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

“GALVESTON SHALL RISE AGAIN.”

Two daily papers have already resumed their issues, and their appearance helped to restore confidence. Both of them had stirring editorials, and that of one had for its keynote, “Galveston Shall Rise Again.” There was not a half hearted word in the editorial. It urged that people bury their dead, succor their living, and then start resolutely to work to mend the broken things and to build the city anew.

Galveston will not be abandoned for a location on higher ground somewhere else. It has too fine a climate, it is too well known as a summer resort, and it has too great advantages in its bathing beaches to make abandonment a possible thing, even should business seek to move away.

But business will not go away. If the railroads replace their bridges, terminals and wharves, that means that they have confidence in the future of the city, and adds to the confidence of the citizens. It is perfectly clear already that the railroads entering Galveston are quickly going to do their share in the work of reconstruction.

The Southern Pacific railroad has had men investigating its wharves and tracks, and it has announced through General Manager Van Vleck that, although the damage to its property in this city is fully 80 per cent, it will proceed to restore it as rapidly as possible. Mr. Van Vleck says that men and mortar are already being carried to Virginia Point for work on the bridge, and that inside of forty days he expects to be running trains into Galveston again. He will not work in connection with any other road, nor build a joint bridge to the city, but he says his company will permit other roads to use the bridge when it is ready.

The scenes on the streets when provisions are being distributed are pathetic in the extreme. Many families, among whose members hunger was possibly never felt before, are being supplied with provisions. Wizened-faced, barefooted children were to be seen on the street eagerly appropriating spoiled and cast-off stocks of food.