Part II

The continuation of J.H. Hawley’s first letter to his wife and daughter after the 1900 storm.

Bradley is here, working hard with his full faculties, encouraging and doing great work and good, and by example is instilling confidence in all. I showed him your letter, in which you refer to his consideration and I must confess it seems wonderful that he should have thought of the matter in the way he did. It simply relieved me beyond expression, for when he arrived here he rushed into my arms in one long embrace. I never felt he had the true and abiding affection, which he has exhibited. He tells me to send you his sincerest and truest love and hopes to meet you all very soon.

His house did not suffer any more than ours. The house on H has the weather vane bent also the dining room chimney blown down. It fell on the gallery roof, crushing a hole through the same, through which the rain poured. On the east side of the house was bombarded by bricks. There is a small leak in my room, knocking down about 12 square inches of plastering. Outside of some other small things the house is uninjured. The yard is filled with all kinds of stuff,- paving blocks, etc., but then there is no serious damage to the property otherwise. $200.00 will cover all loss and I am rapidly putting the place into shape. I had the entire roof gone over about two weeks ago and fastened down with new nails, scraped and repainted by a contractor S.G. Cornott, who was recommended to me by Mr. Willie N. Solomon, so that we did not lose any part of the top floor of the house except the injuries I have referred to. We lost the side and back and the cistern floated over to another part of the yard but was wholly uninjured, only requiring setting up again. All of this is now being done and the premises will be in order in the course of the next two week. The rooms of course where the paper came down will have to be properly plastered at the points designated and the rooms repapered, but that will be at nominal expense. The iron fence in front of the property is still in position, although a great deal of wreckage lodged against it, is it yet standing, resisting all attack.

By scanning the lists published in the paper you will be able to gather items of persons whose lives were lost. There were a great many narrow escapes of friends of yours. John H. Brown’s residence was spared. All the glass on the east side of the P.J. Willis’ residence was blown out, and many of the beautiful was frescoes put in at a heavy cost were ruined. Frank Walthew made his house a place of refuge for all persons during the storm. The Willis house on Broadway and Tremont is still standing. As I passed there early Wednesday morning, wading in water. Stella called to me from one of the upper windows and told me she was alright and we metaphorically shook hands over the fact. Her father did not reach Galveston for several days and it took me a considerable time, after he reached here, to convince him that all were safe, as he was on the mainland and totally without communication.

I have not heard a word from Tom and Ann Margood, who were at Alvin. I have not however seen their names in the lists of the lost. Ed Orvin and his family were saved, although they were in almost the deepest part of the flood, as likewise were Dr. Fisher and his family.

One of the saddest deaths was that of Stanley G. Spencer. He was compelled by the rising water to leave up town and was unable to reach his home. I saw Mrs.

Spencer at the morgue afterward, and helped identifying the body of S.G. Spencer as it was being brought to the morgue. We found his face unmarked by water although the back part of his head was crushed in. she bears her misfortune bravely. E.E. Ricci’s family were saved. Daisy L. Davin and her cherub, also Waters was saved, although Waters was forced to stay in the Cotton Mill all night, up to his neck in water.

I will not prolong this letter now. It is with the deepest gratitude we can say that all of our immediate family were saved and sound, and that the loss which has been sustained in such case is as near nominal as such a great disaster could possibly permit. Money and contribution of clothes is coming to and from every quarter. I am advised today of one check, coming from one firm, being $50,000.00 in amount. The whole world seems to have arisen in sympathy and help is coming from Paris, Bremen, Liverpool, Lunden, Hamberg, as well as provisions, nurses, physicians and other offerings are coming from every portion and part of the country. We will have full connection over the bridge, not later than Friday next, at least and we will be in communication with the outside world, in a business way.

Give my love to all, and believe me ever and always, your husband and father.

J.H. Hawley

(A note handwritten at the bottom is mostly illegible-ends with)

I sent the copy of the times to your mother will write you very often now, short pointed letters.

Your affectionate

Father.

Next week we will continue with part III with more letters and accounts of the devastating event.