The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-08
EARTHQUAKE IN NEVADA.

Ten shocks In 0ne Night-sseriOus and Scrio-
COmic SccneH.
The Gold Hill (Nev.) Nelos of Dec ~ has the
following
Last night series Of earthquake shocks, of
greater or less force aud duration, visited this
section commencing at O'Clock in the evening
and continuing at intervals until Il little past 3
o'clock in the morning. There were ten percep-
tible shocks in all, and some people think they
distinguished even more. They came in series
of three at time within few seconds or
minutes of each other, and according to the best
of our knowledge and belief occurred success
eively as follows:-At o'clock, three shocks; at
$50 O'Clock, three Shocks and at3'l0 o'clock, one
shock. The vibrations of the first appeared to
be in q northerly and southerly direction, but
the latter ones seemed to be more east and west
The first shock occurred at just about g o'clock,
town time, and was the most severe yet expert
enced since the land of WakhOe has belonged to
Uncle Sam. 1t was very strongly felt throughout
Gold Hill and Virginia, and it is difficult to say
at which place it actually was the heaviest
although at Virginia there was the greatest
alarm and damage. In both towns the popula-
tion sought the streets in great hurry, and the
end of all things was thought to be close by.
Some became suddenly and unusually devout,
others hilarious, some faint, and very many were
much frightened, especially the denizens of
brick hotels and dwellings,. The least frightened
were good mechanics in wooden buildings, or
persons walking the streets.
The duration of the first shock was from ten
to twenty seconds, and none of the others much,
If any, exceeded that length of time. Each
shock invariably ceased when people had just
got properly shaken into state of fright
thereat. The alarm was general, and the streets
were alive with safety-seekers-men, women,
and children. Even the horses in the stables
were almost shaken from their feet by the first
shock, and were much frightened The six
horses attached to the Gold Hill bus, standing
in front of Vesey's Exchange, started TO run,
but were directly checked. The men in the
mines, especially at Virginia. felt the first shock
very sensibly and general hurrying to the
surface was the result. At the Virginia House,
on South G street, three or four of the lady
boarders tainted, and the scene is described as
heartrending and seEi0-comic in the extreme.
Many persons in that city walked the streets ali
night, afraid to 60 to bed. The prisoners in the
County Jail were much frightened, but had to
stand it, Door bells we're rung and many clocks
stopped running.
Several brick buildings were more or less
cracked or damaged, as for instance, the front
and rear walls of the Gold Hill Exchange build
ing the rear wall of the Netps Office and others.
The cornice or fire wall of the big brick build
ing corner of Taylor street, Virginia, fronting
on street, to the extent OF twelve fifteen
feet, was thrown down upon the sidewalk, for
tunately, however, injuring no one. The heavy
brick front to the vault or safe In Wells, Fargo
& Co.'S Express office, in this city, was badly
cracked and shattered. In most of the grocery,
drug or liquor stores, more or less shelf goods
were thrown down and smashed, and
in tive or three instances, from $40 10
$40 damage being done. Pretty much oil the
damage sustained WAS from the first shock. The
second heavy one, at twenty minutes to
o'clock, was of less force, yet il was powerful
enough to throw a bar of bullion, weighing
twenty pounds, out of pige0n-hole down upon
the floor, in Wells, Fargo & Co. & Virginia Office,
throwing it directly west; the piles of coin in
the boxes were also shaken and thrown east and
west, showing the vibrations of that shock to
| have been in that direction In many houses
| the globes and chimneys of kerosene lamps were
thrown off and smashed, but fortunately nc
| lamps were broken, otherwise n conhagration
might have ensued. None of the mines were al
| all injured.
The earthquake was sensibly felt at sacra.
mento, Carson, Reno, and elsewhere. Con
| siderable damage was done to shelf goods in the
| drug store at Dayton, and chandelier thrown
down came near creating big fire, but it was
| quenched in time. The stage drivers from Rene
| this morning report Steamboat creek as flowing
| fnll to the banks and difficult to ford; and the
| stage between Carson and Reno was detained
| over an hour on account Of it; but whether this
| is attributable to the earthquake, or sudder
| rains, melting snow, we are not exactly pre-
pared to say. The Steamboat Springs are re
| ported to be spouting forth most furIously Il
| the height of ten or fifteen feet.