The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-23
Two Distinct Shocks in New England
Yesterday Morning.
Everything and Everybody
Badly Shaken.
The Puritans Terribly Scared at
the Phenomena.
INTERESTING PARTICULARS OF THE EVENT
THE EARTHQUAKE in MASSACHUSETTS.

o'clock In the Morning by the Violent Shnk-
ing of the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Slightly
OsciIiatcd.
Boston, Oct. % 1859.
The under pinning OF New England and the
British Provinces was terribly unsteady at about
dNbreak this morning. 1t swaycd to and
fro and Tumbled and grumbled for several
seconds and then after momentary pause there
was severe shake, louder ana clearer than before,
and one which threatened to upset everything
earthly and send all the Inhabitants OF this section
OF the mundane sphere forthwith to kingdom come.
There was unquestlonably genuine earthquake,
and from accounts thus far received here, 1t ex-
tended along the Atlantic coast all Its way from
New Brunswick to the furtherest western section OF
New England.
In Boston and the surrounding country, especially
IN the seaport cities and towns 1t was quite distinctly
felt In the interior or the country the vibrations
were not 30 sensible; but at many points along tina
coast the shocks as to disarrange all
things portable and shake few buildings from
their foundations, causing, OF course, the greatest
fright and CONSERVATION among the Inhabitants.
The evening previous was unusually clear every
where where the quake was felt but at about mid
night there was a sharp rain, which lasted with
brief intervals until about half-past four O'Clock
There then succeeded beautiful starlight and a
clear, balmy atmosphere. At between twenty and
thirty minutes past five O'Clock, just az daylight was
becoming visible, the first shocks were experienced,
and from all reliable accounts they seem to have
been felt simultaneously whenever they were felt
at all.
In Boston the sensation was most sensibly expe-
renced. Thousands were awakened by the rafting
OF windows and doors, the shaking OF
their beds the ringing OF door bells and
cuoc of ctr nd inn wa ha
early risers such as marketmcn and mlkmen, were
frightened into deathly paleness, and they were
generally united In the opinion that the millennium
had come. The seepers. so suddenly awak-
ened, rushed madly to the windows to
ascertain the cause OF such early and
strange confusion, but they were only met by the
inquirng faces OF their neignbors, which filed
nearly every window IN their street. where dwelling
and lodging houses were numerous.
The rumbling and unduatng movement was
quite unmistakeabe and the shaking was extremely
violent. A gentleman who resides at the Pavilion
Hotel says he was awakened by the shock and he
noted three distinct shakes. sufficiently marked to
induce him to think that 1t was time to Dress A
domestic in house in fremont street arose at half
past Ave and awakened the household declaring that
some one was under her bed and had lifted 1t.
The shock was very distinctly felt in East Boston
ny NdTlOus peTSOHb WHO WcTe buuueuiy aWdkeUeu
from their sumbers by the shaking OF beds, doors
and windows and in one family the entire house
hold was aroused by the unusual phenomena.
One gentleman, whose. occupation often calls him
upon the sea on being shaken up from sound sleep
by the strange motion communicated to his bed and
his returning senses convincing him he was NOT in
the heaving main, deliberately charged his spouse
OF rudey disturbing his slumbers; but the general
testimony OF the family as to the cause OF the agta
ton disposed him to retract the charge.
The shock quite severe In Newburyport,
shaking the doors ana windows and many movable
things in the houses. The people generally were
awakened by the commotion. An old brick mansion
house, built seventy years ago, having the thick,
massive walls so common IN those days. was shaken
from the roof to the cellar, rafting the doors
and windows and creating general alarm
among Its occupants The people in their beds were
very sensible OF a vibrating motion beneath them
One man who lodges in Lindall street, near the
Boston Post ONCE rushed up State street about
quarter to six O'Clock, partially dressed, and thus
accosted a policeman:-"Ten minutes ago was In
bed in my room alone, in the fourth story OF
q brick building near the Boston Post once. had
been awake for perhaps an hour or more when sud-
denly felt that the spring mattress beneath me was
swaying to and fro This continued for perhaps half
a minute until was fully conscious OF the moon.
when 1t ceased, and then after an interval OF q few
seconds, repeated and for the last time. could
hear the door OF my room gently swing TO and fro,
/ should think three or four inches. Immediately
arose and found That my door had been left ajar,
which was unusual. The motion was easterly and
westery-I should Judge nearly parallel with State
street. The time occupied by both shocks might
have been only a minute. including an intermission
OF perhaps ten seconds
Tn great Coliseum, which was 80 terribly shat
tered by the September gale, did not escape a
wrenching by the earthquake. The watchmen en-
ployed there were startled by the creaking of the
tmbers and they frantically outside, believing
that the vast structure was surely tumbling. The
historical edflce is to be drawn for tomorrow, and
the 1000 ticket holders in great ecstacies that
the building escaped the destruction which the ele
ments OF nature have from time to time seemed to
have In store for 1t.
In Cambridge, as wen as In other places where
milk has been bued up to nine cents per quart the
morning dispensers OF the lacteal fluid experienced
some peculiar sensations. These early rsers had
good opportunity OF judging whether or not the
phenomenon was a quake In the earth, and those OF
them who were not riding in their carts experienced
the sensation and in many instances they remarked
1t to their patrons no small number OF whom cor
roborated their statements-especlaly the Bridgets
who could not account from any philosophical rea-
soning OF their own why the windows Jared, the
bells tnked and the doors opened at the early hour
OF halr-past i've O'Clock. Some OF the Bridgets too
we're little irregular in getting the morning meal
the feeling OF superstition that came over them
creating nervousness that was unusual.
The phenomenon were also distinctly felt by the
professors and the students OF Harvard College and
Its duration was marked at sixteen seconds as near
as could be calculated The conductors OF the early
horse cars also noticed the phenomena and their
opinion was strengthened py passengers going into
Boston from Cambridge The most marked man.
ner In which the shock showed itself was demon.
strated in glaciers shop, where an apprentice boy
on the night previous had accidentally or carelessy
left five panes OF glass lying almost poised on a
shelf. This morning when he opened the shop he
found the panes OF glass lying on the moor In frag
mens IL Is not often that the people OF Cambridge
are sharply reminded OF the unseen powers
contained In the bowels OF the earth. At
fjrst the people thought that an exploafon had