The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-10-24
Earthquake at st. Louis.


The st. Louis papers state that at about
O'Clock on the morning of Oct. 9Th, severe
shock of an earthquake was experienced in
st. Louis and vicinity and in Central Illinois.
The St. Louis Meas, of tho 9Th, thus des-
cribes it - m e- r,f ~ ,-..3 ~
Towards midnight of yesterday moisture
began to pervade the atmosphere, and finally
somewhat of dew was formed This did
not increase in density until about half past
two o'clock in the morning, when fog be.
gan to gather over the city and superseded
the dew. 1t grew gradually thicker and
thicker, until about twenty minutes past 4,
when Ito give the words OF officers Mclean
and q fellow officer who was sitting OF Third
street, between Poplar and Plum in door
way they heard loud rumbling noise
They jumped up, and had scarcely reached
their feet before they were amazed at the
shaking of the ground beneath their feet, so
that they could scarcely stand. The win
dows of the houses on both sides of the street
clattcred loudly in their frames, the blinds
flew open, and out popped the heads of scores
of people in their night dresses, who occu-
pied the houses. A great number ran out of
the HOUSES, alarmed at the oscillation of the
beds, windows, and furniture in their rooms,
and the cry OF an earthquake" broke the
silence that otherwise reigned at this early
hour OF the morning. We may State that
the evidences thus narrated were experienced
by people all over the city. Upon compar-
ing all the accounts together, it is apparent
that the shock proceeded from the south
west, and so travelled along. Parties des-
cribe it as coming up from the river west
from which point it was felt most severe. At
Merramac, and all points below the river it
was actually felt. Persons coming in from
there state that at the time of the shock, the
noise resembled at one moment the rumbling
induced by steam endeavoring to escape
through mufiled apparatus and at another
as though vehicles heavily laden, with muf-
fed wheels, were being drawn with express
speed over a cable-stone road. The latter
sound was heard in this city. At Merramac
it was pitch dark at the time, and the people
were very much alarmed and ran out of the
houses. There was likewise strong smell
OF sulphur, and it is said upon good authori-
ty, that sulphurc meteoric ball rolled about
the streets in this city, leaving, wherever it
went, most unpleasant smell. In conse-
quence of the early hour of the morning;
very little was known of what the outside
effects were; but in regard to the inside
ones, they are visiblein many parts. Plaster
had 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 to us by some of
the boarders TO have rocked very nearly
like a cradle, and a large number of them
quickly arose from their beds i'm alarm
Heads were popped out Of the windows, and
many persons went into the street. -Four
miles north from here, Just before the shock
it was very dark. After the first shock and
about eight minutes after that came the sec
ond shock, which was felt all over the CITY.
but was not so strong as the first although
very pcrceptible, when the moon shonc out
as bright as ever. This is very STRANGE
phenomenon to be accounted for. how it is
that while the shock is in progress dark
ness SO peculiar should prevail, and that no
sooner has the shock been felt, than it quick
ly disappears, and gives way to the silyery
path of the moons rays. 1t is very certain
that there were two shocks; the Fl rst is stat
ed by OH citizens of St. Louis to have been
more severe than any other which has occur
red since 1911, when the great earthquake
which destroyed Caracas and other cities in
Central America, extended itself as near to
st. Louis as New Madrid, where the proper
ty was all destroyed, and a large number of
lives lost. ~ 'rtwl
From the St. Louis Intelligencer, .. $780,. -....o
A large and brilliant meteor shot across
the heavens, from south to north, between
the first and second shocks. 1t was seen by
various persons thirteen aud twenty miles
west of the city. Our telegraphic dispatches
inform us that the earthquake was very vio-
lent in Central Illinois, shaking down Chin
neys and threatening houses. 1t was no
doubt felt through the Mississippi Valley,
and we shall probably hear of some disasters
by it.
From the Qn) Centralan, 8.
We were shocked this morni ne about 5
O'Clock by violent shaking and rumblng at
the earth. The shock seemed to come from
the west and approach nearer and nearer, un-
ut it ratified houses and windows, shaking
down one chimney, and alarming alike men,
women and children. 1t did very little dam
age, however, besides giving us considerable
Of shake. t, -.-... -.t, .r
From the Springfield Qll.) Journal 9.
Three shocks Of an earthquake were very
sensibly felt by the inhabitants of our CITY
who were awake early on Tuesday morning.
Its course seemed to be free from southwest
to northwest, and its passage was marked BY
the violent shaking of buildings, ratings of
glass, &C. Many people who were asleep
were suddenly awakened, and began vgor-
GUS search for the cause of their slumber be-
ing disturbed. Some thought that, the bur-
glars were at work, and all were more or less
startled. The sky was remark ahlv claor Of
the time, and the moon was shining brightly
over the scene. The principal shock occur
red at about twenty minutes past O'Clock.
1t has proved to be happy event on account
of one at least, as it made a change in the
current of conversation which has of late
been confined entirely SO much to one