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1886
HURRICANE AT SABINE PASS |
"1886
Hurricane at Sabine Pass" Historical Marker
TE photo, March 2007 |
Historical
Marker Text 1886 Hurricane at Sabine PassIn
October 1886, Sabine Pass was the second
largest town in Jefferson County, boasting a new rail line and an optimistic outlook
on continued growth as a major coastal port. On the afternoon of October 12, just
two months after a hurricane had destroyed the Texas port of Indianola
(200 mi. SW), a fierce storm ravaged the town of Sabine
Pass.
The hurricane's strength lay in its 100 mile-per-hour winds
and the swiftly rising water that swept homes off their foundations and carried
people and animals as far as 25 miles away. Eighty-six people, including entire
families, were killed, and only two of 77 houses remained intact after the waters
subsided. Stories of survival are documented as well, signifying the determination
of residents to endure the storm.
Rescue and cleanup efforts began promptly,
with the citizens of Beaumont, Orange,
Galveston and Houston
providing boats, rescue teams and financial assistance. Special legislative action
provided tax relief for the storm-ravaged area, exempting citizens from payment
of state and county taxes in 1886.
As one of several difficulties Sabine
Pass faced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the 1886 hurricane contributed
significantly to the town's decline in the years to come.
(2001)
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