The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-01-24

ue H>AFtuYuuAVs
The following interesting statement in re-
gard to the earthq uake experienced iu Charles.
ton and other Southern cities. on Thursday
evening, the 10Th inst, are communicated 10
the Courier by Vim. Jensen, NJ. D., OF that
place:
and my family had Just sat down to the
supper ,abls--tme noted exactly as you state
In this mornings issue OF your paper-when
we suddenly felt Il violent heaying Of the floor
under our feet, accompanied at the same time
by hollow, rumbiing noise. and oscillating
motion from south by west westerly to north
by east easterly, which set every thing in the
house in motion. My family Were mnch
alarmed. but not being prepared to experience
any evidence of earthquakes in these ati'udes,
l hardly could bring my mind in the first in-
stance TO believe it was the effect OF such
canse, although l have experienced three
shocks before of an earthq uake when living
in the West Indies. opposite the Congrehoy
Mountains, in Central America. the highest
peak of which is over seven thousand feet
above the level of the sea, and AT times einits
smoke and flames. My attention was, how
ever, almost Immediately drawn to the rock
ing motion OF some lustres on the man telpiece
when was satisfied Of the origin, and pro-
ceeded at once 10 take the bearings by a COM
pass, which has been my com panlon and guide
through many Wandertngs.
Now, as the difference Of longitude between
our city aud Truxil!u, situated ut the south of
this range. from whence they wend WeSterlya
little south, is only 6 deg. VI min, a bird fly
ing from here about south and by west, would
cut line that would intersect the centre OF
the crater of Mount Congrehoy. 'he-at the
time left (le57) to return 10 the States-high
est and only active crater III the Congrehoy
rang; and as indications of increasing activity
occurred about that period. l think IL is not
improbable that We may hear OF some srea'
terrestrial commotion 10 that quart Of Tropi
cal America.
would observe, in conclusion, that the
shock was very severe in my house, which
attribute to its standing On the corner VI the
street, and disconnected from any building OF
| similar height. l also repeated my compass
| observations this morning, as remarked las /
| night, unusual agitation and tremulousness
| ot tue magnetic needle find, however, they
perfectly corresponded.
! The Courier adds:
| In our neighboring town of Mount Pleasant,
| across the river, the shaking was unmls taxa
BILE. The Town Hail was So shaken As to cau-e
| the bell over it to be toiled at least once, and
| Us some witnesses think, more than once.
Capt. Mckenzie. of the ship Amelia, which
was aground on Crab Bank, within The har-
Dor, reports decided shock, and Il sensation
as if the ship had suddenly aud violently been
| showed into deep water.
On Friday, the day after the shock, the Anne
iia was taken off without difficulty.
The Charleston Mercury says:
Tha most significant phenomenon, il it can
be attributed TO the cart hQuake, occurred Al
the Artesian we'll. 1t is we'll known that the
iron pi pes. On the 3lst day of last March this
tubing had reached the depih Of oiG feet below
| the surface, and there it has since remained
The excavation, or boring, six inches in diam
eter, had been previously carried down 20 s
depth of $50 feet. The utmost resources of th'
| mechanics have been expended i'll ehdeavor:
| to remove the obstruction and sink the tublns
| further, but all in vain. Platforms have beei
| erected, and large amounts OF iron ard Wood
| weighing several tons, have repeatedly bsei
placed upon it, but il would not and did no
| settle the bread of a hair. On Thursday
curing the afternoon, previous TO the earth
| quake, the tubing commenced settling, very
stow at first, aud ihen, with p, rceptlbie slide
the upper end, which had projeeted about fou
feet above the surface Of the ground, disap
peared. leaving the superinc umbeEt weigh,
| which had been resting upon u all day, upoI
the ground. After removing the rubbish an;
sounding for the top of the tubing, it wa
found to have gone down 4 distance of thirt,
feet.
That this sinking was caused by the sam
| agency as The snbseq uent quake. we do not sa y
but leave the tracing of their connection To Tia
more scientific aud weii-in.orned. Certtihi
the connection is intimate enough TO ;tttrac
| attention.
In the adjacent country, the incomin
| trains over the railroads from all direc iion'
have reported the prevalence OF the phenome
non.