Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson Page A

— somebutafewyards,othersseveralblocks."
    Thestormkilled176people.ComparedwiththedeathtollsofthegreatBayofBengaltyphoons,thisrawtotaldidnotseemlikemuch.ButGen.AdolphusGreely,whovisitedIndianolasixmonthsafterthestorm,estimatedthedeathtollamountedtoone-fifththecity'spopulation.Thestormleftaschoonerhighanddryfivemilesinlandandkilledfifteenthousandsheepandcatde.Allthis,Greelyobserved,despitethefactthatIndianolaoccupiedashelterednicheontheTexascoastfourteenmilesfromtheGulfandbehindabrokenplumeofbarrierlandsthatmighthavebeenexpectedtoblunttheforceofanyoncomingstorm.Evensixmonthsafterward,thedamagewasobviousandvivid.Thehurricanehaddestroyednotonlythesuperficialstructuresmadebymen,Greelyfound,butalsoGod'sowntopography."Thestrikingphysicalchangesweretheformationofalargelakeintherearofthetownandtheplowingofnumerousbayousinland,fiveconnectingacrossthesolidlandofanelevationrangingbetween10and20feetabovethelevelofMatagordaBay,onwhichthetownwasbuilt.Oneofthesebayouswasnearly20feetdeepatthetimeofmyvisit."
    Indianolawasproudofitsportandbelieveditcouldberestoredtoitsformerprosperity.Itsresidentschosetorebuild.
    THESECONDHURRICANEarrivedonAugust20,1886."Thewaterinthebaycommencedtoriserapidly,"accordingtotheSignalCorpsaccountofthestorm.Thewinddestroyedtheservice'sweatherstation,wherefallingtimberskilledtheresidentobserver,I.A.Reed,ashetriedtoescape."Alampintheofficesetfiretothebuildingand,althoughrainwasfallingheavily,itwasburned,andalsomorethanablockofbuildingsonbothsidesofthestreet."
    Thewindraisedstormandebbsurgesevenmoredestructivethanthoseof1875."Theappearanceofthetownafterthestormwasoneofuniversalwreck.Notahouseremaineduninjured,andmostofthosethatwereleftstandingwereinunsafecondition.Manywerewashedawaycompletelyandscatteredovertheplainsbackofthetown;otherswereliftedfromtheirfoundationsandmovedbodilyoverconsiderabledistances."
    Thestormcausedsuchthoroughdestruction,andkilledsomanyresidents,thesurvivorsabandonedthetownforever.
    ATFIRST,GALVESTON'SleadingmenseemedtograspthesignificanceoftheIndianolastorms.AnyonewholookedatamapcouldseethatGalvestonwasevenmorevulnerabletodestructionthanIndianola.Ithadnopicketofbarrierislandstoshelterit,nobufferofmainlandprairie.ThecityfacedtheGulfhead-on.
    SixweeksafterthesecondIndianolastorm,agroupofthirtyprominentGalvestonresidentscallingthemselvestheProgressiveAssociationmetandresolvedtobuildaseawall.ThiswasthesamegroupthatledthefightforfederalmoneytoturnGalvestonintoadeep-waterport.Thecity'sengineer,E.M.Hartrick,wentsofarastodraftplansforthewall.Heproposed"adiketenfeethighextendingcompletelyaroundtheisland,exceptforthenorthside.There,thewharvesweretoberaisedtoformthedike."Thecity'sEveningTribuneendorsedtheplan."Whenmensuchasthesesaythatworkonseawallprotectionshouldbecommencedatonceandpushedtocompletion,thepubliccandependuponitthatsomethingtangiblewillbedone — andthatwithoutunnecessarydelay."
    Thestateeventuallydidauthorizeabondtopayforthework."But,"engineerHartrickwrote,"thiswassomemonthsaftertheflood,andbythentheattitudewas,Oh,we'llnevergetanotherone — andtheydidn'tbuild."
    IfGalvestonhadanylingeringanxietyaboutitsfailuretoerectaseawall,Isaac's1891articlewouldhaveeasedthem.Itwasherethathebelittledhurricanefearsastheartifactsof"anabsurddelusion."Hewasespeciallyconfidentaboutstormsurges.Galvestonwouldescapeharm,heargued,becausetheincomingwaterwouldspreadfirstoverthevastlowlandsbehindGalveston,ontheTexasmainlandnorthofthebaywherethelandwasevenclosertosealevel.
    "Itwouldbeimpossible,"hewrote,"foranycyclonetocreateastormwavewhichcouldmateriallyinjurethecity."

PART II The Serpent's Coil

THESTORM
Spiderwebs and