Weekly Trinity journal., 1872-04-13
SATURDAY. APRIL IL, 1872.
TERRIFIC EARTHQUAKES.

An earthquake was felt throughout the
Pacific coast early in the morning of the
26th ultimo. Unlike former instances,
San Francisco was not affected, the earth
quake expending its force at points hith-
erto exempt from serious disturbance.
The following extracts from an exchange
give an account of its effect in Inyo coun-
ty:
About 2:30 A. NJ. the inhabitants of
Lone Pine were awakened by loud ex-
plosion, followed by terrible upheaving
and shaking of the earth from south to
north. In an instant the whole town was
in ruins, not building being left stand
ing. The scene which ensued beggars
description. Screams and groans rent
the air in all directions. Nearly the
whole populace of the town was buried
beneath tho ruins; cries for help and
screams of pain from the wounded filled
the air, while from the ruins those who
escaped were calling for help to rescue
fathers, brothers, wives and children were
agonizing to hear. The first shock was
followed in quick succession by three
others. Over three hundred distinct
shocks were felt between half past two
and sunrise in fact, the earth was in "A
constant shake and tremble for over three
hours. A chasm was opened extending
thirty-five miles down the valley, rang
ing from three inches to forty feet in
width. Rocks were torn from their places
and rolled down into the valley. Every
where through the valley are seen evil
dences of the terrible convulsion of ma
ture. Cerro Gordo was badly damaged,
many buildings cracked, some few thrown
down; no persons badly injured. Swansea
also totally destroyed buildings all
thrown down to the ground, and far
naces all thrown down. Colonel Trogal-
las, of the Swansea works, was killed
All accounts agree in placing Lone Pine
over the center of commotion. Before
each shock could be heard an explosion
which sounded directly beneath their feet.
Over six hundred distinct shocks were
felt within f(ty-eight hours after the first.
Persons anticipate finding large chasms
in the mountains east as soon as the snow
disappears enough to admit of investiga-
tion. In the vicinity of Mount Whitney,
residents describe the explosion as of a
park of heavy artillery fred beneath their
feet, which run along the mountain range,
north and south, until lost in the distance.
RumOrs Of a volcano in active operation,
being seen from the summit of Greenhood
Mountain, sixty miles southeast of here,
are in circulation but their authenticity
is considered at least dubious. The In
dians in that vicinity have all left, fearing
the recurrence OF general convulsion of
nature, which, according TO tradition, oc-
Cured there some hundreds of years ago,
and created what is now known as Owens
River Valley, but what was before q
chain of mountains. At Independence
one man was killed and many persons
more or less injured, The buildings
WtTt DullH stIulutu
ney and walls were thrown down goods
were pitched from the shelves in stores
and everything breakable dashed to
pieces. Some few buildings were pros
trated. At Fort Independence a child
was killed and several persons wounded.
| Walls and chimneys were thrown down.
The Exchange Hotel, Courthouse, Har-
ris & Rhine's store and John Broder's
residence were among the larger build
ings totally destroyed at Independence
1t is estimated that over 200 buildings
were thrown down. Not an adobe or
brick building is supposed to have es-
capped destruction throughout the whole
county Of Inyo. Up to Wednesday
morning fully 1000 distinct shocks were
felt. At Tbbett's ranch, 10 miles above
Independence, about forty acres of ground
sunk about seven feet below the surface
of the surrounding country. Big Owens
Lake has risen four feet since the first
shock. Owens River ran over its banks,
depositing shoals of fish on shore after 1t
receded. For a distance OF four mi les
through Lone Pine the earth cracked,
one side remained stationary, while the
other sank seven or eight feet leaving n
wall Of earth extending over twenty miles
in length, where formerly was level
plain. Innumerable cracks were made
throughout the valley. Kern and Owen
rivers turned and run up stream for sew
eral minutes, leaving their beds dry, and
finally returned with largely increased
volumes of water. Some OF the shocks
were preceded by deafening report, as
though the mountains we're being rent in
two others were accompanied by low
continued rumble, as of train OF cars
running Underground. None of the suf-
ferers ever experienced anything so fright
full in all their earthquake experience
At last accounts, Thursday morning, the
explosions and heavings still continued,
though not so violently. A gentleman
from Independence asserts that the smoke
and ashes from volcano could be dis
tinctly seen from that town, and that
word had been brought there that lava
was running down the sides Of the noun