The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-03-22

roof In its present condition, the southern
portion Of the building is quite unsafe.
The walls Of the building No. ~ From
street, occupied as a store by Britain
Co, are cracked in a number of places
The building will procably have to be taker
down
The southern wall of the City Hall Build
ing, on the line Of stairway ascending to the
upper stories, Is cracked from the founda
ton to the roof. The wall plaster has iaer
of IN a number Of places. A number oI
brick buildings in the lower portion of the
city are slightly cracked but in most in
stanccs the damage may be easily repaired
The shocks were particularly severe in
that portion of the city known as St. AIMS
Valley, being the continuation Of Market
street from its intersection with Dupont.
street to the vicinity of Ycrba Bucna Gene
terry, and lying between the low range oil
sand-hlls through which Post and G, ,ary
streets are extended on the other From
o'clock up to the commencement of the
earthquake, the entire canine population Of
the valley, (Which unluckily happens 10 be
to numerous for the comfort and peace of the
other classes OF inhabitants,) were UP and
busy with their throats. II is little singu-
lar that with the commencement Of tho un-
earthly rumbling (Which sounded like the
passage OF n slege-train or heavy artillery
wagons the clamor gave place to complete
stiffness, only broken by the subterranean
growngs referred to, and the creaking and
wearings Of the various habitations of wood
which most abound in this vicinity.
One Of the attaches connected with this
office, who had gone home desperately en-.
deayoring to comprehend the extent Of the
Jcddo calamity, Of which news had been re-
celved in the evening, suddenly awoke to
the consciousness that yeritabe earthquake
(w'th power and oscillation that put all Ia.
ble.tpping and spiritual manifestations to
the blusl) was presenting the japanese vi.
station with degree Of truthfulness vastly
more convincing than it was comfortable
lhrou2 2hout the valley, pictures and mirrors
were Jarred from their places on the walls,
the pIastcring cracked, and in some in.
stances-in stores-wholc shelves Of bottles
thrown on the floor. The shock lasted for
some seconds, and occurred and REQUIRED
with yehencnce that threatened no ".et
up whatever. Any person who has had
the doubtful pleasure Of stage ride over
the heavy roads in the Western States during
the Spring, and remembers the peculiar JOS
ting occasioned by the passage Of the vchi.
Gle over rustic bridges or sloughs covered
with round poles or logs, can form very
truthful idea Of the motion impaired in the
present instance. II did not seem to come
from east or west, or from north or south,
out was general rotary up hcaying. On
The final dying away Of the last tremulous
and vibratory motion Of the earth, one loud
and shrieking howl, prolonged some Sc
conds, by some terrified dog, gave the sig.
nal for general opening aud every "mon.
Crcl puppy, whc'p and hound, with cur Of
low degree, within the entire circumference
OF the valley, gave vent 10 series Of the
most diabolicaI and frantic bnrkings and
yelpings that human ears ever listened to,
and thus terminated the night and the al.
venture in this locality.
In the vicinity Of South Park the shock
was particularly great. Many Of the dwell.
ingS were severely shaken, and some Of them
partially stripped Of the plastering Of the
ceilings. At the house Of Captain Richie a
most affecting and beautiful incident occur.
red. II appears that the chambermaid in the
employ Of the family aros. a few minutes
previous to the shock sHi was engaged in
dressing. The window Of her room was
open. Immediately after the vibration OF
the earth had ceased she was startled by a
rushing, llutieriug noise in the room, and on
looking around observed pretty white tuft
ed pigeon ny in at the window aud fall appa.
rcntly lifclcss on the floor. She approached
t, picked il up, and discovered that life was
not extinct in the frightened bird, by the yi.
Olcnt palpitaton Of It's heart. In few mo.
ments It recovered and gave evident symp.
toms Of relief. The bird was unquestonabIy
frightened by the qunking of the earth, aud
was perhaps lucky in falling into the hands
Of kind family, who will, on ought TO,
treasure it as a mcmcnto Of the great shake
Of February, SO.
At the Mission the shock was very great.
Mos, Of the occupants Of the adobe build
lugs were thrown from their beds, aud eve.
rs article Of furniture in the rooms was dis.
placed. The church walls, and portions Of
the walls Of other buildings, were rent in
various places.
From all accounts, the shock in Contra
Costa was even more severely felt than in
this city. The destruction of window. glass
at Oakland was quite fearful, very few
houses escaping. Accounts from san Anto-
MO, Alameda, and Clinton are to the same
effect
Through Wells Fargo & Co.'S Messenger,
we learn that the shock was very severe at
san Jose. The Clinton Hotel building
swayed like the boush Of tree in gale Of
wind, and decantcrs and crockery were
dashed in fragments from the shelves. We
have similar account from Santa Clara.
The shock was also felt ut Alyarado
Stockton, and Monterey.