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

LOSSES REPORTED EVERYWHERE.

The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Company notified Chairman Sealy of the relief committee that there was $5000 there for its use. The Santa Fe has suffered great loss itself and is a flood sufferer of great proportions in dollars and cents. Thomas Taylor, a cotton man, on Monday bought $500 worth of men’s clothing, which he immediately distributed to the needy. The other men of means are coming forward with donations for permanent relief.

The Galveston Brewing Company suffered comparatively slight property loss, although it will amount into the thousands. Their utility was not impaired in the least, however, and they are making ice as fast as they can, and selling it at the regular Galveston rate 30c. per 100 pounds. During the storm the brewery building was the haven of between 300 and 500 people. The men employed at the establishment were instrumental in saving between seventy-five and 100 people during the storm by going out in it and swimming and wading as best they could, dragging the people into safety in the brewery.

Captain Owens stated this morning that in the jumble of confusion mention of the practical destruction of the towns of Arcadia and Alta Loma had been omitted. At Arcadia there are about 150 people living. Arthur Boddeker lost his life during the storm and two or three were hurt. At Alta Loma two children of Mr. Steele were killed. There are six houses standing. All the groceries at both places were damaged by water and these people are in great need of provisions, medicines and food for stock.

One old man was found this morning who stated that he had one hundred kinfolks in Galveston and he is the only survivor.

Galveston was a place where there were large families by intermarriage, many of which had been established when the city was but a village, fifty or more years ago. These had lived here and increased until a family of 100 was not improbable in the least. The case of this old man is probably an extreme one in the line of annihilation, but others have lost almost as heavily.