New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-16
THE CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE.


Monday night March 25, was calm, clear, ana
frosty the moon just past the full lighting mountain ana
valley with perfect dstinctness as iar as the eye
roach there was nothing unnatural remarkable III the
night or weather At about 20 minutes past a.
began TO rumble and roar heaye and toss The quak
inss and rumblDgs almost incessant bul ne luie
fhon oh every few minutes sharp, cracking shock
would come startling everybody as only an inc
of lie or destruction to property which, Heaven Knows
was sufficient this place was soon a;certaned that
every adobe brick or stone building. In town., Was
wholly or partially destroyed The upper story OF tte
Courthouse twO-story brick received aWd I
cracked to the foundation. County Clerk m
and Under Sheriff Moore were sleeping IN tner rSs
fhe rst floor but could not get out until aiter Hc cIs
This was most fortunate for Them for the upper %a:
fell outward under which they would mb nave 0o0H
an instant later they had these 10 clillo. 49,. soon
The editor OF this was awakened from Gfep
sleep consciousness of the cries OF s canvn
sons of the earth With feeling Of indescribable ter
he reached the oor heSS y he Sensations it
were an age-he vainy sought TO grasp rom Rls olo
sSgrared forward ne crib away and then came
shock that sent him back agast te oeu "a SUI io
,ns and No started for tho kitchen adjoining light
frame At the moment crash was heard III tAe ONCE,
directly overhead where stood couple of presses
Weighing over 1000 pounds which seemed to be break
ing through the floor above. Unlocking the outside door,
ne net his wife She staggered out with her sleeping
babe Amid the falling plasterinG ana crashing crock
cry all escaped without scratch The whole une mus
occupied probably did not exceed fifty seconds ana ci
the over The junior editor VINO sleeps uoh
opened aud passed through two locked doors Win tc
utmost difficulty reaching the street III safety just '
The nearest point TO this place wnere cI,iete uesluc
on ruled rampant is the Eclipse Mill, Where the super
intendent Henry Tregalas killed in the roins OF
his house found by the terrified employees his arms
were locked around the almost Illuminate form Of ms
wife both buried in the debris, she badly injured. nearly
suifocatcd, ana he quite dead Every building on 1ke
ground save the frame MIL, is azed 10 inc Cafl anu
is absolutely wonderful that none but MI 1realIS ei
The greatest loss Of life and destruction of buildings
occurred in the town of Lone Pine miles south Of tins
Mace Every stOne and adobe building, comprising
about threefOurths Of that unfortunate place. was rev
eled to tho earth Owing, probably. TO the soft springy
nature of the ground upon which stands the desrdc-
lion of even the class OF buildings above mentoned was
and with one or two exceptions, business house III
the town built of auObes ana hence the great Io'
Of life. There were over 60 persons khel aug
LOomis Bros, crowded with goods fGli ana Durlea UP
Rockwell LOOMS The debris caught fire close by where
he was lying and 10 large quantity O powder IN
kegs He owes his life. others, to deed OF he.
roism performed by VIM. Covington, who in the st OF
nent risk OF his life, refused abandon his helpless
friend and never ceased his efforts until he had eXtn-
gushed the fire then tapping the powder ke gs and got
the wounded man ont. 1t noble act The worst
hurt, though not the only one sustained by Dlr LOOMS
was in having one ear ana large portion ol Ills scalp
torn away. ,,
II is quite out OF the question for to note the crcum-
stances of the wOndrouS escapes ana deaths OF so many
to give names of the sufferers though many oi
them will be found in another part OF this Issue soon
wounded and dead and to care for the exposed properly
in the ruins This last wise precauOn on the lfO
Of Deputy sheriff Begoe as was subsequently p2Ye
quakings there men so ineXpressiby mean as 10
rob the dead, one being caught in the act
the valley; hurried Gescrpi possibly do justice
to the wonderful physical effects everywhere visible
Vast Crevasses have been opened, new lakes forned
sinks from ten inches twenty feet and covering acre
damned ana turned, and the foothills IN places rent
with wide cracks.