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 Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
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 Stuart Mill · en
Since Tuesday there has been no doubt of Galveston’s restoration. From a
central organization the relief work was divided by wards. A depot and a
sub-committee were established in each ward of the city.
“They who will not work shall not eat,” was the principle adopted when
the organization was perfected. Few idle mouths are being fed in
Galveston. There are, however, the fatherless, and there are widows, and
there are sick who must have charity. But the able-bodied are working in
parties under the direction of bosses. They are being paid in food and
clothing. In this way the Relief Committee is within the first week
meeting the needs of the survivors, and at the same time is gradually
clearing the streets and burning the ruins and refuse.
PICTURES IN SHARP CONTRAST.
Of Galveston’s population of 38,000 it is estimated that 8000 were
killed.
The area of total destruction was about 1300 acres.
There were 5000 dwellings, hotels, churches and convents utterly
destroyed.
More than 2000 bodies have been burned.
The property loss is not less than $15,000,000.
One hundred and twenty-five men, most of them negroes, were shot to
death for robbing the dead. “Decimation” is the word often employed to
emphasize destruction of life. Galveston was “decimated” twice over by
this storm.
It took on the part of the public-spirited men a good deal of boldness
to lay down the law that the support tendered by the country must be
earned and to enforce it. But before two days had passed the whole
community was at work cheerfully. A tour through the city, up one street
and down another, showed the greatest activity. Thousands and not
hundreds of men were dragging the ruins into great heaps and applying
the torch. Occasionally they came on the remains of human beings and
hastily added them to the blazing heaps. But it is notable that much
less is said now about the dead than during the early days. The minds of
the people who survived have passed from that phase of the calamity.
A soldier standing guard at a place on the beach where these fires were
burning thickly was asked if the workers were still finding bodies.
“Yes,” he replied, “a good many!” That was all. Three days ago the same
soldier would have gone into particulars. He would have told how many
had been found in this place and in that.
The commander of one of these squads came into headquarters to deliver a
report to Colonel McCaleb. He had nothing to say about bodies, but
wanted to tell that a trunk in fairly good condition, with valuable
contents, had been taken out of one heap, and that the owner might be
found through marks of identification which he had noted. So it goes;
the thought is of the living rather than of the dead.
SIGNS OF RESTORATION EVERYWHERE.