CHAPTER V

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Relief Sent from All Parts of the World as Soon as the True Situation of Affairs was Made Known--Millions of Dollars Subscribed and Thousands of Carloads of Supplies Forwarded to the Desolated City.

Mayor Jones, of Galveston, issued his appeal to the United States for help on the 11th inst., and the response was prompt and liberal.

The Mayor was not afraid the people of the United States and the world would call him sensational, for no one was better qualified to judge of the situation than he.

He had spent almost every hour after the flood in working for the good of the city and had accomplished wonders.

He organized the citizens, giving of his own money, induced others--more unwilling than he--to open their hearts and pocketbooks, and, in fact, took no rest for days after the calamity.

As he had been around the city several times before the appeal was issued, he knew the condition of things thoroughly.

Therefore, the general public had confidence in what he said:

The same day the General Relief Committee of Galveston issued the following:

"Galveston, Tex., Sept. 11.--To the Public of America:

"A conservative estimate of the loss of life is that it will reach 3,000; at least 5,000 families are shelterless and wholly destitute. The entire remainder of the population is suffering in greater or less degree.

"Not a single church, school or charitable institution, of which Galveston had so many, is left intact. Not a building escaped damage and half the whole number were entirely obliterated.

"There is immediate need for food, clothing and household goods of all kinds. If near by cities will open asylums for women and children the situation will be greatly relieved.

"Coast cities should send us water as well as provisions, including kerosene oil, gasoline and candles.

"W. C. JONES, "Mayor.

"M. LASKER, "President Island City Savings Bank.

"J. D. SKINNER, "President Cotton Exchange.

"C. H. McMASTER, "For Chamber of Commerce.

"R. G. LOWE, "Manager Galveston News.

"CLARENCE OWSLEY, "Manager Galveston Tribune.

"Members of the Galveston Local Relief Committee."

The Secretary of the Treasury at Washington received a joint telegram from Postmaster Griffen and Special Deputy Collector Rosenthal, at Galveston. This described the destruction caused by the storm and said:

"Thousands homeless and destitute. Five hundred sheltered in custom house, which is practically roofless. Old custom house roofless and windows blown out. Need tents and 30,000 rations. Citizens' relief committee doing all in their power, but stock of undamaged provisions exhausted. With all the people housed, need extra force six men to keep building in sanitary condition. Relief urgently requested."

The Secretary sent the government revenue cutter Onondaga from Norfolk to Mobile, Ala., to carry supplies to Galveston.

The day the appeal was made Acting Secretary of War Meiklejohn at Washington authorized the chartering of a special train from St. Louis to carry Quartermasters' and commissary supplies to the relief of the destitute at Galveston.

Orders were also issued by the War Department for the immediate shipment to Galveston of 855 tents and 50,000 rations. These stores and supplies were divided between St. Louis and San Antonio.

September 12 Governor Sayers issued the following statement:

"Austin, Tex., Sept. 12.--Conditions at Galveston are fully as bad as reported. Communication, however, has been re-established between the island and the mainland, and hereafter transportation of supplies will be less difficult.

"The work of clearing the city is progressing fairly well, and Adjutant-General Scurry, under direction of the mayor, is patrolling the city for the purpose of preventing depredations.

"The most conservative estimate as to the number of deaths places them at 2,000.

"Contributions from citizens of this state, and also from other states, are coming in rapidly and liberally, and it is confidently expected that within the next ten days the work of restoration by the people of Galveston will have begun in good earnest and with energy and success.

"Of course, the destruction of property has been very great, not less than $10,000,000, but it is hoped and believed that even this great loss will be overcome through the energy and self-reliance of the people.

"JOSEPH D. SAYERS, Governor."

On the same day the Galveston General Relief Committee sent out this statement of the condition of affairs:

"We are receiving numerous telegrams of condolence and offers of assistance. Near-by cities are supplying and will supply sufficient food, clothing, etc., for immediate needs. Cities farther away can serve us best by sending money. Checks should be made payable to John Sealy, Chairman of the Finance Committee. All supplies should come to W. A. McVitie, Chairman Relief Committee.

"We have 25,000 people to clothe and feed for many weeks and to furnish with household goods. Most of these are homeless, and the others will require money to make their wrecked residences habitable. From this the world may understand how much money we will need. This committee will from time to time report our needs with more

## particularity. We refer to dispatch of this date of Major R. G. Lowe,

which the committee fully endorses. All communicants will please accept this answer in lieu of direct response and be assured of the heartfelt gratitude of the entire population.

"W. C. JONES, Mayor. "M. LASKER, "J. D. SKINNER, "C. H. McMASTER, "R. G. LOWE, "CLARENCE OWSLEY."

