Читать книгу The Great Galveston Disaster - Paul Lester - Страница 96

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Acting Secretary of War Meiklejohn issued orders placing the transport McPherson at the services of the Citizens’ Committee of the Merchants’ Association of New York for the immediate transportation of provisions donated for the relief of the storm sufferers at Galveston.

The people who had been raising contributions and supplies in New York asked President McKinley for a transport, and the War Department acted immediately on the request. It was expected that the McPherson would leave within seventy-two hours and sail direct for Galveston. It was suggested by the War Department that the relief committees of Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia and other cities in reach of New York by rail within a few hours, place themselves at once in touch with the Chairman of the Relief Committee of New York, in order that clothing, supplies and food might be forwarded promptly to the carrying capacity of the McPherson.

Austin, Tex., September 13.—Alvin and other points along the coast are crying piteously for aid. They say that they have been overlooked in the general relief fund and that with all their property destroyed, their hopes gone, no clothing, no provisions, they are fit subjects for the hand of charity along with the unfortunates from Galveston. Governor Sayers promptly wired them that they should be looked after.

Touching on the subject of needs of the flood sufferers and the funds being furnished him for the purpose, Governor Sayers stated to-day that it would take at least one million and possibly a million and one-half to render the assistance that would be beneficial to the flood sufferers. Many of them will have to be supported for possibly the next two months, and it will require an immense amount of money to do this, inasmuch as there are estimated to be 10,000 destitute at Galveston and fully twice that many along the main shore.

From points along the coast comes the report that a great amount of wreckage is being thrown up by the Gulf and hundreds of people have wandered miles down the coast, seeking among the wreckage for valuables. The household property of Galveston people is strewn from Rockport in Matagorda Bay along 200 miles of coast front. Every conceivable household article is to be found strewn along the sands. Valuables are literally lining the coast. Trunks, valises, bureaus, chests and the like are being deposited on the shore.

People are pouring up from the coast by the train load. Many are going to relatives in the central and northern part of the State, and others are stopping in Houston. Of course, this applies to the more prosperous class of the Galvestonians, if there can be any such now.