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The Great Galveston Disaster: Containing a Full and Thrilling Account of the Most Appalling Calamity of Modern Times Including Vivid Descriptions of the Hurricane and Terrible Rush of Waters; Immense Destruction of Dwellings, Business Houses, Churches, and Loss of Thousands of Human Lives; Thrilling Tales of Heroic Deeds; Panic-Stricken Multitudes and Heart-Rending Scenes of Agony; Frantic Efforts to Escape a Horrible Fate; Separation of Loved Ones, etc., etc.; Narrow Escapes from the Jaws of De — John Shaqi

Philosophy

The Great Galveston Disaster: Containing a Full and Thrilling Account of the Most Appalling Calamity of Modern Times Including Vivid Descriptions of the Hurricane and Terrible Rush of Waters; Immense Destruction of Dwellings, Business Houses, Churches, and Loss of Thousands of Human Lives; Thrilling Tales of Heroic Deeds; Panic-Stricken Multitudes and Heart-Rending Scenes of Agony; Frantic Efforts to Escape a Horrible Fate; Separation of Loved Ones, etc., etc.; Narrow Escapes from the Jaws of De

Lester, Paul

Floods -- Texas -- Galveston -- History -- 20th century; Galveston (Tex.) -- History -- 20th century; Hurricanes -- Texas -- Galveston -- History -- 20th century

There were splendid examples of courage and heroism. The graphic
description of the great disaster contained in this book thrills the
reader. Amidst the alarm, the threatening death, the overwhelming flood,
he sees how nobly men struggled to save their families and their
fortunes. He seems to ride on the crest of the waves and witness with
his own eyes the terrible tragedy.

Our Government at Washington was quick to come to the rescue. It ordered
tents to be provided and issued rations by the tens of thousands for the
survivors. The chords of sympathy which make all men akin vibrated
through every part of the civilized world.

Thousands of helping hands were stretched out toward Galveston. Millions
of dollars were given for the relief of the sufferers. This volume is a
complete and authentic account of the great calamity told by the
survivors.




[Illustration]

                              Introduction


                          BY RICHARD SPILLANE.

[RICHARD SPILLANE, editor of the “Galveston Tribune,” was chosen by the
Mayor and Citizens’ Committee to seize any vessel in the harbor and make
his way as best he could to such point as he could reach, so as to get
in touch with the outside world, tell the story of the tragedy and
appeal to mankind for help. He crossed the bay during a squall, the
little boat in which he sailed being in imminent danger of swamping,
having been stove in during the hurricane. He reached Texas City after a
perilous trip, then made his way over the flooded prairie to Lamarque,
where he found a rail road hand-car. With this hand-car he managed to
reach League City, where he met a train coming from Houston to learn
what fate had befallen Galveston. On this train he reached Houston,
where after sending messages to President McKinley and Governor Sayers,
he gave the news in detail to the newspapers of the nation.]


In the world’s great tragedies, that of Galveston stands remarkable. In
no other case in history was a disaster met with such courage and
fortitude; in no other case in history were the people of the whole
world so responsive to the call for help for the helpless.

There prevails a belief that Galveston is subject to severe storms. That
is a mistake. There have been heavy blows, and there have been times
when the waters of the bay and the Gulf met in the city’s streets, but
the storm of September 8, 1900, is without parallel. The best proof of
this statement is furnished by the old Spanish charts of three hundred
years ago. They contain as landmarks of Galveston Island the sign of
three great trees—oaks—that stood three hundred years ago in what is
known as Lafitte’s grove, twelve miles down Galveston Island from the
city. These oaks withstood the storms of three centuries. They were
felled by the fury of the storm of September 8.

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