Colonel Amos. S. Kimball, Assistant Quartermaster General, stationed at New York, was informed by army contractors on Tuesday, the day the appeal was sent out, that Miss Helen Gould had purchased 50,000 army rations for the Galveston sufferers. The rations were started from the Pennsylvania railroad station in Jersey City at 3 p. m. the same day. Miss Gould went directly to the contractors who supply the army with provisions and ordered rations identical with those furnished for soldiers, consisting of bacon, canned meats, beans, hard bread, and coffee.

Chicago sent $25,000 to the Governor of Texas; Andrew Carnegie gave $20,000 in cash; Sir Thomas Lipton cabled from London to his manager at New York to send $1,000 at once, which was done; Davenport, Ia., sent $1,600 immediately; Philadelphia wired Governor Sayers $5,000 without delay; the American Steel Hoop Company, American Tin Plate Company and American Sheet Steel Company gave $10,000 each, and the Southern Pacific Railway Company, $5,000; Chicago started a trainload of supplies southward, as also did the State of California; the railroads hauling the cars free of charge; several newspapers in Chicago, New York and Kansas City either gave money or started relief trains with doctors, nurses and medical supplies, with orders to beat the best record time to Galveston; Cincinnati began with $1,000 and subscribed that amount daily for many days; Cleveland, O., telegraphed $2,500, and then made it $15,000; 30,000 rations and 900 United States army tents were sent from St. Louis from the office of the United States Quartermaster; the mayor of Colorado Springs, Colo., was told by the citizens to send $2,000 at once and he did so; nearly all the theatres of the United States gave benefits; the State of Kansas, having $500 left in its Indian Famine Relief Fund, sent that; people of the State of Texas sent $15,000 to the Governor at Austin; Houston, Tex., raised $2,000 in cash; the Governors of nearly all the States issued proclamations calling upon their people to subscribe to the relief fund, the mayors of most of the cities doing the same--the consequence being that Governor Sayers had about $250,000 in hand in cash that very (Tuesday) night, with several hundreds of thousands more in sight and within call.

By Thursday he had $900,000 in hand and on Saturday had $1,500,000, in addition to which were several thousand cars loaded with supplies of all sorts--provisions, medicines, disinfectants, fruits, clothing, wines for the sick, tents, bandages, stoves, oil--everything that could possibly be needed.

It was estimated that fully $2,500,000 would be necessary to carry the sufferers through the fall and winter and into the following spring, for thousands of them were ill and unable to provide in any way for themselves. There were fully 50,000 men, women and children in Galveston and Central and Southern Texas who were dependent upon charity.

On Friday night Governor Sayers decided upon two important plans of

## action. The first was that he would allow all food and clothing shipped

from the east and west to be concentrated in Galveston for the use of that city and that he would also grant that city the use of 30,000 laborers for a period of thirty days, the same to be paid $1.50 per man per day for that time out of the relief fund. In addition thereto all requests for money from the Galveston Relief Committee were to be granted.

His second decision was that he personally would look after the needs of the 30,000 destitute along the gulf coast on the mainland, provide them with flour and bacon and keep them going until they get on their feet again. Chairman Sealy of the Galveston committee was to keep track of the Galveston situation while the Governor looked out for the outside points.

That night a local committee from Galveston was sent to Houston and Virginia Point to take charge of the receiving and distribution of supplies that arrived there for the Galveston people. A serious matter confronting the authorities not only at the coast points, but in the cities near Galveston, was the rapid gathering of toughs, gamblers and rough characters generally, which after the flood were forced to leave Galveston island as they would not work. Others drifted into the mainland opposite Galveston and on to the neighboring towns by the hundreds in the hope of pickpocketing and the like among the crowds.

All this gathering of disorderly characters made the peace officers rather uneasy as to the future. The police and troops in Galveston and the special officers on the mainland were constantly on the alert to keep down trouble and prevent all possible thieving and they did not get the upper hand of this element until they had shot a score or more. These fellows would steal the provisions and supplies sent by the generous people from the outside, and whenever caught were shot without delay.

The following was sent out from Galveston on Saturday, Sept. 15, which showed how serious the situation was:

"Galveston, Texas, Sept. 14.--Hon. Joseph D. Sayers, Governor: After the fullest possible investigation here we feel justified in saying to you and through you to the American people that no such disaster has ever overtaken any community or section in the history of our country. The loss of life is appalling and can never be accurately determined. It is estimated at 5,000 to 8,000 people.

"There is not a home in Galveston that has not been injured, while thousands have been destroyed. The property loss represents accumulations of sixty years and more millions than can be safely stated. Under these conditions, with ten thousand people homeless and destitute, with the entire population under a stress and strain difficult to realize, we appeal directly in the hour of our great emergency to the sympathy and aid of mankind.

"WALTER JONES, "Mayor.

