The Great Galveston Disaster / Containing a Full and Thrilling Account of the Most Appalling Calamity of Modern Times Including Vivid Descriptions of the Hurricane and Terrible Rush of Waters; Immense Destruction of Dwellings, Business Houses, Churches, and Loss of Thousands of Human Lives; Thrilling Tales of Heroic Deeds; Panic-Stricken Multitudes and Heart-Rending Scenes of Agony; Frantic Efforts to Escape a Horrible Fate; Separation of Loved Ones, etc., etc.; Narrow Escapes from the Jaws of Death; Terrible Sufferings of the Survivors; Vandals Plundering Bodies of the Dead; Wonderful Exhibitions of Popular Sympathy; Millions of Dollars Sent for the Relief of the Stricken Sufferers

by Paul Lester

DAMAGE WILL BE REPAIRED.

“What of the future? Galveston will be rebuilt; it will be stronger and better than ever before. On my way home I stated that I would restore my property, whatever the damage might be, as quickly as money and men would do it, if I was the only man to take that course; and I furthermore said that I believe I knew and understood what the feeling of the business community of Galveston was in this respect and that I had voiced it.

“At Texas City I met a woman from Kansas City. She was demoralized by what she had passed through and seen and she declared that Galveston would never be rebuilt; that no one would be foolish enough to again build in a place which had been so storm swept.

“Answering her, I said that she did not know what she was talking about; that Galveston would be rebuilt because it was necessary to have a city here; that if the storm had swept the island bare of every human habitation and every structure and had left it as barren as it was before civilized man set foot upon it, still men would come here and build a city, because a port was demanded at this place. ‘And why should we not restore our city?’ I asked. ‘It has been visited by the severest storm on record. As it has withstood that storm, partially, why should we hesitate to rebuild? Why should we consider it less safe than another place? Can you conceive that another such a storm is more likely to strike at that exact spot again in a thousand years? Can you tell me any spot on earth, on hill or dale, on mountain or plain, on which you can guarantee me any immunities? If so, I would like to go there. If I were in the accident insurance business, I would rather insure a man against storm in Galveston than to insure a man in New York against accident on the railroads. You are now on your way to Kansas City. Do you know that you will reach there safely? Do you know that you may not be pitched into some river and drowned, or being only half drowned be burned to death?’