This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XXV. DESTRUCTION OF GALVESTON, TEXAS. Tidal Wave, Hurricane, Loss of Life, Destruction of Property--An Awful Saturday Night--Population--Storm Seasons--How Storms Are Diverted--Storm of 1875--A Solemn, Somber Sunday--Plundering the Dead--Martial Law Enforced--Decomposition of Bodies--Belief. A tidal wave joined with a hurricane caused a disaster that has no parallel in the history of the world at Galveston, Texas, on Saturday, September 8, 1900. A frightful West Indian hurricane descended upon the beautiful and progressive city on that date, causing the loss of nearly ten thousand lives and the destruction of millions of dollars' worth of property. The storm then ravaged Central and Western Texas, killing several hundred people and inflicting damage that years were required to repair. When the gale approached the island upon which Galveston is situated, it lashed the waves of the Gulf of Mexico into a tremendous fury, causing them to rise to all but mountain height, and then it was that, combining their forces, the wind and water pounced upon their prey. THE WORK OF FOUR HOURS. In the short space of four hours the entire site of the city was covered by angry waters, while the gale blew at the rate of one hundred miles an hour; business houses, public buildings, churches, residences, charitable institutions, and all other structures gave way before the pressure of the wind and the fierce onslaught of the raging flood, and those which did not crumble altogether were so injured, in the majority of cases, that they were torn down. Such a night of horror as the unfortunate inhabitants were compelled to pass has fallen to the lot of few since the records of history were first opened. In the early evening, when the water first began to invade Galveston Is...
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