The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-05-03
The California Earthquake.
From the Inyo (Cal.) independent,

Monday night, March 25, was calm
clear. and frosty, the moon Just pas
the full, lighting mountain and vale
with perfect distinctness as far as tn
eye could reach there was nothing un
natural or remarkable in the night O
weather. At about % minutes past
o'clock in the morning the grea
unknown and unreasonable power be
meath began to rumble and roar. I.
heave and toss. The quakings ane
rumblings were almost incessant, but a
rule they amounted to nothing NOR,
than mere tremors; though every few
minutes sharp, cracking shock would
come, startling everybody as only ar
earthquake can but the first, SO far
was the only one entailirg loss Of life
or destruction to property, which,
Heaven knows, was sufficient. In this
place, it was soon ascertained that every
adobe, brick, or stone building in town
was wholly or partially destroyed. The
upper story Of the Court House, a two
story brick, received a send.away to the
south, the lower walls left standing, but
crushed and orscked to the foundation.
County Clerk Hammerstrand and
Under Sheriff Moore were sleeping in
their offices on the first floor, but could
not get out until after the crash. This
was most fortunate for them, for the
upper walls fell outward, under which
they would have been buried an instant
later they had these to climb.
The editor of this paper was
awakened from deep sleep to a con.
sciousness of the cries of his terrified
wife, or to even a partial conception of
the terrible commissions of the earth.
With feeling of understandable terror,
he reached the floor. Keeling and
staggering like drunken man for a
time-measured by the sensations it
was an age-he vainly sought to grasp
from his crib sleeping child. 1t was
an impossible task, for, as he staggered
forward the crib rolled away, and then
came shock that sent him back
against the bed. By some means to him
unknown he finally got the child in his
arms, and started for the kitchen
light frame. At the
moment, crash was heard in the office.
directly overhead, where stood a couple
Of presses weighing over 1000 pounds,
which seemed to be breaking through
the floor above. Unlocking the outside
door, he threw the child to the heavine
and returned to meet his wife.
IS she staggered out with her sleeping
babe. Amid the falling plastering and
'rashing crockery, all escaped without
scratch. The whole time thus occupied ,
probably did not exceed fifty seconds. ,
md then the worst was over. The
unior editor, who sleeps upon the same .
loor, was Awakened by the first move. ,
nent,, and opened and passed through !.
wo locked doors with the utmost !
ifficulty, reaching the street in safety,
lst as occurred the crash of the falling =
uildings.
The nearest point to this place, where
'mplete destruction ruled rampant, is
lie Eclipse Mill, where the Superinten.
ent, Henry Tregallas, was killed in the :;
Inns OF his house. When found by the e
'rrified employees his arms were locked -
'ound the almost inanimate form of y
IS wife, both buried in the debris, she E
IDLY injured, nearly suffocated, and he 2
lite dead. Every building on the n
ound. save the frame mill, is RACED to A,
e earth, and it is absolutely wonderful (,
a. none but Mr.. Tregallis fell victims.
The creates. loss OF life and destruc- do
m o. buildings occurred in the town st
Lone Pine, Is miles south of this as
ace. Every stone and adobe building. N.
mprising about three-fourths of that Mi
fortunate place, was levelled to the W
rth. Owing, probably, to the soft, No
ringy nature Of the ground upon e
lich it stands, the destruction of even Gu
class OF buildings above mentioned. Mi
8 more complete than elsewhere :,
any OF the dwellings, and with one or IN
0 exceptions every business house in "a .u'
town was built of adobes, and hence 81.
great loss of life. There were over I'M
persons killed and wounded in Il at Eu
ce alone. The large store of LOOMS uI l
's., crowded with goods, fell and OF. on.
ned up Rockwell LOOMS. The ne'
vis caught fire close by where he was a MN
az, and near to large quantity of w
Vder in kegs. He owes his life, as
ny others to deed of heroism per. '.o'
ned by VIM. Covington, who, in the an an
LIST OF the quakings and terror of the 10 10
ne, and at the imminent risk of his sna
refused to abandon his helpless S Sn'
nd, and never ceased his efforts until s oUl
lad extinguished the fire then tapping az,
powder kegs, and got the wounded al
out. The worst hurt, though not We We
only one sustained by Mr.. Loomis. 'nT
in having one ear and large por. -
of his scalp torn away. anu anu
ssures in the earth are numerous wa
extend all over the valley no hur. e e..e
description can possibly do justice ou.
re visible Vast crsvass e.I havs et h is
led, new lakes formed, sinks of from 81 oTI !
inches to twenty feet and covering os
after acre; cracks extending miles, -.
river partially damned and turned. pos'
the fOOt-hil ara in nlacaa roct cess