Direful Disaster

Tho first reports of the great disaster aï Sabino Pass wero not Ín the least exaggerated, in fact they under estimated the nuniner of deaths eaucd by the storm. The death-roll now reaches ninety, with a number missing. It is thought tlmtfully 100 persons mot their death on the uight of the galo. Tho relief traína could not get witnin twelve miles of the town, bat over a dozen tow-boats were sent out and get to work saving life and property. Theio is considerable back-water yet ai. Salini'. ht'miiuHl in and held thero by the raitroad entbanknit'n t. The most Intense rx!-;irment has prevailed long tlio eoast sincu the lirst neus oí the fearful eatastrophe. Tlie people have neither eaten nor alept and crowds liave Burrounded tho wharvea and depot waiting for the return of the train or boat i'rom the devastated town. Tlio steamboat Laïnar left (trange with a relief coramittee on board. lien she would return no ono knew, but a constant wateh was kopt at Orange. At exactly midnight tho next night the whistle of the Laniar was heard. The peoplo hurried holterskeltei' to hear the news and to receivo tho sick and destitute. The relief oommittee nboard the Laniar consisted of twenty citizens froni Beaumont and abont l'oity trom Orange. They traveled up tho Koelies river between I p. ni. and inianight. whieli was anextaordinary trip, fnuight with fearful danger. Twenty (ivo of the committee were left at Sal'ino Tass to recover sorue of tho bodius, many of which are rejiorted to havo rashed dózena of miles over iuto Louisiana. The members of the relief committee who returned were so tired and worn out and so overeóme by the horrible devasta tion they had witnessed that it was next to impossible to get a coherenf story froin them, and as uach of the rescued refngees was surrounded bj" about a hundred people it was equally impossible to get a detailed account from any one of them. Tho exact extent of tho storm-swept district is yot unknown. From reports brought by the committee it is certain that tho flooded district embraces an expanse of country many times lareer than at lirst supposed. The eruli seems to have moved over the land for miles in one high, unbroken wal) Of water. The committee report that 101 persons are missing, ninety oí whoin are known to bare been drowned. ïhirty-five of the victima were white aud fifty-five coloTed. Joseph Sraith, a íamous local character, knowb as "Alligator': ttmith. was supposed to be among the lost. as people on Iha relief train saw him drivlng before the gale on l.nkc Sabine at the rate of twentyfi e milos au hour, elinging to his skiff aud calline loudly for help. Great was the surprise liierefore whon "Alligator" overluuiled the steamer on its return, liringing vvitbbim in his small boat three persons whoni he had rescued in a swamp. Many otlicr niirarulous useanes are recorded. Ninety-ono halfclad, shivering, wretched victims of the storm were brought up on the Lamar. Blankets and bedding were immediately gathered from house to house for the comfort of the heart-broken hullorers, every ono of whom has pome li friend or relativo among the dead. Nearly all the refugees are sick and prostrated from exhaustion and hanger. They are being tenderly cared for by citizens of Beaumont. Dr. B. F. Calhoun of the relief committee says there are many persons in the vii.iiiity of Sabine Pass who are utterly destituto, being wthout clothiug to cover their nakedness. lr. Calhoun retjUfsts aid for tlio (U'stitute. Ho sayfi itiiinkes no difference what is sent, whether food. clothing, medicine, or money, they nced them all. 1 r. Calhoun is mayor of Boaumont, and he will distribute through comniittees whatever is sent to him. From all the accounts gathered, language could not exaggerate the state of affairs at Sabine T'iss. Out of more than 160 houses tn the village, less than six romain standing, and they aro ruined. Wivea and children were swept away and drowned in the presence of their husbauds ! and fatbers, who were powerless to save tin-m. The w;ivo, broko agalfast the light house in BOlid walls, fifty feet high, toaring out the windows at the very top of ! the Btrueture. Corpses hnve been picílted up at a distance of tbirty miles from the scène of the disaster. Frienda aud rolati ves of the drownod are coming into ürange 9nd Beaumont by every train. The steamboat Lamar took on board a cargo of food, Blankets, and clothing, and also a fresh relief comuiittee, and started down the Nechos to succor the unfortunates. The pecuinary damage at Sabine, including that to the government works, will aggregate nearly $500.000, as many of the neighboring plantations sustained serious injury. The excitemcnt and interest over the dreadful catastrophe at Sabine Pass is in DO wa3abated. Thecitizensof adjacentvillagos are taking steps toward extending ubstantial relief to the survivinerTictims.