The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-10-22
CALIFORNIA.
SEVERE SHOCK OF EARTHQUAKE-sEvERAL
BUILDINGS DESTROYED

BUILDINGS DESTROYED.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 21.-A heavy shock of
earthquake was felt here at 750 o'clock this
morning. The motion was east and west. Sew
eral buildings on Pine, Battery and Samson
streets We're thrown down and a considerable
number badly damaged. The ground settled
which threw the buildings out of line, and at
present writing 8 A. NJ, no estimate can be
made, though it is considered comparatively
small Several severe shocks have followed
at intervals since, creating a general alarm
among the people. A shock was felt with
great severity at San ose,where a number of
buildings are considerably injured.
SECOND DESPATCH.-A survey of the city
shows that the principle damage by the earth
quake is confined to the lower portion below
Montgomery, and among the old buildings on
the made ground, numerous houses in that
portion of the city have been abandoned and
pulled down. The custom House brick build
ing built on pile ground which was badly shat
tered by an earthquake of October 1867, is con-
sidered unsafe, and the officials have removed
TO the revenue buildings. The business in the
lower part of the city is suspended.
The streets are thronged with people and
sreat excitement prevails. The parapet walls
and chimneys of a number of buildings have
been thrown down, causing loss and damage
not exceeding $1000,000.
At Oakland the shock was very severe
throwing down chimneys and greatly damag.
ing number of buildings. The ground opened
in several places and strong sulphurous
smell was noticed after the shock
The Court House at San Leandro was de-
mOlished and one life lost
From various portions of the country and
in the vicinity of San Francisco Bay the shock
is reported as severe, and considerable damage
is sustained. In many places the earth opened
land water gushed forth.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 1-Evenng.-Streets
are crowded with excited multitudes discuss
ing the particulars of the disastrous earth
quake: Twelve shocks have been felt during the
day. The direction OF the shocks were from
the North to the South, though some descriD-
tons give rotary motion. The greatest
damage extends in a belt several hundred
feet wide and running about northwest
and southest, commencing near the Gus
tom House and ending at Folsom street wharf,
IDjuring and demolshing about twelve build
ings in its course. AT the corner of Market
and LIST streets the ground opened several
inches wide and about 40 or 30 feet long.
In another place the ground opened and water
was forced above the surface. The City Hall
may be considered perfect wreck. The
Courts have all adjourned and the prisoners
have been taken from the station houses to the
county Jail. All the patients in the United
States Marine hospital have been removed, the
building being declared unsafe. The chimney
of the United States Miut is so badly damaged
that the establishment is closed for repairs. The
Lincoln school house is badly damaged, and
large. statue in front of the building is COM
pletely buried. All business at the general
G0iNeIy oso OHce 10 temporarily suspended.
The San Francisco gas works suffered Sc
verely, the tall chimney having heen thrown
over fell through the roof of the Mission wool
en- mills, and is considerably damaged. The
large chimney of the sugar refinery on Eighth
street is badly cracked. The gable end on the
girls side of the Deaf, Dumb and Blind Inst-
tute fell in, crushing through the ceilings.
Many chimneys in the Southern part of the
city were thrown down, but no one was ser-
ously injured by them. Only four lives have
been reported lost, though numbers were in
jured by falling debris.
The water on the bay was perfectly smooth
at the time of the shock, and no perceptible
movement took place. The shock felt on
board the shipping in the harbor was as if the
vessel had strock upon a rock. The earth
quake was severe in the interior. Shocks were
felt at Sacramento and Stockton.