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In this week’s article by Patricia Bellis Bixel, I found it interesting how Bixel tied the themes of the Progressive Era with the aftermath of a natural disaster; as in the case of the Galveston Hurricane. I also noted many similarities with the response after The Great Chicago Fire. The people of Chicago quickly rebuilt the damaged part of the city swiftly and effecitvely with great effort. Galveston was also devasted by disaster yet people were interested in restoring the city. I agree with erodriguez317 in her statement that “both of these disasters still have a positive aspect, where it shows the perseverance of the human beings”. Similar to the Chicago fire, the main people who wanted to see the city rebuilt were business men who had financial ventures in Galveston. However, the manner in which the city was rebuilt was different than Chicago. The hurricane revealed the poorly designed town in respect to hurricanes, and commitees were reformed for relief and rebuilding. The practice of forming committees for change is a common occurance during the Progressive era.
Bixel also introduces a compelling argument when she states that the decision for the rebuilding of the city was made only by wealthy white men. This reveals another theme that can be connected to the Guilded Age. On the surface, the rebuilding of the city set the standard for disaster preparedness in the United States; however there was unseen corruption in the process.
I also liked how Bixel showed the new progress that was being made in disaster readiness technology. The way in which the town was raised was a technological feet for its time and techniques used in the aftermath of the Galveston disaster can still be seen today. Despite this, Bixel shows the reader that many were still uneducated on disaster preparadness. I found the idea by the French artillery Colonel hilarious and a good example of weather awareness at the time.