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

HARD WORKED CLERKS.

“The clerks are a hard worked set of people just at the present time. With the changes in overhauling the stock they have not yet become acquainted with the exact location of articles called for, and it requires a search to find them. This naturally retards the quick execution of business, and throws additional labor on those waiting on the customers. But order is rapidly being evoked out of the chaos existing after the storm, and in the course of time things will be moving along with their old-time uniformity.

“The street forces have got fairly to work on the business streets, and they are rapidly assuming a more passable condition. Drays are hauling away the trash, and in the course of a week or so the worst evidence of the storm will be removed. The damaged buildings will take longer to repair, but the streets will present more of the old-time aspect than for the past week.

“Work on the pile of wreckage back from the beach is progressing, and now and then one hears of bodies taken from the ruins, clearly showing that the full extent of the loss of life has not yet been realized.

“In this storm the usual conditions have been reversed. Whereas, in wrecks by wind, water or rail, first reports greatly magnify the loss of life, while in the present case it seems that the estimate of lives lost is increasing rather than diminishing as each day passes. While the total will never be known, it will be far above the early estimates.

“The relief system is fairly in operation, and it is now claimed that no one need go hungry except able-bodied men who refuse to labor. But it should be understood that those desiring relief should go to the different ward headquarters, or send some one. The committees and heads of departments have no facilities for forwarding goods to the destitute in the various portions of the city. Their time is taken up with procuring and distributing supplies from the various headquarters.