1934 — July 24-26, hurricane, Brazoria, Matagorda, Jackson, Galveston counties, TX– 11

–11 Blanchard fatality estimate based on locality breakouts below.

Our tally of fatalities based on the locality breakouts below, is twelve. However we think it
probable that the AP report of July 26 on the death of an unidentified man in the Freeport area
is a reference to Charlie Helmer who was lost off the San Bernard River mouth just south of
Freeport. If so then our death toll estimate would be eleven, which is what the press at the
time reported, as well as the Weather Bureau’s Monthly Weather Review.

–19 Roth, David (NWS). Texas Hurricane History. Jan 17, 2010 update, p. 43.
–11 Dunn, Gordon E. and Banner I. Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised). 1964, p. 323.
–11 Galveston Tribune, TX. “Lookin’ Ahead.” 8-1-1934, p. 1.
–11 Weather Bureau. “Tropical Disturbance of July 21-25, 1934.”MWR, 62/7, July 1934, p.251.
–2 Freeport [Brazoria County]
–1 Texas City [Galveston County]
–8 Morales and Wink tornadoes. [Jackson County]
Breakout of fatalities by locality where noted:
–2 Freeport. Drownings. Hugh W. Hereford, 63, electrical worker, and unidentified man.
–5 Jackson County, Morelos [Morales ].
–1 Handy Cook.
–1 Sue A George, 72, Morales.
–1 Harvey Lewis, 13, Wink.
–1 Neal Lewis, 45, Wink.
–1 Roland Lewis, 12. Wink.
–3 Sargent area. [Matagorda County]
–1 Mrs. J. H. Howard, 50, Her body found in Cornelius pasture slough.
–1 Nine-year-old son of Mrs. Howard.
–1 Alfonas Sanches, 63, who was with Mrs. Howard and her son. Body recovered.
–1 Gulf of Mexico off San Bernard River mouth. Charlie Helmer, 67, fishing boat capsized.
–1 Gulf of Mexico off Sargent area. Gerardo Sanches, 55, fisherman.
–1 Texas City. Drowning; Daniel B. Singleton, 41, swept from a pier by a high wave.

Narrative Information

Grazulis: “TX…JLY 25, 1934…20:00…5k [killed]…8inj…F3…JACKSON [county]
“A hurricane-spawned tornado at Morales, 13m N of Edna, killed four people in one of four farm homes that were leveled. Bodies were scattered for 200 yards. A hired-had was killed by flying debris as he crouched behind a tree, 300 yards from the home where the deaths occurred. The tornado moved to the NNW from 1m E of the Navidad River.” (Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. 1993, p. 856.)

Roth: “July 24-26th, 1934: The third storm of the season formed off the North Carolina coast on the 21st. It then moved south and southwest across Florida into the eastern Gulf…a move only one other cyclone on record has ever matched. It then developed rapidly south of Louisiana on the 24th and struck just north of Corpus Christi (Rockport) on the 25th as a minimal hurricane. Winds at Corpus Christi gusted to 56 mph as the pressure fell to 29.12”. Rockport saw a pressure of 28.79”. Twenty-four hour rainfall records were set for July at Falfurrias (4.52” on the 26th) and Fowlerton (4.75” on the 24th) St. Joseph’s Island had a 10.2 foot storm surge. Damage estimates were near $4.5 million, mostly to crops. Nineteen died in Texas due to the storm.” (Roth, David (NWS). Texas Hurricane History. Jan 17, 2010 update, pp. 42-43.)

Weather Bureau, Monthly Weather Review, September 1934: “
“This disturbance was unprecedented, so far as is known, in that it was of extra-tropical origin, but moved southwestward into the Gulf of Mexico and assumed all of the characteristics of a disturbance of tropical origin. Its extreme southern position was 5⁰ south of its place of formation. The nearest recorded approach to a development and movement of this character was that of October 1913, when a secondary disturbance that formed southeast of Nantucket, Mass., moved steadily southward and southwestward for several days and then westward, and passed inland on the South Carolina coast north of Charleston with all the characteristics of a tropical disturbance of moderate intensity.

“On July 20 a disturbance of wide extent was advancing slowly eastward, with center over eastern Quebec and with slowly falling pressure southwestward to the Carolinas. The winds aloft, which had been westerly, changed to northerly as far south as Florida. By the morning of the 21st a further slight decrease in pressure dong the South Carolina coast, together with a slight
rise over Virginia and North Carolina, resulted in a wind shift line that extended from about 75 miles east of Cape Hatteras southwestward to Charleston. However, there was no material change in air mass as shown by airplane flights made at Washington, Norfolk, and Montgomery.
The barometer at Wilmington and Savannah read 29.93 inches, and at Charleston 29.90 inches, so that a slight secondary disturbance was shown on the map at that place. As a rule, such minor disturbances quickly disappear, or else move off to the east or northeast; but with the upper air moving from the north and north-northeast over the South Atlantic States, this one was carried south-southwestward to the vicinity of Jacksonville by the evening of the 22d. At this time the wind at 8,000 feet elevation was 54 miles per hour from the east-northeast, and at Tampa 12 miles per hour from the northwest. This was the first evidence of the deepening of the disturbance, inasmuch as there was little pressure gradient at the surface.

