The Great Galveston Disaster, Containing a Full and Thrilling Account of the Most Appalling Calamity of Modern Times Page: 115
xiv, 17-536 p. : front., plates ; 24 cm.View a full description of this book.
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HARROWING DETAILS OF TIE DISASTER. 115
tion 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 or.
ganization 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:
"The situation demands Federal aid. It demanded it from
the very first. An experienced United States army officer of high
rank should be put in command here, preferably one who has
seen years of active service. A regiment of regular soldiers
would absolutely control the situation where aly number of militia
might meet with difficulties. The disaster is so great and so
terrible no municipal authority in the country could be expected
to handle it unaided."
The first real attempt to clear away the great mass of debris
piled along the beach front for a distance of several miles was
begun on the I4th. Advertisements were printed in the papers,
which appeared this morning, asking for hundreds of men and
bovs to do this work. A multitude responded. They were
formed into squads and promptly put to work, with police and
deputy sheriffs in charge. It is hoped that a vigorous prosecution
of this work will lead to the early recovery of bodies still in the
debris. That there are many of them there is no shadow of a
doubt. It is difficult, indeed, to imagine how half the people who
did escape got free from this fearful flotsam and jetsam.
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The Great Galveston Disaster, Containing a Full and Thrilling Account of the Most Appalling Calamity of Modern Times (Book)
This book covers the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, the United States' deadliest natural disaster. It includes accounts from survivors and eyewitnesses, and photos of the devastation.
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Lester, Paul. The Great Galveston Disaster, Containing a Full and Thrilling Account of the Most Appalling Calamity of Modern Times, book, 1900~; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth26719/m1/138/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.