The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-11-27
EARTHQUAKES.

.nr We coo that there is an earnest discus
sion "a to the kind Of houses best suited to
EARTHQUAKES. The repeated agitations of
parts of this continent, have disposed the
mind to consider this question with some
seriousness. The more massive and extern
sivc edifces and temples are found to be
the most certain to tumble into ruins when
their foundations are shaken that sort Of
calamity, like most others, taking naturally
to the most shining and proud objects.
Hence the practical observers admon-
ish all men not to incline to these, but to keep
ont Of them, and run away from them as
soon as the terrible rumbling is heard from
within the bowels of the earth. Nay, it is
suggested that as the awful phenomenon of
a terrestrisl agitation may come like
thief in the night, it is best not to dwell in
great brick and marble palaces; for they
may overwhelm their occupants even while
asleep. Therefore the writer's on the sub
iect urge people to "come down from the
housetopsn before the hour: for when that
arrives they cannot. They are conJured to
build themselves modest wooden houses,
strongly put together, as the safest IN
time of that earthly quaking, whose dread
effects are sometimes so awful as to be
spoken of only with bated breath and fear
full spirits.
Nevertheless, people in this part Of the
world will read these precautionary coun-
sells with little heed so long rs the fearful
ouakipgs keep along the Pacific coast or not
less than two thousand miles distant.
Should their proximity grow more uncom-
Portable, we shall see change; possibly
wooden houses will become quite aristo
cratic.
There is no form of calamity which makes
60 powerful an impression on the mind as the
EARTHQUAKE. There is none whose dignity
and force will at all compare with it. The
child, when it first understands words, is
filed with awe at listening to the narrative
of the cruci6xion, and hearing that the veil
Of the temple was rent and the earth opened
and gave up the dead. Few men fail to re-
member the first time they heard that read.
1t is one of the best of all the lessons re-
ceived by youth. 1t is more calculated to
impress men with the sublimity of the
great Disposing Power, and plant in the
mind pious reverence for things divine,
than anything else.
Indeed, there is nothing that can so sub
due the pride and passions of man as this
great CONFUSION of nature. In an instant
he feels that he is nothing, and he must be a
brute, indeed, who at such time fails to look
with invocation and reliance to the source Of
allpower, and, happily, of mercy. Then, the
earthquake is thing men cannot get used
to. Fortunately, its visitations are too rare
and its stay too short, for that. 1t is ever
an unalloyed terror, manifestation of I'M
diminished sublimity.
Let us imagine that its effects were visit
ed upon that community which of all others
is most self-important, and in their own
conceit most independent of the overruling,
universal authority-nay, defiant Of it.
That community whose oyergrown wealth
absorbs its labors, thoughts, and dreams,
to the exclusion of all things else, save the
temporal qualifications of desires only Whet-
ted by opulence. Suppose Wall street were
somewhat shaken-the gold board dancing
on one leg and the ceiling of the "long
room" tumbling ina yawnlng gap IN
Broadway and Trinity steeple blocking up
the street. There would be very grea
excitement in the money market''-Erie
would drop and fraudulent issues would
cease-Wall street would be emptied-the
hanks would be deserted-discounts would
indeed be suspended, and the whole fra
ternity of stock gamblers would fly af-
frighted from their accustomed haunts.
DREW and VANDERBILT, and all the finan-
cial cormorants and strategists would, for q
time forget their cunning, and, maybe, seek
secure corner for pious thoughts and invo-
cations.
While the prayer of every good man
would be that every community in this ma
ton might be saved from the sufferings of
SO awful calamity, it cannot be denied
that slight shaking of the earth in Wall
street would just now have healthy in
tluence.