“During the night of the 22d-23d the disturbance crossed the Florida peninsula and entered the Gulf of Mexico. For nearly 48 hours it moved steadily in a west-southwesterly direction with slowly increasing intensity. It was then (8 p.m. July 24) centered about 200 miles southeast of Galveston and was apparently still moving west-southwestward. However, a corrected report received later from M.S. Sharon in lat. 26’5’ N., long. 93’6‘ W., (the only vessel near or west of the center) indicated that the direction of movement had, since the 1 p.m. vessel reports, changed to west, so that the center the following morning was about 60 miles farther north than was indicated from the 8 p.m. reports of the 24th. The center moved inland a short distance north of
Rockport, Tex., about noon of the 25th. The lowest barometer rending reported was 29.12 inches at Corpus Christi, and the highest official wind velocity, 52 miles per hour from the south, at the same place. However, higher velocities were undoubtedly experienced between Corpus Christi and Freeport.

“The first advisory warning was issued at 9 p.m. of the 23d. Storm warnings were ordered displayed from Brownsville to Port O’Connor at 9:30 p.m. of the 24th, and hurricane warnings north of Corpus Christi and south of Galveston at 9:30 a.m. of the 25th. Storm warnings were ordered at Galveston at the same time.

“The total monetary loss from this storm has been variously estimated at $1,000,000 to $2,000,000. Three lives were lost on or near the coast (1 at Texas City and 2 at Freeport),while 8 persons were killed in tornadoes that occurred at Morales and Wink, Tex., in the right front quadrant of the storm.” (Weather Bureau. “Tropical Disturbance of July 21-25, 1934.”Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 62, Issue 7, July 1934, p.251.)

Newspapers

July 25, Brownsville Herald: “After battering a long stretch of the Texas coastline from Galveston to Freeport Wednesday morning [July 25] the hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico at noon was reported located only a few miles northeast of Corpus Christi and bearing down on that city. Residents of low sections of Corpus Christi were ordered to evacuate their homes by the local weather observer there, and the city prepared to feel the full fury of the tropical hurricane…

“Meanwhile, storm warnings had been ordered down at Brownsville, and observers generally agreed that this section of the coast is free from danger.

“In a long-distance telephone call to Corpus Christi at noon, The Herald was informed that the barometric reading there was down to 29.15, the lowest since the disastrous storm of 1915 raked that part of the coast. Port Aransas, eight miles from Corpus, reported a reading of 29.12, the lowest in history there. Forty-mile-an-hour winds swept in on Corpus Christi and Port Aransas about 9 o’clock Wednesday morning, and continued to do slight damage as the barometer crept lower. Damage to trees and small buildings was reported, but the Washington weather bureau and the local bureau reported that the city was yet to feel the full force of the tropical hurricane.

“A noon report from Washington placed the storm as very close to the coastline and moving inward slightly north of Corpus Christi. Local observers there said they expected the storm to pass inland north of there before 2 o’clock Wednesday afternoon. The causeway from Corpus Christi to Aransas Pass was reported crumbling away about noon. Corpus Christi observers said the Gulf was running a seven-foot tide and that the bay was beginning to rise at noon….

“Communication lines with Freeport, Port O’Connor and other points along the coast between Corpus Christi and Galveston were out but reports of winds ranging from 70 to 80 miles an hour were reported from those areas….” (Brownsville Herald, TX. “Storm Hits Wide Area Along Coast; Corpus To Get Worst.” 7-25-1934, p. 1.)

July 26, AP: “Houston, Texas, July 26 – (AP) – The Texas coast, from Galveston to Corpus Christi today dug out from the wreckage of an eighty mile an hour hurricane that swept that area yesterday.

“The heaviest loss of life was believed around Bay City. Carey Smith, editor of the Bay City Tribune said today that around seventeen persons are missing at Bay City and in the Sargent area. It was believed they were swept to death when a wall of water pushed by a violent wind, rushed six miles inland.

“Ten persons are missing in the Matagorda Bay area Bay City residents said they were told six persons were camped on the Matagorda peninsula when the storm broke. They are not accounted for.

