The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-02-09
Tux MISSISSIPPI IN 1871.
An Incident of observation-disclosures Is n
an Earthquake -Horror-strieken Boat

Efrem the St. Sonis Disratch !

In our Intercourse with some Of the carly
settlers Of 81. Louis, collecting material for
| our Biographical Sketches Of Western Boat.
men, We have CLEANED much valuable iufor-
| nation with regard 10 the early navigation Of
the Western rivers. Many Of The incidents
are both exciting aud interesting, and were
Witnessed by those now living in our midst.
We shd from time 10 time, in connection
With cur Biographies. give much OF this char
aeter Of Incidents.
1t WAS ~ the years 1911 and 1912 that so
| many "a aquakes occurred in the Southern
| and stern country, causing villages to
tumble rtns, an entire change in the face
OF the ceuntry, and vast destruction Of
property On the line OF the Aissippi. par
| ticulariy. err Of these dreadful phenomena
OF nature occurred in those years, which was
dls.inctlf iel' N 81. Louis. aud caused much
alarm to iis iuhabitants.
An eye witness, who was on fatboat at
the time cn bis way to New Orleans with a
load Of produce, and afterwards returned to
St. Louis, describes the scene as heart -rend
ing, and filed every living creature with hor>
ror. bis boat at the time WAS about fosty
miles below New Madrid.
The first shock took place in the night OF
December l6, 1871, while the boat was living
| at the shore, in company with several others
At this period there WAS danger apprehended
from the southern Indians. it beeing soon after
the battle Of Iippecanoe. and for safety, sew
eral Ronts kept in company for mutual de-
Tense, in case of an attack In the middle Of
the night there was a terrible shock and Jar
ring OF The boats. so that the crews were all
awakened and hurried On deck with their
weapons of defense IN their hands, thinking
the Indians were rushing on board The
L nl- ~.,1 4.
whose numberless tocks were quietly resting
| IN the eddles of the river, were thrown into
the greatest tumuit, and with loud screams
expressed their alarm in accents of terror.
The noise and connection soon became
hushed and nothing could be discovered to
excite apprehension, so that the boatmen
concluded that the shock was occasioned by
the falling IN OF Large mass OF the bank oil
the rver near them, As soon as there wa.
light enough 10 distinguish objects, the crew
| were nil up making preparations to depart
Directly q loud roaring and kissing was heard
like the escape of steam from 4
boiler, accompanied by the most violent
agitation of the shores. and tremendous boil
ing up OF the waters of the Mississippi, If
huge swells, rolling the water, and tossing th,
boat so violently that the men could, viii
difficulty, keen their feet The sand bars AMI
Fosheo " Sut &eAihu gave way, swallowed III
IN the .tnmnltuous bosom of the river, carr,
ing down wi,b them cotton wood trees, crack
, ing and crashing, tossing their arms to ane
fro, as if sensible Of their danger. while Ire,
. disappeared beneath the food The water 8
the river which the day before was tolerabl,
clear, being rather low, changed to q reddisi
, hue and became thick By the agitation of th
earth beneath, waseovered with foam, which
; gathering into masses the size ofa barrel
!. foated along on the trembling surface. Tn,
earth on the shores opened in wide fssures
and closed again, threw the waller. sand An,
mud In huge Jets higher than the tops of th,
/ trees The atmosphere was filled with thicl
vspor Of gas, to which the light imparted ,
purple tinge altogether different in appear
ance from the atamnal haze of the fndia,
summer, or that Of smoke. From the tsrn
! porasy check the current, by the heavinC 3,
Of the bottom, the sinking Of the bapks ~
sand bars into the bed of the stream, Is. ~
er rose in few moments Eve or six feet. An,
impatient of the restraint again ruahe,
l forward with redoubled impetuoeity. hur,
, rying along the boats nov lei loose By Ii,
horror-struck boatmen, a. in less danger i,
the water than 1t the shore, where the hank
threatened every moment TO destroy thsn b.