The Great Galveston Disaster, Containing a Full and Thrilling Account of the Most Appalling Calamity of Modern Times Page: 186
xiv, 17-536 p. : front., plates ; 24 cm.View a full description of this book.
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186 VAST ARMY OF HELPLESS VICTIMS.
"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.
" It was useless to attempt to row the boat against the terrific
wind, and, as the water was at that time not over a man's head in
the streets, a rope would be sent out to the nearest telegraph pole,
and by that means the boat could be hauled along from pole to
pole. This was accomplished only by the most herculean efforts
on the part of the men who led out the rope, but between swimming,
walking and floundering along in the teeth of tie gale the
rope would finally be made fast.
FACING THE FIERCE BLASTS OF THE STORM.
"Then it was all that the crew of one officer and seven men
could do to pull the boat against the fierce blasts of the cycglne.
By working all Saturday afternoon and evening and up tc olne
o'clock Sunday morning the brave boys succeeded in rescuing
thirty-four men, women and children, whom they put in a place of
safety and provided with enough provisions for their immediate
needs. Finally, on account of the darkness, the increasing violence
of the storm and the vast amount of wreckage in the streets,
the rescuing party was reluctantly compelled to return to the vessel.
" On board the ship it was a period of intense anxiety for all
hands. No one slept, and it was only by the almost superhuman
efforts of the officers and crew that we rode out the hurricane in
safety. With the exception of the carrying away of the port forward
rigging and the smashing of all the windows and skylights,
the vessel sustained no serious injury. Not a single person on
board was injured in any way."
Under date of September II the same officer writes: We
think there have been 5000 lives lost. I cannot begin to tell the
number of houses blown down or damage done. Our new distiller,
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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/m1/229/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.