by Al Roker
Fort Sumter, 40, 41
France, 33–34
Franco-Prussian War, 263
Freezing conditions, forecasting, 79
Galveston
breakwater, 80–81, 279, 280–81
geography of, 31–32
history of, 31–51
hurricane. See Galveston hurricane of 1900
immigration in, 13, 38, 39–41, 48, 128, 289
layout of city, 46
lifting after storm, 281–88
naming of, 32
rebuilding of, 278–88
seawall, 80–81, 242, 279–81, 282–83
Galveston: A History (McComb), 299
Galveston: A History of the Island (Cartwright), 299
Galveston and the 1900 Storm (Bixel and Turner), 298
Galveston Bay, 33, 50–51, 197–98
Galveston Canal, 285–86, 287
Galveston City Hall, 14, 144, 149, 218–19
Galveston Cotton Exchange, 47, 50, 77, 117–18, 130
Galveston Cotton Mill, 47
Galveston Daily News, 51, 81, 85–86, 235–36, 277
Galveston harbor, 49–51, 274, 279–80
Galveston hurricane of 1900
aftermath of, 199–227
Cuban forecaster warnings, 86–87, 92, 95–97, 99–104, 106–7, 121–22, 294–96
death tolls, 235–36, 276–77
erroneous first notice of, 85–86
erroneous tracking of, 104–6, 107, 114–19, 152
impact of storm, 111–93
Thursday pre-storm, 111–19
Friday waves, 120–31
Saturday morning storm tide, 132–46
Saturday afternoon flooding, 147–62
Saturday night horrors, 163–93
Sunday aftermath, 199–201
issues storm warnings, 120–23, 136–37, 243–44
low pressure readings, 164–66
wind velocities, 163–67
meteorological history of, 54, 82–89, 95–97, 104–5
meteorological origins of, 22–29
official U.S. prediction, 85–86, 104–6
relief efforts, 203–4, 206–8, 224–25, 265–68, 274–78
relief funds, 260–61, 265, 268, 270, 276
Galveston militia, 220, 222–23, 225–27, 230
Galveston Movement, 289
Galveston Pavilion, 46–47
Galveston refugees
hospital, in Houston, 266–68, 275
relief efforts, 203–4, 206–8, 224–25, 265–68, 274–78
reports of, 204–5, 258
“white city on the beach,” 277
Galveston Seawall, 242, 279–81, 282–83
Galveston Trades Assembly, 48
Galveston Tribune, 235–36
Galveston Union Station, 145–46, 150–51, 159, 166
Galveston Weather Station, 54, 76–79, 104–5, 116–17, 142, 157–59, 242, 277
Gálvez y Madrid, Bernardo de, 33
Gangoite, Lorenzo, 89–90, 92–93, 95–96, 99, 104, 106–7, 121
Garfield, James A., 56, 263
Garten Verein, 18
Geneva Convention, 263
Geronimo, 69–70
Gilbert, Joe, 16, 244–45, 273–74, 288
Gonzales, Alcie, 19, 246, 247, 291
Gonzales, Boyer
aftermath of storm, 236–37, 245–47
background of, 16–18
before the storm, 16, 116
family business and, 18–19, 246, 291
inner conflict of, 19–20, 246
love of painting, 16, 18, 19–20, 245, 246, 291–92
post-storm life, 291–92
Gonzales, Edith Boyer, 17
Gonzales, Thomas, 17, 18–19, 232, 291
Grace Episcopal Church, 273
Great Galveston Disaster, The (Lester), 299
Great Gulf Hurricane of 1900. See Galveston hurricane of 1900
Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, 293
Greely, Adolphus W., 73, 74, 75–78, 97
Greene, Casey Edward, 298
Gulf Coast flooding of 1912 and 1915, 293
Gulf of Mexico, 33, 82–85
Friday storm waves, 123–31
Halsey, T. P., 82–85, 97
Hardin, John Wesley, 10
Hawley, J. H., 218–19
Hearde, Ed, 231
Hearst, George, 251
Hearst, William Randolph, 250–52, 260–61
Black and, 254–55, 257, 265–66
Cuba and USS Maine, 94–95
Heliography, 69–70
Helm, Jack, 10
Hertford, Nell, 19, 236–37, 246–47, 248, 291–92
High pressure, 62–63
Hiwassee College, 57–58
Homeopathy, 267
Homer, Winslow, 16, 19, 245, 292
