The Great Galveston Disaster, Containing a Full and Thrilling Account of the Most Appalling Calamity of Modern Times Page: 77

CRY OF DISTRESS IN GALVESTON. 77
of horses to haul the dead and there is a shortage of willing hands
to perform the gruesome work. It became apparent that it would
be impossible to bury the dead, even in trenches, and arrangements
were made to take them to sea.
Barges and tugs were quickly made ready for the purpose, but
it was difficult to get men to do the work. The city's firemen
worked hard in bringing bodies to the wharf, but, outside of them,
there were few who helped. Soldiers and policemen were accordingly
sent out, and every able-bodied man they found was marched
to the wharf front. The men were worked in relays, and were supplied
with stimulants to nerve them for their task.
At nightfall three barge loads, containing about 700 human
bodies, had been sent to sea, where they were sunk with weights.
Darkness compelled suspension of the work until morning. Toward
night great difficulty was experienced in handling the bodies of
negroes, which are badly decomposed.
No effort was made after 9 o'clock in the morning to place
the bodies in morgues for identification, for it was imperative
that the dead should be gotten to sea as soon as possible. Many
of the bodies taken out are unidentified. They are placed on the
.barges as quickly as possible and lists made while the barges are
being towed to sea.
A large number of dead animals were hauled to the bay and
dumped in, to be carried to sea by the tides.
RELIEF TRAIN FROM HOUSTON.'
A relief train from Houston, with 250 men on board, and two
carloads of provisions, came down over the Galveston, Houston