Texas Hurricane History:
Late 19th Century (continued)

The question from the Racer's Storm was tragically prophetic as the Great Galveston Hurricane showed on September 7-8th, 1900. It towers alone as the worst natural disaster in the United States in terms of lives lost; the most frequently used estimate of the death toll is 8,000. The potential of this disaster had been shown in the destructions of Santiago in 1844, Clarksville/ Baghdad in 1867, and Indianola in 1875 and 1886. At the time, the population of Galveston was near 30,000. Most of its structures were wood frame built just above ground level and supported by pilings.

A new innovation helped relay details about what the storm did in the Caribbean Islands; it was known as the wireless telegraph. Word has been received of a hurricane which struck Trinidad and destroyed almost all the structures on that island. Word of the storm's passing over Cuba and moving northwest into the Gulf of Mexico in the direction of Texas has been relayed to the Weather Bureau office on the Island. Sailors began to arrive in port telling of horrific weather offshore.

On the 6th, a hurricane watch was posted along the Gulf Coast westward to New Orleans. By the 7th, it was extended further to include Texas. Driving rain began at 4 am on the 7th. At 9 am, large waves began to pound the shores of Galveston Island. Winds began to increase as high, fish-scale shaped clouds (known as altocumulus) began to move inland. The pressure fell rapidly at the weather office. This caused them to hoist a hurricane flag - their version of a hurricane warning in those days. This action caused about 20,000 to evacuate, which saved many lives.

Many people ignored the warning. Gentry from Houston rode out to the Island by train to witness the spectacle of the huge waves crashing at the coast. Through the morning of the 8th, greater numbers of people crowded the beaches. Isaac Cline of the Weather Bureau could not believe what was happening. He took matters into his own hands and rode down the beach in a horse-drawn buggy with his brother, warning people to go back to the mainland - in effect, making him a modern day Paul Revere. Unfortunately, few listened. The weather, however, changed their tune as a wooden pagoda along the beach and its associated boardwalk became mere driftwood before the crowd's eyes. Then they began to disperse. For many, it turned out to be far too late. A steamship broke free of its moorings and went on a rampage, destroying all three bridges to the mainland.

Winds of 100 mph blew away the anemometer at the Weather Bureau. Winds gusting over 125 m.p.h. sent raging waters covering Galveston Island by 15 feet just after 3 am, with additional waves much higher on top of the storm surge. As flood waters rose, people fled towards the center of the island, which had slightly higher ground. This turned out to be fruitless, as it merely delayed the inevitable. The force of the wind threw boards, chairs, and tree limbs through the air. Pebbles and chards of glass became deadly missiles. When the water began rising, Harry Claiborne, keeper of the Bolivar Point Lighthouse, fled to the safety of his workplace. People soon after began pounding on the door, begging to be let into the lighthouse. The tower was soon crammed with over 100 people, many of which were from a train stranded in the rising waters. After a while, the big door to the lighthouse was hidden under 30 feet of water. The lighthouse survived the storm (Roberts 86-88).

Wooden buildings floated off their pilings and smashed into one another. As houses disintegrated, unfortunate occupants were thrust into the water to drown. More than 2600 homes were demolished. Twelve square blocks, comprising 3/4 of the city, were completely wiped out of existence. All bridges across the bay were destroyed, along with 15 miles of railroad track. All communications with the mainland were gone.

The British freighter Kendall Castle was moored offshore. Several ships were driven against her. But it wasn't until the Norwegian freighter Gyller nudged against the Castle when it went on "a wild ride" over the Halfmoon Shoal lighthouse, pounding it into the sand, on the way to Texas City (Cipra 185). Very little damage was done at Sabine Pass however, showing how small the core of this storm was. Thirty million dollars in damage occurred.

Fewer than 2000 of those remaining on the island survived. The weather office chief survived, but his wife drowned. The Bolivar Point Lighthouse became the focal point of relief activities after the storm. The lighthouse over the ensuing days let people in the area know that at least one thing still worked on the island, as it helped storm-battered ships return to shore. Martial law was declared, with looters being shot on sight.

Mustang Island also saw many bodies litter the beach. Corpus Christi had a stiff northeast breeze and exceptional fishing. In Flour Bluff Harbor, millions of red, trout, and mullet infested the waters, avoiding the hurricane. Local residents feasted on tarpon and helped Galveston with over $1000 being raised for food and clothing. After the storm moved inland, it accelerated north to the Great Lakes, still carrying 70 mph winds. It then moved across Canada, the North Atlantic, and Northern Europe before finally dying in Siberia.

A massive public works project was undertaken to raise the city's elevation and build a 3 mile long, 17 foot high, concrete seawall. This has, to date, prevented a tragedy of similar proportions from occurring in Galveston. The city never regained its importance as a major port due to the construction of the Houston ship channel; quite similar to what happened in Indianola 14 years before. As the population swells along the coast, construction has begun to expand into areas not protected by the seawall. Those that have not learned from history are doomed to repeat it! See Louisiana Hurricane History for more details on this storm.

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