Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-02-25

& do-.4s after do--7 Of s do--2o after II
meridies--lO after1 P. M. dos after do.
seyere-so after 2, FIVE shocks In succession
IS o'clock, a shock-l5 minutes alter 40
seyere-loth December, 80 minutes after ,
A, M. shocks in succcssion--l7 OF 9, severe
shock-3o after P. MI. shock-l7 OF 40.
so after do-3o after 9 do-so alter =
do-2Oth December, 80 minutes alter a. M
shock-lo after II, long and tremehaous ;
shock-2ls St December, several reports u
shocks or distant thunder was heard a &c
cember, III o'clock A. M. slight shock-
Esd December at in the morning very Sc
we're shock.
Thus we observe that there were In the
space of time mentioned before, eighty -hihe
shocks-it is hardly possible to conceive inc
CONFUSION which they created, and | assure
you believe that there were many OF these
shocks which, had they followed. In quicK
succession were sufficient to shake into atoms
the Grmest edifces which art ever devised.
landed often, and on the nalh shofe do
well as on several islands found evident traces
of prior eruptions, all which seem corrobora
tive of an opinion that the river was sorm as
by some great earthquake--to me hlaoca l"o
bed appears to possess every necessary ii'sie-
dent, nor have I doubt but that there arc d.
the bottom of the river strata upon strata Oh
volcanic matter. The great quantities OF
combustible materials, which are undoubtedly
there deposited, tend to render CONFUSION
of this kind extremely alarming, at LEAST
however, the beds of timber, and trees
inetrwoyen and firmly matted together at
the bottom of the Mississippi are tolera-
blv correct data from which may be presumed
the prior nature, sc. of the land. The trees
are similar to the growth upon the banks, and
wbv NAV not an inference be drawn that sonae
tremendous agitation of nature, has rent this
once a continued forest, and given birth to
a great and noble stream. There are many
direct and collateral facts which may be adj
duced to establish the point, and which require
time and Investigation to collect and apply.
It is circumstance we'll worthy OF remark
that during the late commissions the current OF
the river was almost lnstantaneously and "a
pidly increased Ii times OF the highest Hoods
it rates at from TO 5 knots per hour he
water is now low and when We stopped on the
10th inst at half after ?. NJ. We had then
run from that morning 80 miles, rating al 3
knots generally. This current was increased
for two DAYS and then fell to Us usual force
1T is also singular that the water has faiien
with astonishing rapidly. The most proba-
bic and easy solution OF this fact, which pre-
sented itself to my mind, was, that the strength
of the Mississlppi current was greater thah
he tributary streams could support. Elner
~, must have been the case or SOME division
- ars above has occurred, or destruction
=. s created some great basin or reser-
$50 Co. ~. disembogulng OF the main body
ae ,,.rsr Tn, latter presumption appfe-
Iand cannot he correct, as our progress to-
MY Ss,,t,, o+ this river, is marked with
little or no injury. o;ne, s,nerG
ci,1 view Of this awful pl,.. nomenon; not SO
much to convey instruction ups 10y of , w.
resting subj ect as to crafty the cu. '00,.s AN
public relative to SO remarkable an e, CIV. A'
some more convenient season it is my i'''o' +
ton from facts which had the opportunil, ~
collecting, to canvas the subject more IN de-,
tail, YOU are therefore at liberty to make what
YER use you please of this brief sketch, and
\, rblish the whole or extract such parts as you
ma deem best adapted
S hould other interesting circumstances oc-
cur reIatve to this phenomenon, VIII 90 my
self the pleasure of making you another COM
munic, ltion
With much respect,
am, sir,
Your obedient servant,
WILLIAM LEIGH PIERCE.
NEW ORLEANS, Jan. l3, 1911.
.Aereeably to my promise in the last com
,;c't;on which had the pleasure OF max
ing you, present further detail OF the late
Earthquake.
confined TO the Mississippi. 1t vas lett IN
some degree throughout the Indiana territory
and the states of Ohio, Kentucky and Ienes-
Wv - .uitl, o.entlennen from