The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-10-21
I he Earthquake at 81. LosIs--Incidentsi IN
Connection with Il,

connection wuh lie
FIom the ST. Louis Evening News, Of last
Thursday, we copy tho following account Of
an earthquake in.that vicinity:
About twenty minutes past 4 O'Clock this
morning, rather severe shock OF an earth
quake was experienced at 81. Louis, as also
in the surrounding vicinilies, likewise for
many miles on the Illinois side. Towards
midnight Of yesterday moisture began 10
pervade the atmosphere, and fually some.
what Of dew was formed. This did not in.
crease in density until abou, half past two
o'clock in The morning, when fog began 10
gather over the city and superseded the dew
Itgrew gradually thicker and thicker, until
. abont twenty minutes pas, four, when 10 give
the words Of officer Mebieans and fellow
officer, who were sitting in Third street, be.
tween Poplar and Plum, in doorway they
heard loud, rumbIing noise. They jumped
up, and bad scarcely reached their feet before
they were amazed al the shaking Of the
ground beneath their fee, so that they could
scarcely stand.
The windows Of the houses on both sidss
OF the street chalered loudly in ,bem frsmss,
the blinds flew open, and out popped tho
heads Of scores Of people in their night dresses
who occupied the houses. A great number
run out of the houses, alarmed at the oscilla-
ton Of their beds, windows and furniture ia
their rooms, and the cry Of on Earthquake
coon broke the silence that Otherwise reignei
al this early hour of the morning. We may
state that the evidences just narrated were
experienced by the people all over the city.
Upon comparing all the accounts together, il
is apparent that the shock proceeded from the
southwest and so travelled along. ParlIss
describe il as coming up from the river wes,,
from which point i, wss felt moe, severely.
AT Merrimac, and all points below the river
il was very acutely felt. Persons coming in
from there Stale that al the time Of the shock,
the noise resembled al one moment the rum
bling induced by steam endeavoring TO GO.
cape through mufiied apparatus, and al an
other as though vehicles, heavily laden, with
muffied wheels, were being drawn with ex-
press speed over cobble stone road. Tbs
latter sound was heard in this city.
AT Mefrimsc il was pitch dsrk al the time,
and the people were very much alarmed and
ran out Of the houses. There was likewise
strong smell of sulphur, end il is said upon
good authority that sulpherc meteoIic ban
rolled about the streets in this city, leaving
wherever 1t went q mos, unpleasant smell.
In consequence of The early hour of the morn
ing, very liule was known Of what the outside
effects were; but in regard 10 the inside ones
they are visible in many parts. Plaster has
fallen from the ceilings, locked doors were
unlocked and thrown open, bricks knocked
down, beds and furniture displaced. The
Missouri Hotel, and many buildings in the
vicinity, are described by some of the board !.
ers TO have rocked very nearly like cradle,
and a large number Of them quickly arose
from their beds in alarm. Heads were pop
| ped out of the windows, aud many persons
went into the street.
Four miles north from here, just before ihe
shock, ii was very dark. Abou, eigh, min
u,es after the first shock, came the second
shock, which was felt all over the city, but
was not so strong as the first, although very
pefceptble, when the moon shone onl %
bright IS ever. This very strange phenoms
ena to be accounted for; how il is that while
the stock is 10 progress, darkness 60 pecu-
liar should prevail, and that no sooner had
the shock been felt, than !, quickly disap.
pears, and gives way to the silvery path OF
the moons rays. Il is very certain that thers
were Two shocks; the first is stated by Oh
citizens Of 81. Louis 10 have been more Sc.
we're than any other which has occurred since
1871, when the great earthquake which de.
siroyed Caracas, and other cities in Central
America, extended itself as near TO 81. Louis
as New Madrid, where The properly was oil
destroyed and large nuhibsr Of lives Iose
That earthquake also did considerable dam
age 10 81. Louis. ~" = re