Galveston, TX Hurricane Kills Thousands, Sept 1900

THOUSANDS DEAD IN BIG BLOW

Appalling Loss of Life and Great Destruction of Property in the West Indian Hurricane Raging Through Southern Texas---Galveston Tells an Awful Story--- Houston and Other Towns Hard Hit

HOUSTON, Texas, Sept. 9.---- A frightful loss of life and destruction of property has resulted from the storm that raged along the coast of Texas last night, and which was the most disastrous that has ever visited this section.

A relief train returned here this evening. They could not get closer than six miles to Virginia Point, where the prairie was covered with lumber, debris, pianos, trunks and dead bodies. Two hundred corpses were counted from the train.

James C. Timmins, general superintendent of the National Compress Company, has just arrived from Galveston after a perilous trip. He reports that more than one thousand people have been drowned, killed or missing and that 4000 houses have been destroyed. He says the magnitude of the disaster remains to be told.

A large steamer is stranded two miles this side of Virginia Point, as though thrown up by a tidal wave.

Two men were picked up who floated across to the mainland. They say they estimate the loss of life up to the time they left at two thousand.

Appalling Loss of Life

Reliable reports from Virginia Point say that at least one-half of Galveston is destroyed, and not less than 2500 lives lost. Destruction of railroad property is enormous.

The trainmen report that they got within ten miles of Galveston. The railroad track and bridges are all washed away beyond there. There was fearful loss of life and property all along the road.

Not a house was left standing at Pearland. Everything is destroyed after getting half way beyond Houston and toward Galveston. This is approximately true of all the coast country for one hundred miles up and down the Gulf coast. The water is fifteen feet deep at Virginia Point, which is enough to submerge Galveston Island.

Many Towns Were Hit

The wires are down and there is no way of finding out just what has happened, but enough is known to make it certain that there had been great loss of life and destruction of property all along the coast and for a hundred miles inland.

Every town that is reached reports one or more dead, and the property havoc is so great that there is no way of computing it accurately.

All sorts of rumors prevailed but with no substantial basis. It is known that the railroad bridges across the bay at Galveston are either wrecked or are likely to be destroyed with the weight of a train on them; the approaches to the wagon bridge are gone and it is rendered useless. The bridge of the Galveston, Houston and Northern Railroad is standing, but the drawbridges over Clear Creek and at Edgewater are gone and the road cannot get trains through to utilize the bridge across the bay.

A train went down the Columbia Tap Road this morning as far as Chenango Junction. The town was greatly damaged and the bodies of nine negroes were taken from the ruins of one house. The train could proceed no further and came back to Houston, leaving the fate of the people at Angelton, Columbia, Braszora, Velasco and Quintana uncertain.

The small town of Brookshire, on the Missouri, Kansas and Texas, was almost wiped out by the storm. The crew of a work train left the bodies of four persons had been recovered and the search for others was proceeding.

Hempstead, across the country from Brookshire, was also greatly damaged, but so far as known no lives were lost.

Sabine Pass has not been heard from to-day. The last news was received from there yesterday morning, and at that time the water was surrounding the old town at the pass and the wind was rising and the waves coming high. From the new town, which is some distance back, the water had reached the depot and was running through the streets. The people were leaving for the high country known as the Back Ridge, and it is believed that all escaped.

Two bodies have been brought in from Seabrooke, on Galveston Bay, and seventeen persons are missing there.

Three persons were drowned at Morgan's Point and others are missing. With the exception of those of Mrs. Nicholson and Mrs. Jane Woodlock, the bodies of the dead have not yet been identified.

Houston Hard Hit

In Houston one person was killed---HENRY BLACK, a hack driver. The property damage is great, a conservative estimate placing it at $250,000. The Merchants' and Planters oil mill was wrecked, entailing a loss of $40,000. The Dickson Car Wheel Works suffered to the extent of $16,000. The big Masonic Temple which is the property of the Grand Lodge of the State, was partly wrecked.

Nearly every church in the city was damaged. The First Baptist, Southern Methodist and Trinity Methodist, the latter a negro church, will have to be rebuilt before they can be used again. Many business houses were unroofed. The residence portion of the town presents a dilapidated appearance, but the damage in this part of the city has not been so great as in some others.

The streets are almost impassable because of the litter of shade trees, fences, telephone wires and poles. Much damage was done to window glass and furniture. many narrow escapes are recorded.

Another train has left here for Galveston, making the third to-day. The two preceding one have not been heard from as all wires are prostrated.

Meager reports are arriving here from the country between Houston and Galveston along the line of the Santa Fe Railroad. The tornado was the most destructive in
the history of the State.

The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA 10 Sept 1900