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08 Sep 00 - 11:52 PM (#293882) Subject: Thought for the day - September 9, 2000 From: katlaughing I am haunted by an image burned into my mind and heart, while listening to a story on the radio today, about the devastating Galveston hurricane and flood of 1900, exactly one hundred years ago, yesterday and today. By far the greatest loss of lives in the United States, at 6-8,000, no one had a clue it was coming. Galveston had been considered safe. You may read more about it here. To hear the stories I did, with eyewitness accounts, recorded long ago, go to www.npr.org and look for the Lost & Sound Files for September 8th. 28.8 (click) 14.4 (click) It is an extraordinary experience. This is the first time Galveston has had any kind of commemoration. It was not talked about because mostly it was considered bad for business. Survivors didn't talk about it because they just weren't supposed to. ONe man lost 11 family members. The image that haunts me still is that of a handful of nuns, tying 93 children between them to themselves, six or seven per woman, in order that not one child be lost in the ferocious storm; a storm so strong that one man was beheaded by a sheet of roofing material. As they watched the waters gain higher ground in the orphanage, the nuns had the children join them in singing a hymn in French. It was an old seaman's hymn all about coming throught to the sunshine when the storm was over, if I heard it right. I will have to listen to it again, if I can. The radio production of the story was so well-done, with actual children's voices singing the song behind the announcer's narration. It caught me unawares; heart wide-open, eyes shut with tears streaming down my face, sobs escaping my throat growing to outloud despair which brought my dog running to see what was wrong. That image, the women with the children, the loss....three boys survived. Some of the nuns' bodies were found on the mainland; one was found with nine children still attached to her by rope; one was found with a child clutched in each arm. They said that nowadays with our sophisticated weather equipment, this would not happen, as people would be warned well ahead of time. I am glad of that. That image, the women and the children....as well as the others the story brought to my mind and heart...are indellible, as well as the creaky old voice of the old, old survivors finally free to be heard. There are two songs in the DT which come up if you type in Galveston flood. Please read them and think on those whose lives were lost, reaching out over this one hundred years to touch us and remind us of their being. Thanks, kat |
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09 Sep 00 - 09:11 AM (#294044) Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 9, 2000 From: katlaughing Thank Pene and Joe for fixing things and adding specific links. You guys are great! kat |
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09 Sep 00 - 09:20 AM (#294050) Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 9, 2000 From: Dave (the ancient mariner) kat, you gonna sing them on hearme sometime? |
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09 Sep 00 - 10:34 AM (#294082) Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 9, 2000 From: Mrrzy Mighty Day, by Bob Gibson. Whew. Wasn't it a mighty day great god that morning when the storm winds swept the town... still brings tears to my eyes. Probably would have driven off the road if I'd heard that bit on NPR! |
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09 Sep 00 - 11:33 AM (#294105) Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 9, 2000 From: katlaughing Ha, Dave! Thanks for asking, darlin', but I just found out about them, yesterday, so it's doubtful I would sing them any time soon. Haven't felt very much like singing a lot lately, anyway. Not sure why; sure enjoy listening, though. kat |
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09 Sep 00 - 01:16 PM (#294150) Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 9, 2000 From: bob schwarer Modern day weather forecasting is still not very good. Last year the Weather Service missed two of them coming at us here in central Florida. Didn't get a drop of rain or a breeze from either. They evacuated the east coast, then the storm turned north. Better safe than sorry, I guess, but the point is the forecast was still wrong. The "Great Unnamed Storm" of March, 1993 (Ithink it was '93) caught everyone off guard, even though the weather people say they saw it coming. I think they are just covering their butts. In any case the word did not trickle down to tho populace. This is not really a knock at the weather service. The tools are just not there to accurately predict a storm's path. Next time there is a storm in the Atlantic go to a weather service site and see how the different models vary. Read the forecasters comments and you will see that with the widely and wildly different predictions, the "official" one is just a SWAG. The site I use mostly is http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/ Bob S. |
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09 Sep 00 - 01:26 PM (#294154) Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 9, 2000 From: Little Neophyte Kat, I just finished reading the book on that storm in Glaviston. Isacc's Storm - A Man a Time and the Deadliest Hurricane in History. When I was finished I could not get those images out of my mind. Very good book. Goes into the history of meteorology. I found it fascinating. Bonnie |
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09 Sep 00 - 04:11 PM (#294225) Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 9, 2000 From: JenEllen Ach, more tears and worried dogs.... Thanks for the heads up on Isaac's Storm too, have to check it out. ~Elle |
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09 Sep 00 - 04:20 PM (#294227) Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 9, 2000 From: catspaw49 The Texas gulf area has had its share over the years. The explosions and fire at Oil City was one of the biggest of the century. Thanks kat.....touching story. Spaw |
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09 Sep 00 - 06:45 PM (#294266) Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 9, 2000 From: Mbo Very sad... |
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09 Sep 00 - 07:19 PM (#294272) Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 9, 2000 From: bob schwarer There is a program on the Discovery Channel right now. "Unexpected Storms". At least it's on in Cent. FL. Bob S. |
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09 Sep 00 - 07:38 PM (#294281) Subject: RE: Thought for the day - September 9, 2000 From: Mbo Even more realistic to us folks here in Eastern North Carolina. Hurricane Floyd ripped through here one year ago next Saturday. The area still hasn't fully recovered. |