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

POSTS BLOWN AWAY LIKE STRAWS.

“The new position of the wind and its increased violence caused a sudden rise in the water, and at one bound it reached my second-story and poured in my door, which was exactly thirty-one feet above the level of the street. The wind again increased. It did not come in gusts, but was more like the steady downpour of Niagara than anything I can think of. One of the front posts on my gallery blew out, split my head open and mashed my shoulder badly. I was knocked insensible for a moment, but pulled myself together and hung on.

“The constant shaking and jarring had loosened the front door facing, and I saw I could tear it loose from the top when the crash came, so I kept hold of it all the time. I had outlined a plan of campaign from the first and carried it out to the letter. The other posts and railing of the gallery blew away like straws. The top of the gallery was lifted up and disappeared over the top of the house. The gallery floated away, and, with one foot inside the door, I was left hanging against the front of the house. It was an easy thing to stay there, for the wind held me as firmly as if I had been screwed to the house.

“It is hard to believe, but still it is true. A little after 8 o’clock the wind actually increased in violence. I am confident I do not exaggerate one bit when I say it was blowing fully 125 miles an hour. I could see into the hall, and saw a beautiful phenomenon when the wind was at its height. Whether from phosphorescence of the sea water or from electricity generated by the high wind, I can’t say, but, from whatever cause it was, the drops of rain became luminous as they struck the wall, and it looked like a display of miniature fireworks. The luminous particles were about the size of a pin head, though one ball about half as large as a boy’s marble, formed on the door facing and slowly slipped down into the water.