Houston, Sam, 39–40, 41–42
Howgate, Henry W., 74
Howth, Clarence
aftermath of storm, 240, 247
before the storm, 20–21
impact of storm, 148, 154–55, 167–69, 171–72, 240
Howth, Marie, 148, 168–69, 171–72, 240
Humidity, 60–61, 63
Hurricane of 1900. See Galveston hurricane of 1900
Hutchins House (Houston), 271
Hygrometers, 60–62
Immigration, 13, 38, 39–41, 48, 128, 289
Indianola hurricane of 1886, 52
Intertropical Convergence Zone, 28
Isaac’s Storm (Larson), 298
Island of Color (Collins), 299
Jackson, Andrew, 36
Jackson, Peter, 254
Jamaica, 89
Jefferson, Thomas, 34, 93
Jet stream, 27–28
Jews of Galveston, 41, 128, 232, 289
J.M. O’Rourke Construction, 282
Johnstown Flood, 199, 264, 272
Jones, Walter, 218–19, 224, 227
Jover, Julio, 295–96
Juneteenth, 43
Karankawa Indians, 31–32, 37
Kellogg, John Harvey, 18, 246
Kelly, Shelly Henley, 298
Kempner, Harris, 51, 218
Kempner, Ike, 218
Ketchum, Edwin N.
aftermath of storm, 218–21
background of, 13
before the storm, 12, 13, 14
impact of storm, 128–29, 144, 149–50
as police chief, 12–14, 128, 144
relieving Fayling of duty, 268–70
Ketchum, Henry, 149–50, 219
Kew Observatory, 92
Key West, Florida, 85, 114–16
Kirwin, James, 127, 219, 232, 245
Lafitte, Jean, 35–38
Lakeview Cemetery, 293
La Lucha, 106
La Maison Rouge, 37
Lansil, Walter, 19, 245
Larson, Erik, 298
Lester, Paul, 299
Levy Building, 54–55, 62, 104, 117, 153, 164–65, 241, 277
Little Rock weather station, 65–66, 71, 72
Looting, 220, 221, 225, 232–33
Louisiana, 33–34
Louisiana (steamship), 82–85, 97
Louisiana Purchase, 34
Low pressure, 84, 87–88, 112–14, 163, 164–66
Lucas Terrace Apartments, 15
aftermath of storm, 212–13
impact of storm, 135–36, 143, 144–45, 147–48, 161–62, 169–71, 172–73
McCauley, J. P., 170, 173
McCauley, Mrs. J. P., 15, 170, 173
McCullough, Annie
aftermath of storm, 228–30
background of, 11–12
before the storm, 11, 12
impact of storm, 125–26, 139–40, 155, 156–57, 166, 167, 171
post-storm life, 296–97
post-storm rebuilding, 278
McCullough, Ed
aftermath of storm, 228–30
background of, 11–12
before the storm, 11
impact of storm, 125–
26, 139–40, 155, 156–57, 166, 167, 171
post-storm life, 296–97
post-storm rebuilding, 278
McKibben, Chambers, 206–9, 224–25
McKinley, William, 45, 94, 95, 99, 205
Magruder, John B., 43
Maine, USS, 94–95
Mareographs, 133–34
Martí, José, 92–94
Martial law, 103, 219–20, 223, 225, 227, 248, 255
Masterson, Bat, 254
Maury, Matthew F., 52–53
Mavericks, 68
Meltemi, 27
Menard, Michel, 13, 40
Meteorology, 55–65. See also Forecasting
Midwest, impact of hurricane on, 201
Mississippi Flood of 1927, 293
Monagan, Thomas, 206–10, 224–25
Monroe, James, 93
Monroe Doctrine, 93
Moody, William Lewis, 51
Moore, Willis, 97–104
aftermath of storm, 199–200, 205, 243–44
Clines’ cables, 157–61, 199–200, 243–44
Cuban cable ban of, 102–4, 106, 294–96
Cuban forecasting methods and, 89, 99–102, 121–22, 165
erroneous first notice, 86, 87
erroneous tracking of storm, 104–6, 107, 111, 113, 115–16, 117
issues storm warnings, 120–22
post-storm life, 293–95
revamping of Weather Bureau, 97–99
Mormon polygamy, 255
Morse, Samuel, 44
Morton, Julius, 97, 99
Multiculturalism, 41, 48
Murney, Will, 237
Napoleon Bonaparte, 34, 35
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 299
National Weather Service. See Weather Bureau, U.S.
