1900 Storm Research Paper

With candles too wet to light, The only time survivors could see eachother occurs during flashes of lightning. The children huddled with any adult they could find because many of their parents had perished now and all could hear the terrifying moans of the dying. The tiny Texas island of Galveston now had a massive storm upon its shores that no one would escape. In 1900, the city of Galveston dealt with the terror, damage, and after effects of the powerful storm that shocked Texas and the United States.
On September 8th, 1900, what the locals often call “The Storm” hit Galveston, Texas. For example, if a local said that something survived the storm, they are, without a doubt, referring to the 1900 Storm (“The 1900 Storm”). Though estimated …show more content…
According to many witnesses, debris from the storm such as bricks and timbers flew horizonally, which allowed some to conclude the winds may have reached even higher speeds(“Texas almanac”). Winds began to pummel the island, rain poured uncontrollably, and the water from the bay and the gulf met by three o’clock (Green 60). The beach houses on stilts and the bathhouses that dotted the beaches fell one by one against the wrath of the storm (Greeen 83). By the time the water reached twelfth street near the center of the island, it rose consistently over a foot per hour (Green 184). Much to people’s shock, three feet of water pooled at the highest point in the city, the Tremont hotel, by 6:00 (Green 234). The possibility of death was a serious consequence for anyone foolish enough to venture out into the streets during the storm(Green 127). Meanwhile, Everyone …show more content…
The city’s surprise to the storm also contributed to the caliber of the damage. The strom destroyed many homes, and while many dealt with the aftereffects of the storm, and the corpses that required disposal. Unfortunately, so many bodies had been recovered from the rubble of Galveston that it slowly became necessary to either build huge pyres or bury bodies out to the ocean(Green 267). Thankfully, aid did arrive to help quickly from such organizations as the Texas militia and the Red Cross with its founder, Clara Barton(“The 1900 Storm”). Because many corpses had valuable objects, an additional impact of the storm was looting (McComb 54). The residents did not stand for the looting and it slowly ended when government troops intervened (McComb 54). One example of the crimes described a one shot looter found with 23 fingers that had expensive rings on them in his pocket (McComb 55). Similar reports of crime during Galveston’s darkest hour caused shock and horror all across the United States. However, even while facing the harshest of times, the city of Galveston slowly made progress (“Eye”). Soon after, the local government was smart and raised money with bonds to build a 1.5 million dollar 17 foot seawall to protect their city in 1902(“Eye”). The city now had to focus on rebuilding instead of advancement and its transport industry lost its prominence as a hub to growing cities like

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