The Great Galveston Disaster, Containing a Full and Thrilling Account of the Most Appalling Calamity of Modern Times Page: III

PREFACE.
'THOUSANDS of men, women and children swept to sudde_
death. Millions of dollars worth of property destroyed.
Scenes of suffering and desolation that beggar description.
fHeroic efforts to save human life. The world shocked by the
appalling news. Such is the thrilling story of the Galveston
flood, and in this volume it is told with wonderful power and effect.
There have been many disasters by storm and flood in modern
times, but none to equal this. In the brief space of twelve hours
more persons lost their lives than were killed during a year of the
war between the British and the Boers or during a year and a half
of our war in the Philippines.
The calamity came suddenly. Galveston was not aware of its
impending fate. News of an approaching cyclone produced no
alarm. Suddenly word was sent that the hurricane was bending
from its usual course and might strike the city. Even then there
was no sudden fear, no hurrying to escape, no thought of swift
destruction. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the city
waked up to the awful fact that it was to be engulfed by a tidal
wave, and buried in the flood of waters.
The news of the overwhelming disaster came as a shock to
people everywhere. Bulletin boards in all our cities were surrounded
by eager crowds to obtain the latest reports. Many who
had friends in the stricken city were kept in suspense respecting
their fate. With bated breath was the terrible calamity talked
about, and in every part of our country committees of relief were
immediately formed. The magnitude of the disaster grew from
day to day. Every fresh report added to the intelligence already
received, and it was made clear that a large part of the city of Galveston,
with its inhabitants, had been swept out of existence.
This work furnishes a striking description of a great city of
the dead. It depicts the ter-ble scenes that followed the calamity,
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