Negro Longshoreman’s Union, 48, 231
Nesbit, Evelyn, 290
New Orleans, 32–36, 49–50, 129
New Orleans Weather Station, 293
New York Bazaar for Galveston Orphans, 260
New York City, impact of hurricane on, 202
New York Journal, 251–52, 254–55, 258, 259–61
Cuba and USS Maine, 94–95
New York Red Cross, 264
New York World, 95, 198–99, 250–52, 261, 264–65
Noble, Alfred, 280
Northeast blizzard of 1888, 75
Northerly Atlantic jet, 28
Oil boom in Texas, 48
Oklahoma, impact of hurricane on, 202
Patent Office, U.S., 262
Phoenix Assurance Company, 206–7
Piracy, 35–37
Plumiform clouds, 91
Port Arthur, Texas, 12
Port Eads weather station, 82, 105
Postal Service, U.S., 276
Price gouging, 220, 225, 227
Pride (ship), 37
Prouts Neck, Maine, 16, 19, 245, 246
Psychrometers, 62
Pulitzer, Joseph, 95, 198, 250–52, 261, 264–65
“Queen of the Waves” (folk hymn), 177
Racial segregation, 48–49
Recurve effect, 104–5, 111, 113–14, 115, 131
Refugees
hospital, in Houston, 266–68, 275
relief efforts, 203–4, 206–8, 224–25, 265–68, 274–78
reports of, 204–5, 258
“white city on the beach,” 277
Relief efforts, 203–4, 206–8, 224–25, 265–68, 274–78
Relief trains, 203–4, 206–8, 260, 265–66
Ripley, H. C., 280
Ritter’s Saloon, 145, 148, 154–55
Robert, Henry Martyn, 50, 80, 279–81, 282–83
Robert’s Rules of Order, 50
Robinson, John Thomas Romney, 60
Rocky Mountain locust, 65–66
Roosevelt, Theodore, 95
Rosenberg Free School, 15
Rough Riders, 95
Rowan, J. T., 144–45
Rudds, William, 10
Russell, Lillian, 253
Ryan, Elizabeth, 26, 143, 175–78
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 250–51
St. Louis World’s Fair (1904), 292
St. Mary’s Cathedral, 127, 219
St. Mary’s Orphanage
before the storm, 20–21
impact of storm, 143, 175–78
survivors of storm, 236–37
St. Patrick’s Church, 287
Salvation Army, 268
Sam Houston Normal Institute, 15
Sand dredging, 285–87
San Francisco earthquake of 1906, 290
San Francisco Examiner, 250–51, 253–54
Santa Anna, Antonio López de, 39
Santa Fe Railroad, 203–4, 288
Savannah rainy season, 25–27
Sayres, Joseph, 205
Scurry, Thomas, 207, 224–25, 268–69, 270
Sealy, John, 51, 218
Shafter, William, 100
Shipboard weather observations, 23, 27, 28–29, 64–65
Signal Corps, U.S. Army, 56–57, 68–70, 74–75, 92
Signal flags, 58, 67, 82
Sisters of Charity, 20
Slavery, 39, 41, 43
Smizer, Fleming, 12, 21, 139, 228–29, 230, 233
Snake Island, 31–32
“Sob sisters,” 290
Spain, 32–36, 38
Cuban War of Independence, 94–95, 99
Spanish-American War, 264
“Stadium effect,” 112
Standard Oil, 48
Stockman, William B., 101–2, 106, 114–15, 121
Storms, Floods, and Sunshine (Cline), 299
Storm surge on Friday, 121–31
Storm Watchers (Cox), 299
Straits of Florida, 24, 91–92, 97, 104–7, 111–12
Sullivan, John L., 254
Sunshine recorders, 59
Swiss Red Cross, 263
Telegraphy, 44, 56–57, 199–200
Telephones, 44–45
Texas, history of, 34–43, 47–48
Texas & Pacific Railway, 66
Texas City, 206, 207, 208, 271
Texas Rangers, 10–11, 138, 207
Texas Revolution, 39–40, 46
Texas Star Flour Mill, 47
Texas Weather Bulletins, 77
Texas Weather Service, 54, 73
Thaw, Harry, 290
Thomas Gonzales and Sons, 17–19
