York Cotton Exchange Fund, $5300; New York Stock Exchange Fund, $11,100; New York Produce Exchange Fund, $10,500; Chamber of Commerce Fund, $25,000; miscellaneous subscriptions, $30,000. Total, $142,994.
The transport McPherson left at noon Monday, the 7th, for Galveston, carrying supplies which were contributed through the Merchants’ Association.
The Citizens’ Committee of the association deposited in bank $26,775, making a gross total of $40,526 so deposited. Secretary Corwine immediately afterward wired Governor Sayers authorizing him to draw $12,000 in addition to the $12,000 offered the day before. Mayor Jones, of Galveston, was also notified of the telegrams of the Governor.
The steamer El Sud, of the Morgan Line, sailed for Galveston with a large contribution of food supplies and clothing for the Relief Committee, which was contributed, through the Merchants’ Association.
A despatch from Clark, South Dakota, says that Governor Roosevelt has authorized Colonel William J. Young, of the Executive Department of Albany, N. Y., to issue an appeal for aid on behalf of the Galveston sufferers. J. Pierpont Morgan was named by the Governor as chairman of such committee and authorized to receive subscriptions.
CLARA BARTON GOES TO TEXAS.
Miss Clara Barton, President of the National Red Cross, and her staff, left for Galveston, accompanied by Mary Agnes Coombs, the Secretary of the Executive Committee in New York during the Spanish war.
It was the intention of the Salvation Army to equip a hospital car for Galveston. There were to be physicians and nurses on board and a large supply of hospital necessities. This car will be kept at Galveston as long as needed.
A meeting of Americans, resident and transient, in Paris was held at the Chamber of Commerce on September 13th for the purpose of devising a method for raising funds to assist the sufferers at Galveston. The United States Ambassador, General Horace Porter, was elected President; George Monroe, the banker, was made Treasurer, and Francis Kimball was appointed Secretary. Resolutions of sympathy with the people of Galveston were adopted, and a subscription list was opened, with the result that inside of fifteen minutes 50,000 francs were donated.
A committee of seven was appointed to carry out the plans of the meeting, which included canvassing the American colony in Paris. The French papers also opened subscription lists, many Frenchmen having expressed a desire to subscribe.
R. P. W. Houston, member of Parliament and head of the Houston Line of Steamers, cabled $5000 to Galveston for the relief of the sufferers.
SYMPATHY FROM FRANCE.
The following telegrams passed between the Presidents of France and the United States:
“Rambouillet, President, September 12, 1900.—To His Excellency the President of the United States of America: The news of the disaster which has just devastated the State of Texas, has deeply moved me. The sentiments of traditional friendship which unite the two Republics can leave no doubt in your mind concerning the very sincere share that the President, the Government of the Republic and the whole nation take in the calamity that has proved such a cruel ordeal for so many families in the United States. It is natural that France should participate in the sadness as well as in the joy of the American people. I take it to heart to tender to your Excellency our most heartfelt condolences, and to send to the families of the victims the expression of our afflicted sympathy.
“Emile Loubet.”
“Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C. September 13, 1900.—His Excellency, Emile Loubet, President of the French Republic, Rambouillet, France: I hasten to express, in the name of the thousands who have suffered by the disaster in Texas, as well as in behalf of the whole American people, heartfelt thanks for your touching message of sympathy and condolence.
“William McKinley.”
In response to an inquiry telegraphed to Colonel A. H. Belo, publisher of the Dallas News and of the Galveston News, the following hopeful estimate of the business future and prospects of Galveston was received:
“Although in the middle of our overwhelming disaster, the full extent of which can only be approximately estimated, the citizens of Galveston held a meeting on Sunday afternoon, as soon as they possibly could after the great storm. At this meeting the sentiment expressed was a grim and undaunted resolution to rebuild the island city. They said:
“ ‘Galveston must rise again.’
“They fully realize the vastness of their misfortune and the magnitude of their task to repair it, yet, amid all the wreck and havoc that the elements have wrought they say, with determination, that as soon as they bury their dead and provide for the immediate necessities of their living and destitute ones, they will set about to clear away the debris, and begin anew their lives of toil and energy on their storm-stricken island.
“They are inspired with the sentiment that Galveston must rally, must survive and must fulfill a glorious destiny, as the great entry port of the Southwest. As in the case of the great Johnstown disaster, in 1889, the whole American people have responded with alacrity to their cries for help, and with such aid to assist and such sympathy to inspire them, they will surely meet the success that their patriotic efforts so richly merit.
“A. H. Belo.”
STORY OF DEATH AND RUIN.
Reviewing the situation it may be said that again were heard the cries of those in the wilderness of devastation asking for succor, for again, as a score of times before, Galveston and surrounding coast towns are the scenes of death and desolation. Homes razed and washed away by the waters that have claimed their occupants as victims of death and horror, has more than once been the story from the shores of the Gulf.
History is now repeating itself, and the repetition has become frequent since 1860. While severe storms sweep the Atlantic coast between the mouth of the Savannah River and the Chesapeake, still the resultant damage is far less north of Savannah and the Cape Fear River. This is because the land is higher, serving as a barrier to the encroachments of the sea, while the further south one goes, it will be found, the land is lower, increasing the liability of becoming submerged by heavy inshore winds and tidal waves.
Florida, Louisiana and Texas coast cities are but a few feet above high tide register and therefore the more subject to overflow. To compute the total loss of life and property from the storms which from time to time have devastated the coast of the Gulf of Mexico it would be found the loss of human life would extend well into the thousands, while tens of millions of dollars have been laid waste.
STORMS THAT BROUGHT DESOLATION.
There have been many such storms before whose fury has been felt by the coast people. One of the worst storms was in September, 1860, which
