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
In gathering remains for interment a nephew of Alderman John Wagner, a
youth 18 years old, was found lodged in the forks of a tall cedar tree,
two miles from his wrecked home, and tightly clenched with a death grip
in his right hand $200, which his father gave him, with two $20 gold
pieces, to hold while the father attempted to close a blown open door,
when the house went down and the whole family perished in the raging
storm and flood.
THE LOSSES OUTSIDE OF GALVESTON.
While the loss of life in this city will not fall below 5000 and may be
many more, every little town within a radius of seventy-five miles of
Galveston was wrecked and people killed and wounded, while the damage to
property will aggregate over $2,000,000. The damage to property in and
around Alvin, a thriving town of 2000 people, where eleven people were
killed and quite a number wounded, is estimated at $300,000, and they
send out an urgent appeal for aid and relief supplies.
Fifty-four houses were wrecked in Quintana and the debris piled up in
the streets. Fortunately, no lives were lost. The town of Velasco, three
miles above, on the east side of the river, was completely wrecked and
nine killed, three being killed in the hotel, which was badly
demolished. Angleton, the county seat of Brazoria, ten miles north of
Velasco, was completely destroyed and several lives lost and a number
badly injured. The property loss in these three towns and country
adjacent thereto will be beyond the ability of the people to repair.
Supplies for the relief of Galveston’s sufferers are coming in from
every quarter as rapidly as the limited means of transportation here
will admit. Its distribution here has not yet gotten on a systematic
basis, and needs to be radically revised, or it will fail of its purpose
and defeat the object of those who are so generously contributing.
Medical relief is much better organized.
There is not a house of any character in the city but what is foul and
ill-smelling. The water failed to materialize to-day as promised, and
this aggravates the situation. With a completely crippled fire
department, fire apparatus all gone, nine horses drowned, five engines
useless and no water supply, should a fire break out, fanned by a stiff
breeze, what’s remaining of the city would be speedily wiped out.
MILITARY RULE NEEDED.
Major Lloyd P. Fayling, who was so prominent in the organization of the
first relief effort, was asked what solution of the present
disorganization of the policing powers he would suggest. The Major
dictated the following: