Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-04-09
Earthquake in California.

San Francisco. March 3lst. Dispatches
have been received from the volcanic
district in 70 County, 400 miles south Of
the earthquake disaster Tuesday. Shocks
continue, though with decreased violence.
II is remarkable that only slight shock
was felt in Central and North California.
C-rro Gordo was badly damaged, having
several buildings thrown down and one
man killed. Lone Pine appears to have
been directly over the centre of the dis
t,irbance. Among the killed ut the latter
place was Mr.. Grey, aged AZ, native Of
Texas. The remainder were all Spanish
Americans. The first shock Is described
as resembling park Of artillery fired iii.
rectly beneath the town. Col. Whipple
who was in the second story ofthe Adobe
House, states that he was just In time to
Jump from bed aud get TO the doorway
when the house appeared to crumble TO
pieces beneath him. He was buried
among the ruins but succeeded in eXtri-
eating himself from the debris having re-
ceiyed several severe but not dangerous
wounds-the scene bcg9ars description
nearly the whole populace was buried be-
meath the ruins. Cries for help ana
screams of pain from the wounded from
beneath the ruins filled the air. while
those who escaped were calling tor aid 10
rescue fathers, mothers, wives and
children. The first shock was followed
IN quick succession by three others. Over
300 distinct shocks were felt between half
past two and sunrise. In fact the earth
was in constant tremble over three
hours. \ chasm was opened extending
36 miles down the valley ranging from
three inches TO forty feet in width. Rocks
were torn from their places and rolled
down into the valley. At Swansea. Cal,
Fregail0s of the smelling works was
killed and great desolation prevails among
the inhabitants of Lone Pine. Dispatches
to-day from NiSalia say several shocks
were felt in that city last night and were
still coming from the southeast. Persons
anticipate finding immense chasns ~ the
mountains east of us soon rs the snow dis
appears enough To permit an inyestl.H-
ton. There are rlImors u volcano IN
active operation seen from the summit 81
Green Hood mountain, GO miles south OF
Visalia Tire riimor i considered nj least
dubious.
The Indians in that vicinity have all
Ieft fearing recurrence OF the general
conyulson of nature. which according TO
traditions occurred IN that region some
hundred years ago and created what is
known as Owens River Valley, but which
was before q chain OF mountains. The
section affected by the earthquake was
sparsely inhabited, mainly by people en-
gagged In working silver bearing lead
Additional adyices from lnyo county
| place the number Killed By the earthquake
! Tuesday at 80. besides 100 wounded. In
! the desert country stretching from Owen
| Lake 10 the Mexican line. are innumrra-
Bile eraters. not long extinct besides
several mud volcanoes, and il Is supposed
some OF the old VOLCANOES may be- IA
eruption again. A gentleman from in-
| dependence asserts that smoke ana ashes
| from the volcano were distinctly seen
| sQurhward from that place. and word haG
been brought from there that lava was
seen flowing down the mountain. but the
report was not authenticated. The shocks
continued decreasing In force mp To Tues
day morning. when over thousand had
been counted. At Tibbett's Rancho. ID
miles above Independence, forty acres OF
| ground sunk seven feet below the surface
of the surrounding country. Biz Owens
Lake has risen four feet since the INST
shocks. and Owens river ran over ~
bank. dcposting schools Of fish on The
shore IL afterwards receded.
! For three or four miles through Lone
| Pine the earth cracked and one side re-
manned stationary while the other sank
seven or eight feet. leaving wall OF earth
extending over three miles IA lch@th.
where formerly there was level plain.
| Inmnmerable cracks were made through
out the valley. Kern and Owens rivers
turned and ran up stream several minutes
leaving their beds dry and finally returned
with largely increased volume. There
has been no parallel To this earthquake
since 1912. when the missions ot san Juan.
CopiStravc and Ia Purissima. in south
erm California were destroyed