Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-11-06
SALT LAKE CITY IN RUINS,

OF Fort Laramie, October 10, that the train
which arrived at that place from Great Salt
Lake, which left on the 18th of September,
brings accounts of an awful earthquake, which
took place on the 18th of that month. We
have seen no account elsewhere of the report
ed event, and therefore we are inclined to doubt
its truth. However, the article to which we
have above referred, says
The shock continued to increase until IL
p. M, when the great promontory on the oppo.
site side OF the lake, at Flat Rock Point, slid
from its base into the lake; driving the water
| before 1t, IN an enormous wave, to the opposite
shore, where it speedily mounted to the top of
the first stories, combining the inhabitants to
their chambers.
About one hundred houses, containing chief.
ly women and children, were thus surrounded.
The shrieks of the women and children were
appalling.
"The rumbling Of the earthquake, and the
| shouts and yells of the frenzied multitude, with
the roaring of the waters, all formed u season
of painful excitement" says our informant,
such as he never witnessed before. To add to
| the horrors OF the night, a heavy thunder storm
with ram and wind came up, and the water
rose still higher.
Boats and RATS constructed of anything
which was most readily to be found piled back
and forth in the midst of the storm and until
an early hour next mornings and by great ex-
ertions on the part of the husbands, fathers
and brothers, the women and their children
were rescued from danger. This part of the
city is occupied by the dwellings, used by the
numerous wives of the better class of citizens,
with their offspring.
Towards morning the water receded, and
the shocks ceased.
The opposite side of the Lake presented a
strange site. The high, fiat promontory on
the point had slid into the Lake, crumbling as
it went, and filling it up to considerable height
with pieces Of rock and large numbers Of small
trees, underbrush &C., mixed with the earth
| upon which they had grown. The portion of
! the Lake thus filled up cannot be less than
mile long, and three-quarters wide, as well as
could be judged, from the distance.
Roc Ii the following news from Kansas be
Btrue, then indeed is war near at hand-a war
between the pro-slavery and Abolition parties.
We are surprised at nothing, however vile, that
the Aboltionists do. They prefer fraud to
force, as it brings with it less of peril, and there
fore we are not altogether prepared to credit
| the following account of this preparation for
battle If, however, it shall turn out to be true,
the Border Ruffians" and their sympathisers
will become so much exasperated that they
will proceed at once to drive every Abolitionist
from the Territory. Nor could any reasonable
man blame them for it. But we sincerely hope
that this fair young Territory is not destined to
be the scene Of civil srife-of bloodshed and
of horror.
From the ST. Joseph Cycle Extra, Oct 90
Startling Developments!!- Treason In
Kansas.
70 the People Of Missouri:
A secret civico.miitary organization exists
in our neighboring Territory, formed to war
upon our institutions, and to initiate against
our lives, our interests and our hopes. A Mr.
P. Laughlin, Kentuckian, and a member of
the secret society, with danger to his life, has
made the following expose, which we give in
| his own words:
There are arms accumulated in abundance
in Lawrence ana in the Territory, furnished by
an organization in Boston, which has also for
warded 100000 in cash, TO be used for the
purpose Of making Kansas free State. This
Northern secret society is prepared to resort 10
violence to carry out its purposes, in case all
other means fail. 1t procaims the Union
| bagatele and q farce, and the Confederacy not
worth preserving. A house built at Lawrence
| by the Emigrant Aid Society of Massachusetts,
and the principal hotel of the place, is for
tress in ITSELF with port holes and all the requi-
sites for offensive and defensive warfare. A
box marked dry goods and directed to Dr.
4 Rnh of he mic A
was opened in my presence, and was filed with
the arms and munitions of war. The leading
men Of this secret Northern Society are direct
ing and governing the popular mind with q
view to war. They proclaim that slavery shall
not exist in Kansas, and boast Of having run
off three negroes from Missouri, and sent them
to Canada.
| The object Of the society, as openly promul-
| gated to the members, is to war upon the insti.
tutions of the South. They declare that color
is no bar to perfect liberty and equality, so far
as the whites are concerned. The society is
| organized on a military basis, and draws on
religion as the spur and the incentive to action.
According to the constitution the members are
bound to muster, in fact oathboun whenever
called upon for active service. | was intro
duced to the Executive Committee by Gov.
Reeder, and recommended by him as a worthy
member, and left it only when | found that
could not commune with it without being guilty
/ of treason.
| A resolution was offered on the 9th Of Sep.
TENDER to the following effect:
| That every reliable Freesoiler be provided
with a rife, brace of pistols and saber, to
came when sailed upon by bis superior officer.
That he should go and use his arms for the
rescue of any one coming under the iurisdic.
ton of the present laws Of the Territory For
the truth Of the above, am wiling to vouch an
/ oath p IAuGHLIy.
From the above it will be observed that the
crisis has at last reached its height in Kansas
That open resistance to the laws is meditated
| by Northern disunionists. How long will pro.
slavery men submit to secret organization
whose basis is treason to the Government, the
| Constitution and the Union,
| Let US meet, and consider the subject, and
see what should be done in the exigency. The
North is making preparations which must be
opposed by the South in her full strength, and
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