"R. B. HAWLEY, Congressman.

"McKIBBIN, "Commander Department of Texas."

General McKibbin, when he looked over the city three days before, had wired the War Department at Washington that perhaps 1,000 people had perished. He was a conservative man, as army officers usually are, and when he signed a statement saying probably 8,000 persons had lost their lives his signature carried weight with it.

Not only did the people of the United States sympathize deeply with the Texas sufferers, but those of other nations as well. President Loubet, of France, sent the following kind message to President McKinley at Washington:

"Rambouillet Presidence, Sept. 12.--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."

President McKinley sent this answer the next day:

"Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C., Sept. 13.--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."

SCHOOL CHILDREN GAVE THEIR PENNIES.

Even the school children of the country helped the sufferers with their pennies. Miss Ethel Donelson, a pupil at the Grant School, Chicago, wrote a letter to a Chicago daily paper suggesting that the school children give some of their pennies to the victims of the great hurricane. The idea was carried out and several thousand dollars was raised in this way in Chicago. The plan was adopted also in several other cities.

When the suggestion was first made United States Postoffice Inspector Walter S. Mayor wrote as follows:

"I was reared in Galveston; lived there from my infancy until appointed to the government service nineteen years ago, and my mother and brother still live there.

"When Chicago had its great fire in 1871 the people of Galveston sent a generous subscription, and with it was one made up by the boys of the school I attended. Our teacher, E. E. Crawford, gave us a holiday for the purpose, and the fifty-odd boys organized themselves into a number of soliciting committees. I was on the committee with Charles Fowler, now one of Galveston's leading business men, and we two succeeded in collecting $8. In all, for our day's work we got together $200, which was turned into the general fund raised by the Citizens' Committee.

"In the twenty-nine years that have followed since then Chicago has pulled itself out of the ashes and risen to a high place among the world cities. Many forces have been brought to bear to accomplish this great end, but possibly the most potent one was the helping hand of the neighbor when help was needed. Among those who helped with their little mite may the school children of Galveston now be remembered.

"I most heartily second Miss Donelson's suggestion that the school children of Chicago be given an opportunity to aid their little brothers and sisters in Galveston, many of whom are naked and orphaned by the terrible disaster that has come to them.

"WALTER S. MAYER, "Postoffice Inspector."

On Thursday, Sept. 13, American residents and visitors in Paris, France, together with Frenchmen whose sympathies were aroused by the storm disaster in Texas, contributed 50,000 francs in twenty minutes for the relief of the sufferers. The Americans held a meeting in the Chamber of Commerce, which was largely attended. United States Ambassador Porter was a leader among those who proposed to organize for the work of aiding in the relief. The Americans perfected an organization and elected General Porter President, George Munroe, the banker, Treasurer, and Francis Kimball Secretary. The subscription list was then opened and the 50,000 francs raised. The Mayor of Galveston was informed by cable of the result.

The same day P. P. W. Houston, Member of Parliament for the West Toxteth division of Liverpool, England, and head of the Houston Line of steamers, cabled L1,000 to Galveston for the relief of the sufferers.

Members of the American colony in Berlin, Germany, held a meeting Sunday, September 16, at the United States Embassy and raised $5,000.

Americans in London subscribed $10,000 and many London theatres gave benefits.

The Marquis of Salisbury, Premier of England, the Emperor William of Germany, the Emperor of Austria, the King of Italy, the Czar of Russia--in fact, nearly all the heads of state in the world cabled condolences, and the legislative bodies of foreign nations then in session passed resolutions of sympathy.

By Saturday New York had raised $174,000; Chicago, $91,000, together with many carloads of supplies which were sent as special trains, and the following cities had contributed the amounts named:

St. Louis $61,300 Boston 32,140 Philadelphia 29,358 New Orleans 26,000 Cincinnati 7,314 Cleveland 9,358 Colorado Springs 7,100 Minneapolis 13,430 Denver 12,180 Pittsburg 26,123 Kansas City 15,321 Portland, Oregon 1,000 Peoria, Ill. 1,800 Memphis 8,426 San Francisco 16,000 Louisville 12,585 Baltimore 12,138 Milwaukee 13,431 Springfield, Ill. 2,314 St. Paul 6,904 Topeka, Kan. 5,110 Charleston, S. C. 6,008 Los Angeles 5,400 Detroit 4,936 Indianapolis 3,800 Helena, Mont. 3,400 Johnstown, Pa. 3,000

As stated before, the total for the four and a half days ensuing from the time the appeal was issued--$1,500,000 was contributed, while an additional $1,000,000 was not long in following. Both Chicago and New York increased their subscriptions largely.

In no case did the railroads charge for carrying the cars over their lines.

THEIR PENALTIES WERE REMITTED.

