The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-03-19
81 D:
WEDNESDAY MORNINGS MARCH 1886.
From the San Francisco Alta Californian, 15u
EARTHQUAKE IN CALIFORNIA.

Tho residents of this city were arou
ed this morning at 5:23 o'clock, by
most violent shock Of an earthquak
which was felt IN every portion of th
town The vibration appeared from \
e to s. W, and as far as we can lear
not . single building escaped the teri
bic shock. The first movement of til
earth was very sudden, and the build
ings swayed to and fro heavily after
ward, and finally the vibrations wer
short aud rapid Evidences of the vic
Hence of the shock we're visible in differ
ent portions of the city this morning
and it is surprising that there was no
much more damage done. The fire wal
on the top of the store occupied b,
Messrs. Goodwin s. Co., on Front stree
was entirely thrown from the north sid,
Of the building into Oregon street. Th,
store is newly built, and the mortar ap
pears to have been of an inferior quail
ety, or greatly injured by the recent rain
so that there was but little adhesion
quality left.
Two buildings at the corner of Bat
terry and Washington streets, occupied
by Sweetzer, Hutchins s. Co., and thu
bank Of Messrs. Burgoyne & Co, wer'
separated about three inches. The di
rection of the shock vas very fortunate
"a, had it been IN a direction parable.
with the streets either way, its effect
would have been more disastrous.
The occupants of large brick hotels
and boarding houses we're terribly fright
Aened, and in many cases rushed wildly
into the S : ,tfor salty. The Rosseste,
which is a small town in itself, was the
scene of great excitement. Men, women
and children were seen running through
the halls in their night clothes, seeking
safety from the supposed danger.
In nearly every portion Of tho city we
hear of houses being injured more or
less. The plastering vas considerably
cracked and torn off from the walls oil
Wilson's Exchange, international IIo-
tel, fremont House, st. Nicholas Hotel,
the Merchants Exchange building and
the City HALL
The vibrations were attended with q
heavy report resembling the discharge
of distant artillery, but was continuous,
and produced a deep, low, rumbling
sound.
This earthquake has bseu the only
theme of interest on the street to-day.
and VIC have yet to meet the FIRST peFsl Il
vhosWas not affected by the shock. 1t
appeared to be more sersibly felt out to-
ward Fort Point than any locality we
haze heard from. The small dwellings
in that vicinity were rocked like a era
die. and persous were nearly thrown out
of their beds. Il is by all means the
most violent earthquake that has been
knogn In San Francisco since its settle
ment by the Americans
There were several slight shocks felt
during the night, but did not attract
particular attention. he first one oe-
CURED about 9 O'Clock, aud the second
about O'Clock, aud We're followed by
the grand eonvulsion mentioned above
The last Ten days Lave been remarka-
bly, pless, ant in this locality, AMI many
persons familiar wi h these occurrences
Lave frequently expressed the opirion
that We were having "real earthquake
weather" A gentleman of this city,
who has spent considerable time in South
America and other volcanic countries,
remarked on Thursday evening that he
would not be surprised to witness aeon
yuision at any moment, as there MAS
every Indication of one.
We have seen several gentlemen who
have experienced slight shocks during
tho succeeding night at different times,
aud q very considerable shock was felt
az 2 o'clock Friday morning, three hours
and a half prior to the grand shock
which has been the painful feature of in
.terest and CONSERVATION since its occur
renee. As elsewhere stated, it occurred
about 5.23 o'clock on Friday morning.
The shock was preceded and attended at
It's commencement by q heavy and dis
tinct report, which somewhat resembled
the roaring or rushing of o heavy sea,
and also that of distant thunder, or ar
til.cry. In other words, it vas a SORT
of combination of those sounds, and suct
as to impress the least imaginative, witt
profound awe, If not terror. The vlbra
,tions, which were nearly from north t.
south, lasted about twenty seconds, and
wore so forcible as to awaken nearly
every sleeper in the city. We have only
heard of one person among all u inqui
RIGS, who was not sensible to the shock
Certain it is that every building in thu
city was swayed to and fro by this won
defful motion of the Garth. PERSON.
sleeping in the most substantial bricl
buildings in the heart of the city-tha
were arranged in compact blocks, wer'
suddenly awakened by the great VIC
lenee of the e~onvulsioD. The principa
damage done is to the walls of plastereC
buildings, which are more or less crack
ed in a large portion of buildings. -anc
in many Instances the plastering has fall
en- of. The fall ofthe fre-wall from thu
top of the store of Messrs. Goodwin s
Co, at the corner of Front and Oregon
streets. is perhaps the most striking evi
dence gifts power. The wall about Oh
hundred feet long, four feet high au'
one foot thick, being all that extende'
above the roofing, and was thrown in
body upon the sidewalk about six 0
eight feet from the base of the building
A row of nail kegs that were standiDi
on the sidewalk, in front Of q store o.
Battery street, were moved out from tn
building II inches
A heavy ~salamander safe at Patter
sons Exchange wns moved from it
usual position several inches.
A man sleeping in the Merchant
Exchange building was thrown upon ID
door.
Several clocks in different building
were stopped entirely, and others cause
- 1870. ~