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

WANTED PALACE CARS.

“We’ve rode in those Pullmans all the way from New York, and it’s a shame and outrage that you intend making us ride in a day coach now. We want those sleepers to live in.” She was wrathy, but when the colonel informed her that before the party got out at Galveston they’d have to walk on dead bodies, wade through slush and slime and have a tough time generally she’d think a day coach was a palace, she said no more. It is evident that some of the “relief corps” consider the trip a pleasure jaunt. When they have been in Galveston a few days they will probably change their minds.

“First reports of storm damage are always rather exaggerated,” remarked a gentleman of the Arcola plantation. “At first everything looks as though it were completely wrecked, but after the calm comes and the work of straightening up begins it is astonishing to see how little property really is damaged. We had considerable damage on our place. The cabins blew down and the convict house was unroofed. When this occurred we turned all the convicts out on the prairie and the next morning all of them voluntarily reported for duty except six, and they worked like trojans assisting in the work of cleaning up. The cane crop suffered considerably, but is by no means a loss. It is recuperating nicely. Very little corn was lost, because most of it was gathered.”

Mr. Fred. Erickson, who returned from Galveston, says he saw a lady, who was drowned among the many others on a burial barge, who had on a fine watch, diamond earrings, several diamond finger rings; besides, he noticed that she wore gold clasp garters with her name upon them.

He asked the party in charge why these valuables were not removed and the garters removed as a means of identification, and he was told that they were not allowed to remove anything from the bodies, no matter how valuable and how it might aid in future identification.