Thorne, Daisy
aftermath of storm, 212–13, 245
background of, 15
before the storm, 14–15
engagement of, 15–16
impact of storm
Saturday morning storm tide, 135–36, 143, 145
Saturday afternoon flooding, 147–48, 161–62
Saturday night horrors, 169–71, 172–73
post-storm life, 288
wedding of, 273–74
Through a Night of Horrors (Greene and Kelly, eds.), 298
Tracy, Camillus, 20, 143, 175–78
Trade (trading), 47–48
“Trap” effect, 166
Travis, William, 39
Tremont Hotel, 40, 41, 42, 218–19, 224
Trinity Episcopal Church, 17
Tropical depressions, 87–88, 89
Tropical storms, 130
Tropical waves, 28–29, 87–88
Tuffy, Louis J., 231
Turner, Elizabeth Hayes, 298
University of Arkansas Medical School, 72
University of Texas Hospital, 288
University of Texas Medical School, 8, 78
U.S. Weather Bureau. See Weather Bureau, U.S.
Vaughan, G. L., 205
Viñes, Benito, 89–92, 95–96, 99
Virginia Point, 203–4
Von Herrmann, Charles F., 68–70, 74–75
War Department, U.S., Cuban cable ban, 102–4, 106, 294–96
War of 1812, 36
Waves on Friday, 123–31
Weather Bureau, U.S., 55–56, 73–76
claimi
ng tropical disturbance, 85–86, 87
Cline and, 54–56, 58–59, 65–68, 70–71, 73, 76–77, 78–79
Cuban hurricane forecasters and, 86, 97, 99–104, 121–22, 294–96
daily reports, 57–58
erroneous first notice, 86, 87
erroneous tracking of hurricane, 104–6, 107, 114–19, 152
Greely and, 73, 74, 75–78
history of, 57–58
investigations and inspections of, 74–77, 78–79
issues storm warnings, 120–22, 136–37
Moore’s revamping of, 97–100
official hurricane prediction, 85–86, 104–6
recommended books about, 299
transfer to Agriculture Department, 73–74, 76
von Herrmann and, 68–70, 74–75
Weather forecasting. See Forecasting; Weather Bureau, U.S.
Weather instruments, 58–65
anemometers, 59–60
barometers, 62–65
hygrometers, 60–62
Weathervanes, 59
Weekend in September, A (Weems), 298
Weems, John Edward, 298
Western Union, 103, 152, 160–61, 203, 259
When the Heavens Frowned (Cline), 299
White, Stanford, 290
White Cross, 264
Williston Seminary, 17–18
Wilson, Woodrow, 294
Wind patterns, 27–28
Wind velocities of hurricane, 163–67
Wolfram, Arnold
aftermath of storm, 237
background of, 9–10
before the storm, 9, 21
impact of storm, 138, 149–50, 173–75, 178, 183–84, 187–89
post-storm life, 288
Wolfram, Henry, 9–10
Wolfram, Mary Schmidt, 9
Young, Samuel, 130–31, 152–53
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AL ROKER is known to more than thirty million TV viewers and has won thirteen Emmy Awards, ten for his work on NBC’s Today. He also hosts Wake Up with Al, a weekday morning program on the Weather Channel. A New York Times bestselling author, Roker lives in Manhattan with his wife, ABC News and 20/20 correspondent Deborah Roberts, and has two daughters and a son.
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CREDITS
Cover design by Mumtaz Mustafa
Cover images courtesy of the Library of Congress
Historical newspaper headlines courtesy of the New York Times
COPYRIGHT
THE STORM OF THE CENTURY. Copyright © 2015 by Al Roker Entertainment. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.