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

TWISTED INTO ALL SORTS OF SHAPES.

They were carried around and twisted into such shapes that they can not be occupied again although they can be entered and the sodden furniture and bedclothing removed. This applies to buildings that are still standing. As stated, there is a vast territory of blocks in width on which there is not a vestige of a house standing, these having been blown down and carried away with the other debris.

Dr. J. T. Fry, who has been an observer of the weather for years, has a theory that the storm which visited Galveston originated in the vicinity of Port Eads, and was not the hurricane which was reported on the Florida coast. On Thursday a storm was reported moving in a northeasterly direction from Key West. It moved up the Atlantic coast. The Mallory steamer “Comal” ran into it and reported a great number of wrecks as was reported in the “News” at the time. The supposition that this was the same storm that reached Galveston by doubling back on its tracks is a mistake.

The first knowledge of the Galveston storm was the report of a wind velocity of forty-eight miles an hour at Port Eads on Saturday morning. The “News” also reported high winds at Pass Christian. The Port Eads storm was a distinct storm from that of Florida and was confined to the Gulf. The proof of this is that the steamer “Comal” came in from Florida in beautiful weather and apparently followed in the wake of the storm.

Eighteen people were caught in the Grothger grocery store, Sixteenth and N streets, and it is presumed all were lost, as many have been reported dead who were known to have been in the building which was swept away entirely. The firemen buried twenty-six people south of Avenue O, between Thirty-Third and Forty-Second streets, on Tuesday. The graves were marked with pieces of the garments worn by the persons.

Will Love, a printer of the “Houston Post,” who formerly lived in Galveston, swam the bay Monday to reach his family, whom he found to be alive in Galveston. He swam from pier to pier on the railroad bridges and at each he rested.