The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1872-04-18
The Earthquake in California.

By the arrival, at 2 p NJ, of Colonel
Charles Whipple, by the stage direct from
Lone Pine, | am enable to forward the par
ticulars of what is undoubtedly the most
destructive earthquake, considering the
theatre Of the damage, which has ever been
experienced in the United States and prob
ably for great number of years anywhere
on this continent The shock occurred at
twenty five minutes past 2 a. NJ, of Tues
day, the Goth, and, 50 far as can learn, Lone
Pine was pretty near the initial point of the
disturbance. Judge so, at least, from its
being the point where the agitation was
most violent aud the greatest damage done.
Colonel Whipple is the only person who
has yet arrived here from the Owens River
Valley since it occurred, and he has been
interviewed ever since He was sleeping in
a two story adobe house, upstairs, when it
occurred. lie sprang out of bed, caught
hispants, and had proceeded about ten feet
to the hall, when he was thrown upon his
back, the walls and the roof coming right
down upon him, and he was knocked mo-
mentarily insensiblc. As he went down
with the crash of the building, he says, [
thought Of nv wife and children, and then
this is deqtf" As soon as he came to and
was able to dig out ofthe ruins, he went down
the street to the centre Of the town, where
the most appalling sight awaited him. Fif-
ty-two houses were thrown down, and fifty
four persons, or more than one-sixth of the
population of the town, were beneath the
ruins. The cries of those who were crush
ed in the fallen buildings were borne out
upon. the clear mountain air with terrible
distinctness. and struck terror and dismay to
the hearts of relatives aad friends, who were
more fortunate and escaped. The most ter
rible upheavals were still going on, threat
ening every second to destroy the few hou-
ses that were still standing. The citizens
Immediately commenced the work of rcmov-
lug the shattered and wrecked structures to
liberate those who were only wounded, and
find the dead. It is horrible to have to say
that at this. fearful time, when the air
was rent with shrieks of the suffering and
dying, there were some SO base as to carry
on the work of robbery and pilIage. Yet
such.is the CASE A man who was sleeping,
Yoacito, butcher, escaped with his life,
while his companion was killed at his side,
and he stole all the money and valuablcs on
his friend before he left him. The effect of
the heart pcnding calls of survivors" Oh,
where IL my wife?" "Oh, where is my bor-
ther" HOh, where are my children 2"
"Help me to find my children p'-may be
better Imagined than described. Every man
who was able to stand, worked at digging
thomout wherever there were cries for help
until long after daylight. ..-...
A fire broke out in Mr.. LOOMS store, be-
meath which there was known to be powder
stored, bat Mr.. Covington Mr.. Lyman and
othors,J at imminent peril Of their lives,
worked at the fire until it was subdued, and
the danger of an explosion averted. The
work of rescue went On until o'clock at
which hour twenty-thrce collins were con-
st u:ted-twcnty-three dead bodies were
prepared for their final rest in the troubled
g rth. Thirty of the wounded had been ex-
tr:cated and cared for, of whom, it is feared,
five may yet die. Col. Whipple says Mr.: |
Goldman told him, about A. NJ. he had !
counted 361 separate and distinct shocks.
There were four distinct kind of Shocks
The effect of one he describes us if an enor-
nous sheTl, situated exactly beneath the
town, had been exploded and came up almost |
to their feet with dull thud, and as it
reached the surface produced terrific vi
bration another was a quick, violent oscil-
lation, of the earth, without any noise or
ga;batsits motion; the third was preceded
by a soundIlike the long roll which drums
beat before battle Then the noise died out
and the chill came on. The fourth was like
a 20O.pound Parrot, fired from > mountain
side, the noise seeming to scale the noun
tains to their base. and when this passed
ovstsaitcrrific trembling commenced. The
pr95uhdest sympathy is felt here for the
sufferers. A meeting of our citizens is now
being held at the Graham House. and about
$3.50 have already been subscribed, and pro-
visions, blanket, &C., will at once be for.
wasdea Every thing in the town was de,
stroyed that was perishable, such as food
and all the goods that were in the stores. |
send you list Of the killed and wounded,
and also the proceedings of meeting held
by the citizens of the late town. Exaggera-
ted accounts have preceded Col. Whipple's
arrival here about an enormous aperture be-
ing opened in the earth, volcanoes bursting
out, and kindred reports. We had story
that gulf was opened 200 feet wide; it is
not 20. A crack is made through the val
ley some thirty miles long, Northward from
Lone Pine, but is not very extensive. There
Hasbeen no volcanic demonstration.
Independence suffered severely, but no
one was killed there. The Inyo IndPe"-
dent office was badly pied the press being
eapsized, No town was seriously damaged
except lone Pine.
San Francisco Chronicle.
An Indian agent says that childrcn's