White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1867-05-02

ThHrs1ay, May y 1901
The Earthquake.
Last week, just Is we got the forms Of
our psper on the press. an earthquake
occurred to the announeemsnt Of which
fact we could manage to crowd in bot
three lines.
The phenouemon occurred about fifteen
or twenty minutes before three o'clock,
on Wednesday afternoon, and lasted
probably helf minute altogether. There
were two distinct shocks. The 6rst was
the iightest, and of the shortest duration,
and merely seemed to arouse the people
to the fact that "something was up,"
and prepare them for the second and
harder one. when the FIRST had almost
ceased then there was tall scampsring
for the streets. in every direction. The
shock was accompanied or preceded BY
. mufasd, rumbling sound. In frame
baildings, the effect was something like
that produced BY rolling . heavy cssk
over the floor; while in solid bricks.
there was jarring and jerking. like that
Of . steamboat running at good speed,
with her keel constantly sc.sping and
humping on the sand, accomp anied by
fully as much rattling and creaking.
We believe there was no damage done to
buildings. A brick.kiln in the vicinity
Of our Office. was pretty thoroughly
wrecked.
The main force Of the earthquake. as
far as We can ascertain, was in this parl
of the country. We have beard of it ss
far north ss Omshs, and some points in
lows. as far west as Junction City, and
Is far south and east as Jefferson City
At the latter place, it was quite light,
and was noticed by only few persons
Esst Of there we have no account Of it
Persons who pretend to have felt it, art
laughed at.
We have heard. from various persons
the appearance Of things from their posi-
tion during the shock. Bot the testimo
ny OF nearly every one who stood on sol
i'd ground at the time. is uniformly th.
ssms-thst their irst sensation was as il
they had received q strong electric shock
in the legs, commencing ct the feet and
extending to the knees, almost causing
them to fsll.
= A workman who was on the walls oil
the new church, says the gable end
swsyed outward. leaving enough room
for 9 mans body between the wall and
. heavy rafter that had stood solid
against it; and that after all was over,
the wall and rsftsr stood as close and
plumb as before. He thinks the wall
must have moved. as the rafter was both
firmly bolted and brscsd.
A person who was down street, in .
position where he could barely catch q
glimpse of the front of our Office build
log. says that during the rocking, be at
times had Q plain view of the end of the
house. and then sgain, the whole was en-
tirsly hidden from view.
Persons who were on the bluff, above
town. say that on looking down, the sur
face OF the earth seemed to have . wavy
appearance. something like a field of
wheat or tall grass, when the wind blows
over it.
A gentleman who was at work on his
farm, says that. in glancing over knoll
near BY. ho could just see the top of an.
other knoll some distance beyond. on
which there was plowed ground. Du-
ring the shock. the plowed ground would
alternately disappear entirely from sight.
and come in full view.
A gentleman who was near the timber,
says the stems of the trees bent or "whip.
psd" back and forth rapidly. as if agita-
ted BY violent wind which kept chang
ing from one side to the other. There
was little or no wind at the time.
Those who were near theiriver. say the
water was considerably agitatei. recsdiug
from and approaching the banks. like
the wster in large vessel that has been
shaken.
Persons in boats, or riding in wagons
or on horseback, could not distinguish
The motions of the earthquake from those
Of the vessel or animal upon which they
were moving.
There had been heavy frost in the
but the afternoon was pleasant
and almost cloudless. with . hazy ap.
pearance Of the atmosphere.
Earthquakes have been known from
ebs earliest sges. The FIRST one on record
vas that which swallowed up Korah and
his rebelIioas host. in the days Of Moses.
We might observe that our citizens do
not desire another experience Of this
kind hat ma wiH not for IL will maka