“Five persons were killed and another injured, probably fatally, when the storm wrecked the farming community of Morelos in Jackson county. Practically every building in Morelos was wrecked. The wind subsided today and efforts for making open communications with stricken area by telephone and telegraph lines were interrupted to many towns where the center of the disturbance struck.

“Freeport, Port Lavaca and Port O’Connor had the coast strewn with innumerable wrecked small craft and roofless buildings, washed out bridges, ruined crops, white muddy roads marked a desolate scene inland. The estimated property damage will amount to many millions. Fatalities might exceed thirty, it was said.

“About one thousand persons marooned on High Island by the tidal wave [storm surge] which hit, were unable to leave today and indications were they might not get away for two or three days. While the water had receded, roads leading to the island were washed out in all directions. The road linking Beaumont and High Island was still under water in places.

“A tide which reached seven and one-half feet, the highest in the memory of old-timers at Matagorda, swept the bay waters into the main street of the town. In sections nearest the bay the water rose several feet in many of the houses. The wind which blew at Matagorda much of yesterday razed ten frame houses and the frame one-story city auditorium. The Santa Fe railroad station there was unroofed.

“Other fatalities reported were from Freeport, where two bodies were found as the waters receded, and from Texas City where Daniel B. Singleton, 41, was drowned. Hugh W. Hereford, 63, electrical worker, and an unidentified man were drowned at Freeport. Singleton was swept from a pier by a high wave.

“Four fishermen, out in Matagorda bay in two small boats when the wind struck, were missing. Wm. Greenwald and Cal Ryman were in one boat, Clarence Beck and a Mr. Breaux in the other. A straw hat which washed ashore and was believed to have been that of Breaux, added to the belief the fisherman had drowned.” (Associated Press. “Texas Coast Counting Dead and Storm Damages. Water Wall Rushes Over Sargent Area.” Laredo Times, TX. 7-26-1934, p. 1.)

July 27, Abilene Morning News: “….It was considered virtually certain that Charlie Helmer, 67, had drowned at the mouth of the Menard river near Freeport. Helmer and a man named Maroney were caught by the sudden hurricane while in a small boat. Maroney was saved by Charles Brandts of Freeport, but Helmer was swept away in the surging waters….” (Abilene Morning News, TX. “Hurricane—continued from page 1.” 7-27-1934, p. 6, col. 4.)

July 28, Brownsville Herald: “Charlie Helmer, 67, was swept toward the sea after lashing waves had overturned his small craft in the Bernard river near Freeport and was believed dead.” (Brownsville Herald, TX. “Seek Other Bodies.” 7-28-1934, p. 1., col. 1.)

Sources

Abilene Morning News, TX. “Hurricane—continued from page 1.” 7-27-1934, p. 6, col. 4. Accessed 9-23-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/abilene-morning-news-jul-27-1934-p-6/

Associated Press. “Texas Coast Counting Dead and Storm Damages. Water Wall Rushes Over Sargent Area.” Laredo Times, TX. 7-26-1934, p. 1. Accessed 9-23-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/laredo-times-jul-26-1934-p-1/

Brownsville Herald, TX. “Seek Other Bodies.” 7-28-1934, p. 1., col. 1. Accessed 9-23-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/brownsville-herald-jul-28-1934-p-2/

Brownsville Herald, TX. “Storm Hits Wide Area Along Coast; Corpus To Get Worst.” 7-25-1934, p. 1. Accessed 9-23-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/brownsville-herald-jul-25-1934-p-11/

Daily Tribune. “Mrs. J. H. (Red) Howard Buried Here Today – Mary Elvira Howard. Body of Storm Victim Found Friday Afternoon.” 7-28-1934; cited in: “Matagorda County 1934 Hurricane,” usgenwebsites.org. Accessed 9-23-2022 at: http://www.usgenwebsites.org/TXMatagorda/hurricane_1934.htm

Dunn, Gordon E. and Banner I. Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised Edition). Baton Rouge LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1964, 377 pages.

Galveston Tribune, TX. “Lookin’ Ahead.” 8-1-1934, p. 1. Accessed 9-23-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-tribune-aug-01-1934-p-1/

Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.

Roth, David (National Weather Service). Texas Hurricane History. Camp Springs, MD: NWS. 1-17-2010 update. Accessed 11-22-2017 at: http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/txhur.pdf
Also 9-23-2022 at: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/txhur.pdf

usgenwebsites.org. “Matagorda County 1934 Hurricane,” Accessed 9-23-2022 at: http://www.usgenwebsites.org/TXMatagorda/hurricane_1934.htm

Weather Bureau. “Tropical Disturbance of July 21-25, 1934.”Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 62, Issue 7, July 1934, p.251. Accessed 9-23-2022 at: https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/mwre/62/7/mwre.62.issue-7.xml