“Banks and some other branches of business have resumed. Others are actively preparing to resume. Preparations for rebuilding are already going on in the business part of the city. The railways and the wharf front are being rapidly cleaned of debris. The telegraph and telephone companies are rushing their work. The Western Union has five wires strung to their downtown office. The Postal will have some up soon, and the full telegraphic service is expected to be re-established by the close of the week. The cable connection has not yet been restored. Business on the floor of the Cotton Exchange will not be re-established for three weeks. The Exchange Building was partly unroofed by the storm.
“Many dead are reported as being yet unburied, especially in the extreme west part of the city. The interment and cremation of human bodies and the carcasses of animals is being vigorously prosecuted. Only about six houses remain between South Galveston and the city limits. Of probably 1000 persons living down the island, at least one-third were lost. There are 200 bodies on the beach between the Mott place and the city limits. Eighteen persons in this neighborhood got together and began burying the dead yesterday. They are out of provisions.
“Daily papers and illustrated papers have been most energetic in taking photographs of the Galveston disaster. The town is under military law, and the people are not inclined to brook photographers. Three photographers who ventured out yesterday had their instruments smashed and themselves pressed into service burying dead bodies.
“So much progress has been made here towards the rehabilitation of Galveston, and so harmoniously are the various forces working, that General McKibben, who was ordered here with his staff to assist the authorities, has decided that his presence is no longer necessary, and he has made arrangements to leave for Houston. After having largely assisted in the restoration of local confidence, the withdrawal of General McKibben is taken to mean that little is to be done here but to take care of the distressed until normal business conditions have been resumed. In this connection the information was made public through the local representatives of the Federal authorities yesterday that the War Department will undertake as soon as possible the restoration of its property at this point.
RAILROAD CAPITAL TO BE EMPLOYED.
“Dispatches quoting Eastern financiers on the future of Galveston are read with much interest. The idea, however, that the status of the city will be changed finds no local adherents. The various railroads entering here have determined to assist the citizens of Galveston to the full extent of their ability in rebuilding the city. Colonel L. J. Polk of the Santa Fe has received a very enthusiastic and encouraging message from the headquarters of the road, declaring confidence in Galveston, urging the business community to proceed at once to the work of reconstruction, and promising every help in their power. As a result of the receipt of the message, Colonel Polk said yesterday:
“The railroad interests have decided to combine their forces in order to rebuild as quickly as possible a bridge from Virginia Point to Galveston. A large number of men will go to work in the morning with this end in view. You may say to the country that in six days a bridge will have been built, and trains will be running over it. I have had a consultation with the wharf interests, and they have promised us that they will be prepared to handle ingoing and outgoing shipments by the time the bridge is finished. The bridge we will build will be of substantial but temporary character. We will subsequently replace it with a more enduring structure. There is no reason why Galveston ought not commercially to resume normal conditions in ten days.”
MEDICAL COLLEGE SHATTERED.
“Colonel Prather, President of the Board of Regents of the Medical College here, and Colonel Breckinridge, a member of the Board, were among the late arrivals yesterday. They met General McKibben, and were driven to the institution. They found the building in a badly shattered condition, but on their return it was announced that the college would be immediately reconstructed by private beneficence if the State was unable to bear the cost.
“Large gangs have been at work in the business district, and splendid progress in clearing away debris has been made. The street car company has a large force of men at work cutting wires, removing obstructions, and putting their track in condition.”