Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-10-29
EARTHQUAKE at Buffalo.

%'SS 'AAa Ae' eN~S'
Earthquake at Buffalo.
The Buffalo Commercial of Saturday
evening, thus describes the effect of the
earthquake shock at Buffalo.
About 3.15 P. NJ, yesterday-every
body knows the time, for it was just after
bauk hours-there came shock, apparent
ly from the south east, which people at
once recognized as an earthquake. Those
walking on the street did not feel it; those
standing still felt the jar of the ground be-
meath them, and looked to see what furl-
GUS driving omnibus made such noise
But in buildings there was flight
Those on the ground floor felt the jar and
waving of the walls, and saw crockery
dancing on the dinner tables, china rattl-
ing in the closets, stove-pipes, lin one in
stance) falling; while in another dilapi-
dated chimney parted with a few of its top
most bricks.
The father up from the ground the
greater the shock. In fourth and fifth
stories there was sensible tottering OF
brick walls, and tools rolled from the
benches of workmen to the floor. There
was general scamper to the street, and
for moment all manner of questions
about what hogshead of sugar had broken
loose, what jib boom of vessel run into
water-side buildings, what fire-proof safe
had fallen, what boiler had burst, or what
powder magazine had blown up. But the
borborygmous Qook at the dictionary NUT
terings from the bowels of our common
mother-explained the thing, and all SET
| tied down on one conclusion-we had an
earthquake.
There were some incidents, funny enough
now, but people forgot to laugh at them
at the time. At the Court House trial
was in progress. At that point the shock
was so decided and startling that the last
trump could not have emptied the room
sooner. 1t was general stampede. Out
rushed the audience, with it went the law
yers, over the ratings went the jury, re-
gardless of their solemn oath to "well and
truly try" and after them came the consta-
bles, all pouring down the stairs into the
street with pallid faces and shaking knees,
while in one case person tainted. The
only souls left in the court room were the
Judge upon the bench; Mr.. Haven, one of
the counsel in the case, as imperturabable
as it his wont; young lawyer who never
gets in hurry; and the witness on the
stand, who was bound to die at his post.
In the school-houses, school was very
summarily dismissed, and it is fortunate
that no accident occurred in the sudden
rush,
So much for incidents. The duration of
the shock was probably fifteen or twenty
seconds. 1t was by far the most severe
ever felt in this region, was universally diff
fused over the city, and was so startling as
to spread momentary but serious conster
nation. Invalids, particularly, suffered
from the alarm and excitement of the mo-
ment.
The Buffalo Carier thus notices the
shock:
1t was accompanied by heavy jarring
noise, which led US to suppose that the
printers, in the room above that occupied
by the editors of this paper, had let one of
their forms drop on to the floor. But the
sudden scampering. and rush down stairs,
of the compositors, to get clear of the
building, led us to inquiry, which resulted
in the conclusion, that nothing could be
learned beyond what our own experience
had disclosed. The shock was so violent
as to shake the building sensibly; and, SO
near as we can recollect, the vibration was
repeated three times in all, the last two
being feebler than the first, and each sue
ceeding the other with as much rapidity as
if the iarring had been occasioned by
single violent action. The following COM
munication shows its extent in some of
Public Schools:
BUFFALO, Oct. 23, 1857.
EDITORS COURIER: This afternoon at
10 minutes past three, as the three teach
ers and about 100 pupils, were engaged
in general exercise of reudina, in the
third story OF Public school House No. Is,
every one was suddenly startled by a a0av-
ing, hearing and shaking of what 1 sup
posed at the time, was the southern side
Of the building.
Some of the scholars sprang to their
feet, some turned pale with fear, and 9th
ers cried out "an earthquake, an earth
quake"
1 insisted upon all remaining quiet, and
sent a committee to examine the partition
walls and columns in the basement, think
ing that perhaps some part had fallen,-
but soon found that other buildings had
been disturbed as we'll as ours.
In the lower and middle stories, the
teachers immeditely dismissed their pu-
pills; and many of them in our room, con-
tinued so alarmed; that we also dismissed
the remainder before the usual time.
l communicate this as our item of ex-
perience connected with this remarkable
phenomenon. w. w. NEWMAN.
P. Son arriving at my home l was
informed that the first shock threw nearly
all the doors of the house open, and that
three shocks were distinctly perceptible.-
At Public School No. Is, the pupils Of the
intermediate Department rushed into the
street on accoun of fright; and in all the
schools that we have heard from the pu-
pills and teachers were more or less alarm
ed by what is now universally conceded
to have been the shock Of an earthquake.
W. W. N,