“Congressman Hawley advocates the building of a breakwater, beginning at the south jetty and extending westward, parallelling the shore of Galveston Island for a distance of about seven miles. With a base of twenty-five feet and crown of eight feet, capped with heavy granite blocks, he believes this would break the force of a tidal wave and adequately protect Galveston.
“The people are still leaving the city in considerable numbers, but the relief work locally has now been gotten down to such a fine point that it is likely there will be a marked diminution of the exodus during the next two or three days. Fears of an epidemic have been allayed by the distribution of medicines and disinfectants, and a feature which would undoubtedly have had the effect of causing many to seek succor elsewhere has been eliminated from the situation.
“Supplies and money are now pouring in from all over the country, and at least seven figures are needed to express the amount of cash so far received. This is being used judiciously, and the good effects of the presence of such a relief fund in the city are already apparent. An order of the military government directed against idle negro women went into operation to-day. It has been decided by the Central Relief Committee to establish a camp in which these women will be held and kept off the streets and out of the way of those who are burying the dead.”
To put Galveston on her feet will require $5,000,000. Such is the opinion of Congressman Hawley, one of the representative business men. This does not mean that the sum mentioned will come anywhere near restoring the city to the condition before the storm. Far from it.
Mr. Hawley was simply asked: “What measure of relief will burn your dead, clean and purify your streets and public places, feed and clothe the living and place your people where they can be self-sustaining and in a way to regain what has been lost?”
His reply was: “It will take $5,000,000 to relieve Galveston from the distress of the storm. At least that sum will be needed to dispose of the dead, to remove the ruins and to do what is right for the living.
SOME MEANS TO HELP PEOPLE.
“I think that we should not only feed and clothe, but that we ought to have some means to help people who have lost everything to make a start toward the restoration of their homes. To do this will require every dollar of $5,000,000.”
There are now on the scene more nurses and physicians than are required. The injured are rapidly recovering from their wounds, which are largely superficial. Many men and women are suffering from severe nervous shock, and find it impossible to sleep. Food is coming in by the boatload and carload faster than it can be handled, in such generous quantities that no further doubts are entertained about supplies. Relief headquarters in each of the twelve wards deal out supplies to applicants in their respective wards.
Estimates of the numbers dependent upon the relief committees vary. Mayor Jones makes it about 8000, while other authorities put the number as high as 15,000. In the business centre the streets have been cleaned and opened. All buildings still show marks of wind and water, but goods are displayed and business is being transacted. The city is gradually assuming its bustling ante-flood appearance. Stenches no longer assail the nostrils, except where much debris still remains untouched.