Navigation and other laws were set at naught by the United States authorities in order to help the Galveston and other flood sufferers. On Friday, September 14, the following telegram was referred to General Spaulding by President McKinley:

"Galveston, Tex., Sept. 12, 1900.--To President of the United States: In consequence of calamity and fear of sickness numerous people wish to leave the city. All our rail communication is cut off. The revenue cutter of this district is disabled and no American steamer immediately available. We therefore respectfully request you to instruct the proper authorities to allow British steamers Caledonia and Whitehall and any other foreign vessels now here, but compelled to proceed to New Orleans for cargo, to carry passengers from Galveston to New Orleans.

"W. C. JONES, Mayor, "CLARENCE OUSLEY, "J. D. SKINNER, "C. H. McMASTER, "R. G. LOWE, "Committee."

General Spaulding at once sent the following telegram:

"W. C. Jones, Mayor, Galveston, Tex.: Replying to your telegram of the 12th inst. addressed to President: If British steamships Caledonia, Whitehall, or other foreign vessels now in your port carry passengers in distress from Galveston to New Orleans or other American ports during present conditions this department will consider favorably applications for remission of penalties which may be incurred under the law. Advise masters.

"O. L. SPAULDING, Acting Secretary."

On Friday night Governor Sayers stated that the work of relieving the flood sufferers was making excellent progress. He said:

"Most generous contributions are coming in from all parts of the country sufficiently large to relieve the immediate wants as to food and clothing, and in the meantime the people of Galveston are recovering themselves, and I have no hesitancy in expressing the firm conviction that a strong reaction from an almost mortal blow to the city has already set in, and that in a short while the city will be in a condition to resume its normal and progressive position in commercial life. After a full conference to-day with an authorized committee from Galveston, I am more than convinced that the people there will be able, with the assistance already given, to handle the situation successfully."

HOW GALVESTON'S BUSINESS MEN WERE HELPED ALONG.

As a rule there is no sentiment in business, but the retail merchants of Galveston whose business and fortunes were swept away were not forgotten in the hour of need by the wholesale houses of Chicago, which announced just after the disaster that stocks of goods would be shipped promptly and willingly, any time and terms being accorded to the business of the gulf city. The regular way of determining credits was ignored, as was the credit man also. His cold judgment was not asked for, but instead sympathy and compassion for the unfortunate position of the merchants of the stricken city determined largely the stand the wholesalers announced they would take.

In doing this the houses of Chicago had the precedent established by the outside world in its treatment of them in the days following the great Chicago fire. Chicago men said they will do as they were done by, and the Galveston merchant had but to ask for the help he needed. Many Chicago houses wrote their Galveston customers at once advising them that they could have credit, time, and terms to suit themselves. This favor was also given to all business men who had lost all but names and prestige, whether they had been customers or not.

Firms that never had had any business with Galveston or Texas firms stated that they stood ready to ship goods on the same terms. No business man in the damaged district, they said, whose misfortunes were due to the catastrophe could come to Chicago for supplies and go away without them even if he had not a dollar's worth of assets in the world, as long as he could show a former good business standing and repute.

"We will take any and all risks," said one after another of the representatives of Chicago wholesale houses. "In the present emergency credits cannot be measured by the regular business standards. Humanity must dictate the terms on which the merchants of Galveston who have bought from us, or who may want to buy from us, are to have goods and supplies."

Firm after firm of the wholesale district, whether or not they now have trade in the afflicted territory, made the same statement.

"We already have written to 200 former customers who are scattered along the coast, asking them how they came out of the disaster and offering them any terms of settlement their losses may warrant," said the credit man of one of the largest houses in the West, on the Friday following the flood. "We will view the facts in their cases not from a business but from a sympathetic standpoint."

"We are making our former customers time, terms and credits of their own asking," said the Vice-President of a great wholesale dry goods house. "We will make the same terms to new customers who have been good business men."

"We have advised former customers that their orders will be filled promptly for complete stocks," said the manager of a music and musical instrument house. "We have told them to make their own time and terms. We charge no interest."

"We are looking at the men of Galveston and not at their present assets," said the managing partner of a wholesale clothing house having a large Texas trade.

"We have sent word to fifty of our customers in Galveston to draw on us for new stocks without asking them if they have saved a penny from the catastrophe," said the President of one of the largest cigar and tobacco concerns in the city.

"The conditions are so distressing as to shame a Chicagoan asking what any Galveston business man has to-day," said the manager of a grocery house. "We have never reached into Texas after trade, but shall do so immediately. Any business man wanting our goods can have them on his own terms."

"Our customers in Galveston can send in their orders for new stocks and have them filled as quickly as if they forwarded double prices," said a furnishing goods wholesaler. "We are not asking them what their assets are."

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