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

FACES OVERSPREAD WITH SADNESS.

From this it will be understood that when the rain poured down it entered the houses still called habitable and drenched the contents again. The faces of the people showed the influence of the rain. They were overspread with sadness. The hopefulness which had been lighting up the features was gone. But it was only an hour of depression. Then the shower, for that was all it proved to be, passed. The sun came out.

All Galveston went to work with renewed energy. Three or four horse cars made their appearance and, drawn by mules, were operated over several streets. At the wharves there was activity. The loading of wheat for export was commenced. Cremation and cleaning went on. The finding and burning of over 100 bodies in the day shows that the end of this duty is not yet in sight.

In the southern and southwestern part of the city the great windrow of wreckage still stands, concealing from sight but not from smell what is underneath. Word was sent along the inner side of the windrow to occupants of houses near that they must move back a block. The impression is that this means the authorities have decided they will apply the torch to the great heaps whenever a favorable wind from the north will make burning safe for the rest of the city. This action has been strongly advocated.

The tents have come and with board floors and fences separating them now make a white city on the beach front where the houses were swept away. They will be much safer and more healthy than many of the shattered buildings which are still occupied by the poorer classes. There have been till now some people finding shelter in the wooden cisterns which the wind blew off their foundations and left lying about the streets and parks. Others are in houses without roofs and windows and still others in buildings the walls of which are far from perpendicular.

The following detailed account of the experience of the Rev. Judson S. Palmer and his family, formerly of Sharon, Penna., in the disaster at Galveston, was received at the former place in a letter. Mrs. Palmer and her son were drowned.