it might be week or
more befors the true extent was
known.
The great piles of wreckage strewn
from one end of the city to the other
may conceal numerous bodies, it is
believed. and today hundreds Of men
were at work exploring them.
Officials generally were agreed the
death list would be in excess of 100
so1
it as between 200 and 800, with hun
dreds of persons injured or suffering
from exposure. Estimates Of the
property loss varied from $4,000. 900
to $15,000,0O0.
Seventy-seven bodies. all blackened
and bruised, were reported to have
been washed ashore last night on the
northern side of Nueces Bay. upon
which Corpus Christi is situated. OF
the seventy-seven bodies, the report
said, thirty-eight were taken from
West Portland, twenty-nine from
White Point and nine from Sinton
and one from Odem. Other points
also reported the washing ashore of
bodies during the night.
. Military officials we're exerting
every resource today to ascertain the
fate of twenty or more soldiers who
were washed out into the bay while
the storm was at it's height and Of
whom there had been found no trace
-The men. members of company
Thirty seventh infantry, and other
regiments on border duty, were at
the government rest camp here for
a weekend furlough when the camp
was washed away.
Captain B. M. Edgeland, of Web
ster, D.. camp commander, was
drowned during the storm. and his
wife also is believed to have lost her
life.
Attempts were being made today
to rig out several sailboats to cross
Nueces Bay to rescue twenty-five
persons who are reported in desper.
ate straits at White Point.
A message from Judge P. A. Hunt
of Rocita, Texas, was brought into
twenty-five bodies at White Point
and twenty-five refugees there were
starving The twenty five bodies re-
covered at White Point will be bur
led there by a military squad be-
cause of the lack of collins here and
because no boats are available with
which to transport them seven miles
across the bay.
Reports from other smaller towns
in the path of the storm stated that
the authorities were burying bodies
some unidentified. as rapidly as pos
sible for sanitary reasons.
Although business here was at a
standstill and wire communication
demoralized. more cheerful spirit
seemed to pervade the city today. due
LARGELY. officials thought. to the n.
rival Of relief trains with food and
supplies for the thousands made des-
titute by the storm.
Makes Fords Start Easy
new Gas Generator, which heats the
manifold yaDorfzes the gas and makes in