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
“The railroad interests have decided to combine their forces in order to
rebuild as quickly as possible a bridge from Virginia Point to
Galveston. A large number of men will go to work with this end in view.
You may say to the country that in six days a bridge will have been
built and trains running over it. I have had a consultation with the
wharf interests, and they have promised us that they will be prepared to
handle ingoing and outgoing shipments by the time the bridge is
finished. The bridge we shall build will be substantial, but of
temporary character. We shall subsequently replace it with a more
enduring structure. There is no reason why Galveston ought not to resume
normal commercial conditions in ten days.
“So much progress has been made toward the rehabilitation of the city,
and so harmoniously are the various working forces working that General
McKibben, who was ordered here with his staff to assist the authorities,
has decided that his presence is no longer necessary, and he has made
arrangements to leave for Houston.
“The hiding place of three ghouls was discovered in a beached dredge
formerly used by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. Three satchels,
filled with jewelry and money, were seized. The men, who are whites,
will probably be shot.
BANKS ASK MILLION DOLLAR LOAN.
“The cashier of the Island City Bank left the city last night for
Houston. He carried with him a petition from the Associated Galveston
Banks begging the Houston bankers to advance them $1,000,000. By an
agreement made among the Galveston banks, no check for more than $25 is
now honored. It is impossible for nine out of ten Galveston merchants to
meet any promissory notes that are about to fall due, and if assistance
is not obtained the merchants, as well as the banks, must go down.
“Every time a schooner or a catboat was filled to its safety limit with
human freight, and the way was barred, women would gesticulate wildly
and in choking voice implore even standing room. Nine hundred refugees
left the city yesterday, and 10,000 more would have left to-day if
facilities were at hand.”
Excellent work in saving lives during the hurricane at Galveston was
done by the officers and crew of the revenue cutter Galveston, which was
stationed at that port.
The first mail through from the stricken city reached Washington on the
15th, and brought two letters from Chief Engineer W. H. Whitaker of the
Galveston. Under date of September 9, he says:
“All the sheds on the wharves must have been levelled to the ground, or
nearly so. I do not think there is a house that has not been more or
less damaged or blown to the ground. While the wind was blowing over
sixty miles an hour we sent out a boat with a rescuing party to row up
one of the streets. The first trip they succeeded in saving thirteen
women and children, and brought them back to the vessel in safety.