The Great Galveston Disaster. Paul Lester
of Contents
Galveston, Texas, September 13.—(By Western Union despatch boat to Houston.)—General McKibben, commanding the Department of Texas, his aide, and Adjutant-General, Lieutenant-Colonel Roberts, arrived here last night. General Scurry, Adjutant-General of Texas, also came in from Austin. Two companies of regulars from Fort Sam Houston also arrived. Galveston is now under martial law, by whose orders has not been proclaimed, and friction has already arisen between the civil authorities and the military.
The sentinels on the street corners do not recognize the passes issued by Mayor Jones, and ignore him and his police force. If a person cannot give a good excuse for being on the street after 9 P. M., he is marched off to jail. Mayor Jones is highly indignant because his authority is usurped, and law-abiding citizens are hot because they are held up when they are on an errand of relief to some stricken friend or family. This is a matter which will be brought to the attention of General McKibben and Adjutant-General Scurry, and Mayor Jones will demand that his authority as Chief Executive of the city be respected and recognized by the military.
Houston is the haven of the unfortunate people of Galveston. Trains have already brought in between 500 and 1,000 of the survivors, and a motley crowd they are. Men bareheaded, barefooted, hatless and coatless, with swelled feet and bruised and blackened bodies and heads were numerous. Women of wealth and refinement, frequently hatless, shoeless, with gowns in shreds, were among the refugees. Sometimes there would be a man, wife and child or two, but such cases were rare, nearly all of those who came in having suffered the loss of one or more of their family. Never were there so many sad hearts. Men bereft of their wives and children, women who were widowed, children who were orphaned—it was enough to touch the heart of anyone. Never was there more heroism shown.
Although a week ago these people had happy homes, they are now homeless and penniless, but they bear up bravely. There is no whimpering, no complaining. They were all made to feel that Houston is now their home, that they are welcome, and that everything possible for their comfort and welfare will be done. They are being housed and fed, and those in need of medical attention are placed in the hospitals, where they receive every care. Many of the refugees to reach Houston had tasted little or no food since the storm.
NO LIMIT TO HOUSTON’S HOSPITALITY.
A mass meeting of the General Relief Committee was held on the 13th to discuss the best method of handling the crowds of people who were expected to come in from Galveston within the next two or three days. It was decided to pitch the Government tents in Emancipation Park in Houston, as there is no suitable place in Galveston where they can be put up. Mayor Brashear sent a communication to Mayor Jones, of Galveston, urging that all persons be sent to Houston from that place as quickly as possible, and gave assurance that they would be amply provided for.
By “all persons” Mayor Brashear meant that not only those who are injured or destitute should come, but it included everybody. He wished it distinctly understood that Houston was prepared to care for all of those who left Galveston, whether they were sick or well, rich or poor. It was his belief and the belief of those associated with him on the General Relief Committee that Galveston must be depopulated until sanitation can be completed, and all people have been urged to come from that city to Houston.
THRILLING EXPERIENCE OF TWO HOUSTON WOMEN.
Mrs. Bergman, wife of Manager Bergman, of the Houston Opera House, gave a thrilling account of her escape during the Galveston storm. She was summering in a cottage on Rosenberg avenue, two blocks back from the beach, at 10 o’clock on Saturday. The water was up about three feet, and she donned a bathing suit and proceeded to the Olympia to talk over the long distance phone to her husband at Houston. At the Olympia she was waist deep in water. At 2 o’clock the water about her house was so deep she became alarmed, and in a bathing suit she and her sister evacuated the high cottage they occupied.
The neighbors living in the next house, being old Galvestonians, laughed at them. Out of that family of fifteen there were saved three, and they only because they were down town. Mrs. Bergman and her sister started for the Central Telephone office, the water being from waist to armpit deep. Both are expert swimmers, and they buffeted the winds and waves for several blocks. Finally they spied a negro with a dray. They chartered him for two dollars to take them to the Central Telephone Station. After proceeding two blocks the mule was drowned, and all were washed off the dray, the negro being lost.
Mrs. Bergman and her sister, by wading and swimming, reached the telephone station, and found refuge until the firemen commenced to bring dead bodies into the building. Then they concluded to go to Belton’s livery stable, where Mr. Bergman kept his horse. This was the hardest part of the trip, although the distance was only 600 yards. It was in the heart of the city, and glass, bricks, slate and timbers flew in showers.
GALVESTON COURT HOUSE,
TREMONT STREET, SHOWING TREMONT HOTEL IN THE DISTANCE.
TEN FEET OF WATER COVERED THIS STREET
SHOOTING VANDALS ENGAGED IN ROBBING THE BODIES OF THE VICTIMS
DESTRUCTION OF GALVESTON GARTEN VEREIN, TWENTY-SEVENTH STREET AND AVENUE O
RESIDENCE SECTION—TENTH STREET BETWEEN WINNIE AND AVENUE H, GALVESTON
ST. MARY’S INFIRMARY, GALVESTON, AFTER THE FLOOD
WHARVES OF GALVESTON BEFORE THE GREAT TIDAL WAVE. STEAMSHIPS WERE DRIVEN ASHORE AND WRECKED
CARING FOR THOSE INJURED BY THE STORM AT GALVESTON.
TRAIN BLOWN FROM TRACK SHOWN BY DOTTED LINE.
At Belton’s they remained until next morning. At 6 o’clock Sunday morning, the storm having abated, they started back to their home. The only vestige of it or of the houses for blocks around was a hitching-post. All was a sandy waste. In the back yard lay a dead baby. This frightened them, but before going far on the way back they saw scores of dead bodies, and men, women and children maimed and bleeding, homeless and bereft of family.
It was an awful night and day they put in, with nothing on but bathing suits, and nothing to eat. Passing a store they saw the plate glass windows all broken. The background was lined with black cloth. This they seized, and securing a pair of scissors at the stable and needles and thread, they soon had two well-fitting and well-made gowns, which they wore until they reached Houston.
TRANSPORT TO CARRY PROVISIONS.
Acting Secretary