The Great Galveston Disaster, Containing a Full and Thrilling Account of the Most Appalling Calamity of Modern Times Page: 455
xiv, 17-536 p. : front., plates ; 24 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
GALVESTON STORM STORIES. 456
an hour. At i o'clock, when the wind was at its-height, the
water around the Atlanta Hotel was nine feet deep and the building
shook terribly. As the windows were blown in, the men
stopped them up again with doors. But when the worst was over
and the house still stood, we found that not one of all those who
had crowded there for refuge was lost.
"The sight on Sunday morning defies description. One
could not look in any direction without seeing scores of human
bodies. One building in the west end, in which between 400 and
500 had taken shelter, went down and every human being in it
was lost. Not a house was left along the beach. On the bay
shore I saw three men on horseback dead. Horses and riders,
with reins gripped as if to ride through the peril at any cost, had
passed over the river.
MAJORITY KILLED OUTRIGHT.
"There were a number injured, but the overwhelming majority
were killed outright. The injured were taken care of at the
Sealy and St. Mary's hospitals, both of which were injured, but
not totally destroyed. There are doctors enough in Galveston,
but medical supplies are needed.
"One pitiful incident came under my observation. Mrs.
Baldwin clung to a raft for twelve hours, from six o'clock Saturday
night until six Sunday morning, holding a child, a baby two
years old, in her arms. The baby begged her to save its dog, a
beautiful St. Bernard, too. Of course this was impossible. The
baby was killed in its mother's arms by flying debris and the dog
was saved.
"The horror of that Sunday morning I shall never forget;
white, ghastly corpses turning up their faces to the light,
or clinging to a child or loved one, their twisted,
agonized faces, showing the anguish of that last unequal
struggle against death, were everywhere. One woman I saw
holding fast to two bags of silver, as if to sa : 'Better die than be
a beggar.' Nearly all the west end people were lost. Those who
sought safety in large houses had but the grim consolation of
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Related Items
Other items on this site that are directly related to the current book.
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.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
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/m1/513/?rotate=90: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.