The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1865-10-28
Earthquake at SRn Francisco.

We copy from the Territorial Enterprise
the subjoined account of the earthquake at
San Francisco on the Sth inst. Such
phenomenon is comparatively rare in Cali
fornia; but in Venezuela, New Grenada,
Ecuador, Peru and Chill, the shocks are fire.
ouent and severe. The houses are built low,
to withstand the concussion without falling,
and the old pack-mules spread out their feet
instinctively, ut the first subterranean rum
bling:
''There light rain last night, and about day
light this morning quite shower. The weather
in the forenoon was clear and warm, with fresh
breeze. At precisely l245 P. NJ, the heaviest earth
quake shock which was ever felt In San Francisco
occurred. The motion was undulatory, from north
east to southwest and everybody instantly rushed for
the streets. Five seconds later, another and far
heavier occurred and the uproar caused by fall
ing walls, glass coming down in showers the side
walks the frenzed stampede of thousands of people,
horses running away, bells ringing, etc., was indie
scribable. Women tainted, men screamed, church
congregations piled over each other In the excite
to escape, and many people jumped from second
story windows, In some cases receiving severe inu
ries. Chinaman In Stout's Alley was killed. The
chimney falling from the Lick House into the rear
of the building crushed the kitchen and ured three
servants-none fatally. Three men were injared by
| falling bricks at Crowell's warehouse. One man
jumped from window, went through the skylight
Many similar incidents occurred. The congregation
in the Catholic Church Vallejo street carried away
doors entirely in reaching the street, and several
women and children were injured but none fatally
The re-wall of the New Orleans warehouse, Davis
and California streets, six feet high and hundred
and thirty-seven feet long, came down in body. A
large section of the cornice and fre-wall of the
Exchange Building, opposite the Custom House
| fell. A new brick building on Third and Mission
streets will have to be pulled down entirely. The
4 of No. n,1, otr oyt
to George F.. Bragg q Co., fell out. The front OF
the brick building the northwest of Sacra-
mento and Battery streets, fell out. one story
brick building on the corner of Market and Pint
streets entirely destroyed. The City Hall wall
were cracked throughout, and the plasterng thrown
down; the whole structure ought to come down fo
safety. The City Hall fire bell rang from the shock
Many hundreds of windows were broken into piece
smaller than mans hand, and three-fourths of th
brick buildings the underground part of the cit.
are more or less damaged. Many walls were threwl
out of line, that doors can't be opened closed
and it will probably be many days before the full
extent of damage is ascertalned; it now appears
$250,000 would not repair damages. The injur
done through the loss of confidence in the stability
of large brick and stone structures Is incalculabe
Everybody is congratulating his neghbors on thei
escape from death. In the present condition of tn
walls another shock of equal violence would pros
trate at least onethlrd of the brick buildings in tb
city. From nearly every store in the lower part o
Lne city peOpic uc sWccpin5 out piohcu Sitcc du
fallen plastering. Clocks are stopped, water jan
upset, and in some cases people were thrown off thei
feet by the violence of the shock. There is livel
talk of the immediate repeal of the Fire Ordinance
The Occidental, Cosmopolitan, Russ and Lick House
being natural ground suffered less than the built
ings north and east Of this point and on the fiat
south of Market street. The fre-wasl for the Who'll
length of Mays building, on Sacramento street, bt
tween Montgomery and Kearny, fell, and sections 9
similar walls all over town came down on the sid'
walks in great quantities. rendering it indeed almo:
incredible that so few accidents occurred. How t.
people the sidewalks escaped so generally is pa
comprehension. In the vicinity of Folsom, Mission
Beale and Fremont streets, the underground is di
turbed in some places two feet, throwing walls OF
of line and moving buildings bodily four inche
Stoddard's warehouse settled sixteen inches, an
water is oozing in upon the main floor. Missile
wharf is reported damaged by the sliding of the mt
> of the bottom in which the plies are driven, ar
three frame buildings on Beale street. between How
ard and Mission fell in. The Gas Works are consi'
erably damaged.