d by the loss of life and property, the Galveston
hurricane of 1900 was the worst catastrophe that wind and water has ever
brought to America. On Galveston Island alone, over six thousand people
were killed, and five thousand more in the inland coast country. The
ruin and loss of life was caused by a storm wave, which swept in from
the Gulf in advance of the hurricane's vortex. This wave, four feet in
depth, struck the already submerged island with almost irresistible
force and entirely destroyed the city for ten blocks inland. Over five
hundred city blocks were ravaged and two hundred blocks were laid level
to the ground. Three thousand three hundred and thirty-six houses were
destroyed."

"Where did it begin, sir?" asked Anton. "In the West Indies?"

"Undoubtedly," the Forecaster answered, "but, unlike last week's storm,
we knew very little about it, before it came. Three days before the
hurricane struck Galveston, storm warnings were hoisted, although, at
that time, advices from Cuba showed that it had developed but little
force. By the next afternoon it was beginning to wake up to true
hurricane strength and the steamer _Louisiana_ almost foundered in the
middle of the Gulf.

"In Galveston, our barometer commenced falling that afternoon, and by
next morning the situation began to look serious. The barometer was
still falling steadily and high cirrus clouds of the mares'-tails
variety, that always run in advance of the hurricane, were clearly
marked.

"That afternoon over the waters of the Gulf came the long low swell,
each wave one to five minutes apart, which is the sure sign of trouble.
Though the wind was from the north and north-west, the swell from the
south-east steadily increased and the tide began to rise. Before
mid-night, the Weather Bureau had sent warnings to the newspapers to
urge special precautions for the next day, as a rising tide and possible
hurricane threatened disaster. At breakfast, the next morning, every one
in Galveston read these warnings, none too soon, for at nine o'clock,
the edge of the storm struck the city.

"The wind was steadily rising, and shifting by gusts at five minute
intervals, until one o'clock in the afternoon, when it reached storm
velocity. After that, it began to increase in fury. Every subscriber of
the telephone company was warned personally from the Weather Bureau.
Hundreds of people who could not be reached by telephone besieged the
Weather Bureau, seeking advic