The New York herald., 1868-11-08
CALIFORNIA.

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The Second shock Of Earthqaake-Its Extent
and Damage il observation-disclosures and Incis
dents-Comparison with Previous Shocks.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. %, 1868.
A two A. NJ to-day there was very sharp shock,
which sent many persons out Of their houses and
beds and into the Streets The plaza and other public
squares were filed with people, many Of whom re-
maned there all night There have been few
trembes during the day. but slight as scarcely "a
DO noticed No damage, beyond opening some OF
tne cracks OF the day before, occurred but It served
70 alarm the people again and render them more
nervous. walked through the eastern section Of
the city this morning In company with person
thoroughly posted ana examined the exterior OF
the majority Of the buildings and he gave
good reasons why some buildings, had sufs
fered SO much ana others none at all. He showed
how care In the construction OF the foundations
had been the means Of preserving some almost Inc
tact while, carelessness In many cases had almost
entirely destroyed others. He contended that pro,
pery built the houses and stores on the maden por,
ton OF the city VIII prove durable a. those on
the solid ground. His argument was q good one,
but will people follow itS am afraid that they win
continue to "trust to luck" heretofore, and bud
more '.mantraps' in readiness for the next heavy
shock.
In all direc tions buildings are shored up. Scaold.
ings are erected numberless places 30 that work.
men can tear down and repair, and crowds Of men
are on tops Of building patching and mending. II
looks to me as II the majority OF the damage s to
be smoothed over rather than reconstructed; and "
such is the case look out for wholesale coming down
and loss OF life when the next big earthquake Is felk
very large number OF persons are leaving the
hotels and other high brick buildings in the lower
portion OF the city and seeking quarters the
hills In frame buildings, which ring and twist and
turn inside out almost, without coming down; they
are the safest by fur from earthquakes from re Is
another question. II Sa n Francisco covered more
ground and did not extend go far towards the sky 10
would be much safer place, but our wise great
grandmother of the city, the Alta CalJorrsta, frsS
says that this earthquake has demonstrated fully
that San Francisco is the safest place in the world to
live n and then gives four five columns OF list OF
damage and casualties that occurred in the short
space OF fOrty-tW0 seconds.
AMUSING INCIDENTS.
cannot refrain from giving you q rev OF tne nu.
merous ludicrous incidents that occurred whne tho
shake was going on and shortly afterwards.
ran down stairs and on the sidewalk with no
other garment on than a short red flannel under
shirt on reaching that point he stopped, and vany
trying to cover his nakedness, offered twenty dollars
to any one who would 60 up stairs Tor MS clotnes
A frightened woman rushed from her house In her
chemise and met man passing with q duster on.
She Immediately ran her head under his arm and
pulled the duster round her person, and It was with
some diflculty that he induced her to return.
Hundreds OF the most ludicrous sigh.s were seen.
No attention was paid to costume. Undress uniform.
It, was the rule and covering the exception. People
did not know what they had on, or, better yet wnas
street rs was reached Had the earthquake come an
hour sooner the night shirts would have been tho
fashionable habiliment oft Of the mornng , :, n,cn !.
true, would make large and most amusing
volume.
on THE WATER.
There was no perceptible rise and fall OF TIDE aS
the wharves, although those on board vessels made
that the vessels surged at their fasts thrown in
by heavy wave. B0atmen outside OF Fort Poins
said that three heavy swells rolled IN from the North
west and that their boat turned and twisted a.
II in q whirlpool AT the Cliff House the proprietor
noted that there was slight swell OF the sea; II ran
ND some fifteen feet further the beach than usual
and receded about the same distance. The ship
Pactolus was anchored some fifteen miles outside,
S was @ ashore and grazing violently over rough bot
tom; her masts and spars were violently shaken,
and the G & h q en sea M
in violence to that OF the day before YESTERDAY.
Thinking it may be interesting give comparison, ,
OF the two heavy earthquakes, taken from the Bur
letin CT to-day was not here In that Of 1885, hence
can speak only Of the last and am obliged to de.
pend upon others for Information regarding 'ne
A comparison OF the two principal earthquakes
which have occurred in this city during the past lew
years viii have some interest. on October 8, 1895.
what has until this week been called the great earth
Was preliminary shock OF five or six seconds dnra
tion, then q moments ntermission. then another
and more serious vibration which lasted ten or more
seconds. This year there was no warning and no
cessation OF vibration until the whole force ol the
shock was exhausted, and the long continuance OF
vibration increasing the oscillation OF the buildings
each one, caused the greater damage. BY Mr. Ten
nent who timed the duration OF the shock by count
formed that the great shock OF this week lasted forty
six seconds Probably there being no attempt to tno
than oyersaed There was probably little der
In length in the Intervals between the begin-
ming OF the first and the close OF the second shock OF
1885, and the commencement and close Of the more
destructive single shock Of 1868. The length OF time
the vibration lasts is the source OF the danger II ae
swings foot over the perpendicular at the twentieth
vibration, though no stronger force may be exerted
It would probably swing two feet over the line OF
The shocks Of 1895 took place at fortysix minutes
past twelve in the day. Al seven and ten O'Clock me
minutes before eleven O'Clock In the forenoon the o
lowing day, twenty-five hours after the princapal
shock sharp vibration lasting several scconds was
felt. This was the next greatest to the main shock,
and was the last well defined Vibration ieR Ia tns
This is year year we have also had number Of smaller
shocks. spread nearly twentyiour hours alter
the lrst and main shock From early N yestsraIsyr rIur
this pornng there was no well defined shock; a tne
latter hour, however, the snerpest and most pro-
longed vibration We have had since the main one
occurred. judging by the past 1t IL reasonable In
ference that the first shock was greater this year
than three years ago, SO the length VI time required
for the subsdence OF the earth It's natural position
might be expected to be greater.
In neither year was there any disturbance OF the
barometer. Yesterday gave the condisiOn Of the
barometer for the day before the late earthquake the
day of the 1rst shock and the Gay after From Mr. Ten
nants books we learn tEat tho barometer sunday,
October 1885, at nine A. NJ, stood ut 5O.05 at noon
threequarters OF hour before The shoca it stood az
30.04 and did not vary more than one-hundredtl OF
| an iuch the whole day. The thermometer on tnat
occasion stood at IS deg Fahrenheit at nine A. NJ 65
deq at noon, C7 deg. at three p. NJ aud 62 deg. at
six p. N. on Wednesday last II stood at 6S deg az
nine A. NJ, 10 deg al noon, " at three r. M and %
deg at six +. AZ. 1t win be remembered that Wednes-
| day morning was cold and foggy, and 1t was not
until some time after the shock was over that the