Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-01
THE GREAT EARTHQuAKE

1HE UhEhE EhhA H4tAhb.
Effects az T.eayena OrGh. kansas City
81. Joseph, Lawrence, and Dabuqut
Startling Sllocks-BuIIdings Rock.
tng-The Population Rush into the
streets = General Terror Nobody
Hurt-AecIdents and Incidents.
From the LeavenwoTih Conservative. April p
The universal topic of conversation last
evening was the earthquake shock expe.
rienced in the afternoon. II was a phe-
nomenon 30 utterly unlocked for, SO sudden
in its coming and departure, natural con-
vulsion Of which so little is known in this
latitude, that Of course all were more or
less startled, and indeed, frightened Con
lectures a. to the possible duration and Sc
verify of the swift-cOming shocks fitted like
lightning ough confused minds, and all
seemed to antiei pabe, alter they realized
the cause of 4he commotiou, that further
and more severe shocks might succeed
The first indications we're perceived a
few Minutes perhaps fifteen, before three
O'Clock, and but litsle attention was given
TO the matter. Persons up stairs imagined
thatthe Jar was produced by something
down stairs, while those below, ac-
counted for it on ihe supposilion that
the eanse was above. The first shock
Is variously described, but generally as
as resembling the passage of a heavily
loaded railroad train driven al high rate
Of speed. There was a very perceptible
tremor or trembling Of the earth, lasting
possibly half minute. Windows ratified
slightly, and. lighter articles were visibly
agitated. VI
Then ensued mOmentaTy pause, during
which time, we presume, briefasit was, the
matter passed from mind. Butt was emily
momentary; and then came that rattliug
sound in the air, that subterranean rumb-
ling so inaepsrably connected with the old
"earth-din," that convulsive up-heaving
and rocking Of the earth which has so often
presaged the destruction Of cities, and The
death Of thousands. Suddenly, fearfHlly,
came the second shock; and, as If BY pre-
concerted Nction, the entire populace rushed
into the streets, "Wlnat Is II" whats
the ma.ter?" were interrogations that fell
from tremulous lips, while faces were
blanched with fear OF what might come
after such terrible grumbIe, and rumble,
and roar" Its continuance Was brief, per-
haps not more than fifteen seconds. and all
was quiet again. In that short time, how
ever, an experimental knowledge of earth
quakes was gained which will not soon
pass from mind.
Brick buildings, the foundations of.whieh
we're deeply laid, experienced more fully.
than frame buildings the effects of the
shock. The vibrations Of such were gen
orally from three to FIVE inches from east to
west and even the Planters House rocked
TO an extent not calculated 70 assure the
loolIers-on Of the security of its walls Our
Office was rather roughly shaken, and was,
it may be-surmised, evacuated with much
greater alacritv than the Rebels exhibited
at either Richmond or Charleston.
At Lawrence, Kansas City, st. Joseph,
Weston, and, we presume, all along the
river and throughout the West the same
Commissions were experienced, with the
same startling effects. The occurrence was
telegraphed from St. Joseph TO the Eastern
press at once and passengers from Law
renee rsPeF' that there IL was very similar
in approach and elimination TO the de-
scription we have endeavored to give.
The Leavenworth Bulletin, of the after
noon Of April "a, says
We were sitting at our office window, in
the third story ofa brick building. A gen.
eral trembling of the building and rafting
of the windows, quite unusal, FIRST attracted
our attention. 1t felt ike the result of
rolling barrels on the lower floor Then
came pause of few seconds, followed by
a trembling and vibrating motion of the
whole building, in such forcibie manner
as TO impress every one Of the Imminent
danger of its falling.
CompositOrs fed their cases, and every
one sought the street for safety and what
was true of this Office was also true of the
entire city, so far as we could see. Blanched
faces and trembling hands were the rule,
steady nerves the exception, among the
crowd that found their way so hastily in the
street.
The sensation called to mind that pro-
dueed by the breaking Of car axle under
a moving train. The vibration of the
building in which we write could not have
been less than three inches from east TO
west, as pendulum clocks were stopped, and
the plaster shaken from the upper cell
ing.
The second shock came with such We
hemenCe and power thatall rushed instantly
to the open air. The streets were filled
with a crowd; some terror-stricken others
laughing-all lmore or less pallid or
flushed, as fear OF excitement held the
mastery. An were unusually laxative.
Men who had not been on speaking terms
for years exchanged remarks, and il was
soon settled that we had an earthquake
genuine one. AT this moment the uniyer-
sal equality Of man was wonderfully re-
allied.
The effects Of the earthquake were only
apparent during its continuance. Windows
were violently shaken; hoarse rumbling,
accompanied with sort Of rushing sound,
as of an impalpable wind, was heard, and
an electric current passed violently through
the air, every living thing being sensible
of its effect, though too much alarmed TO
comprehend it. We have heard Of but few
incidents among them, we may mention
the destruction of Mr.. Planta's crockery,
which was thrown to the floor the over
throwing Of piles of drygoods on the coun-
tiers of different stores the clock in our
Office was stopped. The excitement for
few moments surpassed anything we have
ever witnessed.