The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-04-13


the Western Union Telegraph Company in
this State, who was at Independence, Ipyo
county, California. last Tuesday morning
when the great earthquake occurred which
shattered that whole region and W which shook
US up not little in this city, 800 miles north
of what would seem to have been the centre
Of the great telIuric disturbance.
THE FIRST GREAT SHOCK
came at 2:30 on Thursday morning, and was
probably the most severe that occurred. MIR.
Bell, who was sleeping in the seccud story of
the hotel at Independence Ca frame building
filled in with adCbes), says that when the
first shock came it threw his pitcher and
wash bowl, which were upon a wash-staud
six feet distant. upon his bed, whence tbey
rolled to the floor and were broken. After, a
few heavy sldewise Iurches from south to
north, during which MIR. Bell was irving to
climb out of his second-story window. about
half dozen perpendicular jolts came, which
seemed to lift the house to the height of sew
eral feet The earth now settled down to a
steady, tremulous motion, W hich sort of calm
lasted long euuu.h to allow Mr. Bell to par-
tally dress himself, find his overcoat and
carpet>sack, and get down stairs and out into
the open air. Here he found the startled in.
mates of the hotel, to the number Of twenty
FIVE or thirty,
MEN, woHKN AND CHILDREN EN DFsHABIILE
ali in mementary expectation Of a repetition
of the shocks. Frightened as all were. one
man still had sufficient command of hi. wits
to notice Mr.. Bells overcoat and carpsi-bag
..Hallo!" he cried. "bere is a man who has
packed his duis aud is going to leave the
country" The joke must have been consid-
cred good one IN some quarters, for Just at
the moment the earth laughed such lansh
and So shook lis sides that nobody cared To
make another attempt at wit. -a.
From this time TIL nearly 7 o'clock the
earth was never for moment perfectly quiet
and every few minutes heavy shocks of u lcw
seconds duration were occur ting. In all
there wero more than fifty very heavy shocks
The first shock cracked aud threw down
many walls and buildings, but it was the
heavy succeeding shocks which leveled every
thing. The brick Court House and every
biick and adobe house in the toyyn and
throughout the whole country were throw
down.
PERILoUs POSITION OF CHILD.
When the first shock occurred, Mr.. Harris,
Of the firm of uarris * Kline, rushed out ul
his dwelling with his family. After getting
out he found one child was missing, and was
rushing back to rescue it when the whole
building fell. 1t was supposed that the child
was xii ed, but upon cuttng through the roof
and removing a portion of the wreck of the
building. it was found AID rescued quite un-
harmed.
1t would be useless to attempt to describe
the consternatlon which prevailed through
out the town during the time the shocks
were occurring; many supposed the last
great day had come. The shocks were ac-
com panied with great fumbIng, and the
p,us iAsH n,
dead such quantities If dust filled the all
that cloud was formed which was seen 10y
persons residing fifteen or twenty miles to the
north ward.
TIE sa CKS WERE STILL CINTINUING
when Mr.. Bell lett, and the people were Sc
utterly demoralized that they did not know
WheTe 10 turn or what to do. The i'm ures-
sion at Independence was that o the SOUTH
ward the earthquake still more severe
than in that place. and fears were entsI tanned
that but little was left Of Cerro Gurdo aud
other mining camps in that direction. They
worked an hour aud half trying to get at
Wells. Fargo & Co.. treasure b, K, buried 10
the ruins of Nathan Rhine's stoie, and at
last the stage Came of without it. Even as
the stage started there came one or two rat
Ting shocks All the adobe buildings at
Fort dependence were laid low, and a child
killed the mother, also, was seriously in
jured.
THE INYO "IHDFPKNDENT" OFFICE,
a frame building filled in with adobes, wa,
not thrown down, but the Office Was badly
damaged-even cooking stove that stood
III 1t being smashed to pieces.
STREAMS OF FIRE IsSUH FROM THE MOUNTAIN
Fourteen Mills this side Of Independence
in the Sierra Nevad, Mountains. is a large
mountain called Black Rock, the sides ut
which are covered with lava and which is
supposed to be an extinct volcano. The set
tiers Informed Mr.. Bell that during the time
the shocks were most severe, flashes of light
were seen to issue from the top Of tlis noun
tain and streams Of fire ran down its sides.
There are on the side of the mountain three
old lava streams. but when the stage passed
along 20 one had yet gone to see if auy flesh
dow had occurred. Mr. Mallory, formerly
of Carson City. stated that he observed lash
es Of light in other places in the mountains.
tut he was of tho opinion that they were
caused by rocks striking together as they
rolled down the slopes of the peaks. 10
places on the stage road thsre were encoun-
tered ..-..s..
RtCKs AS LARGE AS Two~sToRY HcUsFs.
which had rolled from the mountains From
Independence to Big Pins. distance of for>
ty~Eve miles, there is not square yard of
ground that does not show cracks. Near
Big Pine they found crevice across the road
sixty feet wide and six feet deep. OFF the
road. but In plain sight. this crevice was two
hundred feet wide and over twenty feet deep.
ana it could be traced long distance, run
ming ncrth and south, parallel with tho Sierra
Nevada Mountains.
LAND RIDGES AND WATER sPoUTs
South of Fish Springs Slough the water
spouted out Of the ground in many places.
aud there were still to be seen large pools
when the stage passed. Here also ridges of
ground from eight to ten feet in height were
raised up across the road. At Big Pine the
heavy dining table. with all it contained, was
overturned. aud five shocks were experienced
while the passengers were eating breakfast.
Between Fish Springs and Bishop creek.
where formerly was desert place. there now
gushes forth a stream Of water large enough
to turn mill. Ia ether places streams and