The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-04-04

earthquake Indicate that the convulsion was
one of unprecedented severity. About thirty
persons have been killed and wounded; seve-
raj settlements are in run., the earth's sur
face has been permanently marred by assures
or sinkings, and, to crown all, symptoms Of vol.
canic action are reported from several places.
The locality in which this extraordinary dis
turbance occurred Is in the middle of the
southern part of the State, in the new coun-
ties OF Kern and Inyo, formed from the coun-
ties of Mariposa and Tulare. The region
most affected is divided by the Sierra Nevada,
Kern River being on the west side of the
range and Owens on the east. The country
Is evidently of volcanic origin, being sprlnkled
with scoria, tufa and other traces OF volcanic
action. Although San Francisco is compla-
Gently represented as contemplating the catas-
trophe with unruffled serenity. 1t Is to be
hoped that some Of It's scientific men will feel
sufficient interest In the phenomenon to go
down and investigate it. The following are
the latest accounts of the awful phenomenon:
SAN FRANCISCO, March 81.
Dispatches received from the volcanic dis
trict in Inyo County, four hundred miles south:
east from this city, give additional details OF
the earthquake disaster on Tuesday last. The
shocks still continue, though with decreased
violence. It Is remarkable that only slight
shock on Tuesday was felt In Central and
Northern California. Cerro Gordo vas badly
down and one man killed. Lone Pine appears
to have been directly over the centre OF the
disturbance, and among the killed there was
Mr.. Grey, aged forty two, native Oh ie6as.
The remainder were all Spanish-Amerlcans.
The first shock Is described as resem-
bling a park of artillery; nTea 9I alreCtiS
was in the second story of an adobe house,
states that he had Just time to jump
from bed and get to the doorway, when the
house appeared to crumble to pieces beneath
him. He was buried among the ruins, put
succeeded In extrcating himself from the
debris, having received several severe but not
dangerous wounds. terrible scene ensued
when the first shock was over. Nearly the
whole populace were buried beneath the ruins.
Cries tor help and screams OF pain from the
wounded beneath the ruins nlled the all,
while those who escaped were calling ior ava
to rescue fathers, mothers wives aud cnli-
dren. The first shock was followed IN quick
succession by three others. Over three hun.
dred distinct shocks were felt between hal
past two and sunrise; in fact, the earth was IN
q constant tremble for over three hours.
chasm was opened extending thlrty-fve miles
down 1.-The valley, ranging from three
inches to forty feet In width, rocks were
also thrown from their places, and rolled
down into the valley. At S"anzea, Coionel
Tregallas, of The Smelling Works, was Killed.
Great desolation prevails among the inhabl-
tants of Lone Pine. A dispatch to-day from
Visalis, says several shocks were felt In that
city last night, aud are still coming from the
southeast. There are rumors oil volcano 10
active operation having been seen from the
summit Of Greenhood Mountain, Sixty miles miles
have all left, fearing the recurrence OF the
general CONFUSION of nature, which, accord
Ing to their traditions, occurred 10 that re-
glon some hundreds Of years ago, and created
what Is known as Owens River valley, out
which was, before that time, chain OF noun
tains. The section seriously affected by tne
earthquake was sparsely Inhabited, aud main- |
" people engaged in working the silVer.bear- |
Ing lead mines.
iATER.-Additlonal advlces from Inyo
County place the number of Killed oy tne
earthquake on Tuesday at thirty, besides one
hundred wounded. In the desert country,
stretching from OWENS Lake to the Mexican
line, are innumerable craters not long ex-
tlnct, besides several mud volcanoes, and II ls
supposed that some OF these old volcanoes
NAV be in eruption again. A gentleman from
asserts that smoke and ashes
rom a volcano were distinctly seen south |
ward from that place, and word has been
brought there that lava was seen lowing down
Ihe mountain, but the report Is not authenli-
Gated. The shocks continued, decreasing IN
force up to Thursday morning, when over
one thousand had been counted. At Tibbetrs
rancho, fifteen miles above Independence forty
acres of ground sunk seven feet below the
surface Of the surrounding country. Big Owens
Lake has risen four feet since the first shocks
Ovens River ran over Its banks, depostlng
shoals of fish on the shore; aiterward 1t re-
ceded. Through Lone Pine the earth
cracked, one side remaining stationary while
The other sunk seven or eight feet, leaving "a
wall OF earth extending over three miles IN
length, where formerly was level plain. In
cracks were made throughout the
valley. Kern and Owens Rivers turned and
ran no stream for several minutes, leaving
their beds dry, and finally returned with
largely Increased volume. There has been no
parallel to this earthquake since the year
1872, when the Missions of San Juan CaDistra-
no aud La Purissima, In Southern California,
we're destroyed. Of course the earthquake Is
The matter of common conversation through
out California, but creates not the slightest
outside Of the district affected.