The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-08-15
GULF STORM
CLAIMS TOLL
OF IS LIVES
Scores Injured: Property
Damage Is Estimated
at 100000.
GALVESTON IS SAVED
High Sea Wall RepuISeS
Giant Waves: Small
Towns Suffer Most.
BY STUART E. JONES
United Press staff Correspondent

HOUSTON. Tex, Aug. 15.-A
north from the tropics to rake the
Texas coast line and rush inland
to west Texas, abatde today.
1t left in its wake eighteen
known dead, scores injured and
property damage of more than
$1,OOO,OOO.
Whole fishing settlements were
destroyed and boats swept out to
sea. Houses were unroofed. Streets
o. small towns and cities were clut-
tered with debris. Hospital wards
were crowded.
Galveston, many times the victim
of fierce storms sweeping in from
the Gulf of Mexico, was saved this
time by its high sea wall erected
after more than 10000 persons had
been killed in former floods.
The Houston airport was de-
stroyed. A hangar and eleven
planes were swept away, with prop
erty damage of $250,00O
O"OAAo AOoShs AOuoJ
The winds, foreseen by govern
ment weather bureaus, struck Sat-
urday at nightfall and cntinued I'M
til early Sunday.
They lashed gulf waters into huge
waves and drove them rushing and
eddying against the shoreline. They
whiStled inland to strike small
towns, leaving a trail of suffering
and desolation.
The storm, working its way into
west TeXas-a full 300 miles from
tine coast-waS abating today.
The victims were killed without
warning. Some were pinned in the
Wreckage OF their homes. Others
were struck by flying debris.
The deaths of Henry Suggs, West
Columbia, Tex, constable; his wife,
their young daughter, and his
mother-in-law were typical.
Small Towns Are Crushed
All four were killed when the
wind took their home in fierce
grasp. and crushed it like a giant
closing his fist over a f1imsy match
box. Wreckage of the house was
scattered over a quarter mile area.
S. E. GieSecke, IS, Houston, was
attempting to start his automobile
when it stalled on a highway near
Angleton. A piece of timber,
swirled along by the winds, struck
him in the side. He died in Hous-
ton hospital
The small towns of Freeport, An
gleton, West Columbia and Velasco,
on the gulf shore about fifty miles
southwest of here, suffered heaviest
damage. Seven fatalities were CEN
tered near Freeport, a popular fish
ing resort.
Galvestion's sea wall protected
that costal city from the winds and
high water
The waves bufeted against the
masonary, but were repulSed.
Galveston residents, warned to
stay within their homes listened to
the high winds, and recalled stories
of the hurricane of Sept. 8, 1900,
which killed 1000 or more persons
and caused $25,000,000 damage
Fear Bigger Death List
The stricken area extended along
the coast line from Port Arthur to
Corpus Christi. A short distance
west of Galveston, it veered inland.
The storm was reported today in
the vicinity of Abilene, in vest
Texas.
Reports of missing persons came
from towns inland and along the
coast, and it was feared the death
list might go considerably higher.
Communications were disrupted in
many sections.
Houston hotels were filled with
anxious crowds attempting to hide
their fears in forced gaiety
While the winds howled through
the streets, groups crowded around
hotel pianos and tried to drive away
their anxiety with loud singing.