Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1843-01-26

ALARMING EARTIlQUAkE-At about half
past O'Clock the evening OF the 9Th inst say. Tho
Memphis, tlenn) Eagle, our city visited by one of
those awful rocs Of nature 50 cony ulsyc and terrible
~ 10 spread almost scrsa alarm over the CITY Tho
irmest buildings troubled and cracked and the earth
roeled and rocked under most terrific excitement To
say that We were not deeply impressed with the awful
ness o The moment, under the terrible sensiby Of the
presence OF one OF those agonzng and terrific hroes of
Nature that have in few seconds hurled immense ri
ties. and their hundred thousand smt,cn and rrh,coed
nhaoitants deep into the bowels of the earth would be
only 10 acknowledge ourse lnsenshle the mip hest
and most awful Of the Almighty's yisaiions
we were IN our office at the moment in the second
Story OF ne" block OF brick buildings The commence
nen' oil the Earring we conceived proceed from the vi
olent undertaking OF some person shake open door
beneath us. But III moment afterwards the agitation
seized the brick walls surrounding u.s. shaking and reel
ing them, to such an extent, "a TO knock down par
nv'es oi hr'ck aud plaster, jarrlng the roof and
"oe building 50 as 10 mpfoss with the fear of the
buildings falling. Sensible If the appalling cause of,hc
agitation, we hastily fled into the street for safety
The fate OF ancient Memphis rose up in memory, and
we lei, That The 'amosake of that i'll atcd city nigh, be
ooomeo 10 similar destruction. In the street there was
sui violent rocking Of the earth and ra,tlnq and
rumbling noise. People fled into the streets, and eric.
and lamentations OF many horror stricken men and wo
men were heard to fill the air
Inc shock listc about two minutes and reached i,s
most asa'ns period at the end of the frat half minute
wnen II suddenly died away In dismal rumbinc sound
apparently moving 10 south east and proceeded from the
north. west "
The day had been one of beautiful ounshiu. ,bouob
cool Towards sunset the atmosphere became warm.
ana me thermometer must have fallen at least five de
grees during tho live hours preceding the shock Twas
cloudy al The time, veil OF thin clouds moving low and
Wioy occasionally admitting the light of the stars fee
oy ~ shinc out here was scarcely any air string but
WHICH oarlhg an hour succeeding The tiroc was appa
ren.y ag''aeo into still breeze from the soub which
died away about one n'clock "' "'"'''
The tops OF several chimneys Were shaken dow, tho
bricks falling inside and with the rocku of tho ha,sos
and quaklng OF the earth, frghuy alaminr tn. nlnh
tanis great many brick walls are seriously r,elIod
and sunk, windows broken and cotton shed ,u,r,ll
crazy hell down shortly after the shock At our anc
houses, which were filled with people 50 ALARMING and
pecptated was the rush into the street tina, many o
pie were crushed and tramped upon by the airpeted
crowd There was great deal OF alarm and percing
iamentation among the females aud the agitation was
general and the cause terrible and awful The power Of
the Almighty was feartully and sensibly demonstrated
IN the shaking of the gigantic Earth as if but mere
zeal u The tremulous aspen II heavod and quaked and
groaned. as II smtten with agony Our city rocked
ana reeed as II on the verge of falling pieces and the
horror-stcken people tremblingy rushed m their tot,
'erng ienements for safety. into the streets with the
awful impression paralyzng their senses that the earth
was convulsed with Ut those awful tLroes that cause
her TO open and swallow up cities