“Mr. Huntington’s telegram was to Mr. A. H. Belo, of the Galveston and Dallas News, and read: ‘I see it reported that we are to abandon our work at Galveston. Nothing is further from our thoughts. We expect to resume work there as soon as we can. You can assure the people to that effect.’
“Dr. W. H. Blount, State Health Officer, to-day printed a statement showing that no apprehensions are justified that sickness will result from the overflow just experienced. He shows that in 1867, in the midst of the widespread epidemic of yellow fever, a severe storm occurred at Galveston in the early days of October, resulting in a deposit over a greater portion of the city of slimy mud. Not only did no sickness result, but the cyclonic disturbance cut short the yellow fever epidemic, and but few cases of fever occurred thereafter. In 1875 and 1886, when there were severe storms and no overflow, no increase in sickness occurred.
“Several thousand men are at work clearing away the debris on the beach. One hundred and fifty bodies were discovered in the wreckage and burned Friday. No attempt is now being made to identify recovered bodies. Indeed, most of them are found naked and mutilated beyond recognition. A New York relief train has arrived with a number of physicians and nurses and a large supply of provisions, which were distributed. Every effort is being made by the postal authorities to receive and distribute mail. No city delivery has yet been arranged for, and all who expect letters are requested to call at the Postoffice. No mail is being collected from the letter boxes.
“In some quarters of the city the Water Works Company is serving customers on the second stories. This is taken as indicating the rapid headway being made in putting the plant again in operation. The Street Railway Company suffered a loss of a quarter of a million, and its entire system is torn to pieces. An effort is to be made temporarily to operate cars with mules.
ENCROACHMENTS OF THE SEA.
“The residents of Galveston are plucky in the extreme in their determination to rebuild and make Galveston a greater and better city than it has ever been before, but in one direction, at least, they have suffered a loss that is beyond repair, and that lies in the extent of the territory wrested from them by the storm. The waters of the Gulf now cover about 5,300,000 square feet of ground that was formerly a part of Galveston. This loss has been suffered entirely on the south side of the city, where the finest residences were built, facing the gulf, and where land was held at a higher valuation than in any other part of the city.
“For three miles along the shore of the Gulf this choice residence property extended, but the shore line was so changed by the storm that at low tide the water is 350 feet higher along the entire three miles. In the eastern part of the city there are places where 350 feet is less than the actual amount of ground taken from the city. It is a fair estimate, however, for the entire distance. The foundation pillars of the Beach Hotel now stand in the water. Before the storm there was a beach in front of the hotel site nearly 400 feet wide. There is no possibility of any of this land being reclaimed.
A MORE HOPEFUL FEELING.
“A more hopeful feeling is observable everywhere here, and the situation is brightening rapidly. The State Health Officer, Dr. Blunt, believes that there is now no danger of an epidemic. The city Board of Health held a meeting yesterday and adopted a resolution voicing the same views. Emergency hospitals have been established in every ward for the treatment of the sick and wounded.
“The Ursuline Convent has been converted into a great general hospital for the reception and care of patients who are seriously ill, with a full corps of physicians and trained nurses. All public and private hospitals are filled to their capacity with sufferers. Medical supplies are still much needed.