SUPERIOR TO THE CALAMITY.
“It may take some time for Galveston to recover from the shock and the horror of its late visitation, the most destructive in its effects that has darkened the annals of the United States, but the pride and energy of its people may be counted upon to rise superior to even this calamity. Meanwhile the spirit of helpfulness and charity that has made the people of the United States conspicuous among those of all the world may be counted upon to aid in healing the wounds made by this signal disaster, so that, before long, after the succor most immediately and imperatively demanded has been furnished, the great Gulf port may be once more rebuilt and made to contribute as it has done in the past to the extension of the trade of the country, for whose commerce it has furnished a conspicuous outlet. Earnestly desirous of contributing to such a result, Bradstreet’s will be glad to forward to the proper relief committees any subscriptions which its readers may deem proper to confide to it for the aid of the distressed city and its inhabitants.”
St. Mary’s Infirmary was the refuge where over a thousand of lives were saved from a cruel death, which the terrible storm seemed so anxious to administer, and if it had not almost ceased to be at a premium on account of so many displays of that most noble virtue, the heroism displayed at and around that institution that afternoon and night would be something remarkable. Men worked with five boats all of that afternoon, never tiring in their heroic efforts in bringing women and children from their frail dwellings to this haven of safety, and when these poor frightened people arrived they were still heroically dealt with by the Sisters of Charity.
ONSLAUGHTS OF THE STORM.
Of all those who took refuge there only two lost their lives, and those were in an outbuilding where some fifty-two had taken refuge. While the main building, where most of the people were, shook and trembled under the awful onslaughts made on it by the wind and water, and although the water kept coming up into that building until it stood three and a half feet deep on the lower floor, the building stood the shock bravely and not a life was lost in it.
Only those who were there and heard the terrible noises that the wind and water made in their mission of destruction, and only those who felt the building tremble and saw the houses around the place torn down and washed away, can realize the fearfulness of that evening and night. But during it all the Sisters were there, forgetting their own personal danger in quieting the fears of those who had come to them for refuge. It was indeed a hardened man that did not there that night ask his Creator for protection.
It was early in the afternoon that the refugees began to come. They came first from the flats east of the building, which is lower than the ground around and to the west of the Infirmary, the water rising there first. Then, as the storm kept increasing and the water rising, they began to come from the houses all around. They waded in first, but it was not long before it was too deep and turbulent for that. It was then boatloads began to arrive, and it was in this way that the boats were brought there which afterward were the means by which so many others were saved.
No sooner would a cargo of precious lives be left at the door than the boat would be snatched away by ready hands and taken out to pick up another load. This was continued all the afternoon and up until it became so dark the men could not see which way to go after they had procured a load of frightened people. At first it was a comparatively easy thing to push the boats about and collect people, but along in the afternoon the wind had so increased and the water became so agitated that it was with the greatest danger this was done.
THE MEN STUCK TO THEIR WORK.
Notwithstanding this great danger and the hard task of handling the boats, the men stuck to it manfully. Not once did they stop for even a breathing spell. They realized the terrible danger that was before those who had not found a stable refuge, and stood to the work heroically. Many times were the boats almost swamped, and many times did the occupants and those who were pushing come within an ace of drowning, but looking death in the face and defying the wind and waters to do their worst, they kept at their mission of salvation until blinded by the darkness. Even before they made their last loads houses were beginning to go down, maiming and drowning their inmates.