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1886 HURRICANE
AT SABINE PASS
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Historical Marker
Text
1886 Hurricane
at Sabine Pass
In 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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"1886 Hurricane
at Sabine Pass" Historical Marker
TE photo, March 2007 |
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