St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-04-05
Great Loss of Human Life.
The Earthquake in California.
THIRTY PERSONS KILLED.
SAN Francisco. March 81 .

NAN L RAM Isl ~ hSlIt IL III
Advices from the volcanic country
north of the Moiavc river show that the
earthquake on Tuesday WAS felt with
terrific force there. Reports from lnyo
county place the number of killed 10y
the earthquake ut 80, besides 100 wound
ed. Lone Pine appears to have been
directly over the center of the disturb
amct. and at that place % persons were
killed and ~ Wounded. Fifty houses
were demolished. and the whole town i
in ruins. Among the killed WAS Mr..
GREY. aged II. The remainder were all
Spanish Americans. The first shock i
described H. resembling park OF aitIl-
lrr\ fired directly beneath the toxin.
Col. Whipplc. who WAS III the second
story OF an adobe house. states that he
had barely time to get from his bed
and reach the door way when the house
fell to pieces. bury ing him hcncath ITS
ruins. from which he escaped after HAY
ing received several severe but not dan
gerouS Wounds.
The scene heggars description. Near
" the whole populacc WAS buried he
meath the ruins. The cries for help.
and screams of the wounded beneath
the ruins filled tine air, while those VIII"
escaped aided their fathers. mothers
and children. over 800 distinct shocks
were felt between half-past : o'clock
and /. and there was Il constant trcm-
Bile for over three hours. The shocks
continued decreasing i'll force until
Thursday morning. when over 100 were
counted. At SWanZca Col. Ircgalla~
L. 4 4 sal III
walls among the inhabitants of Luupine.
Ccrro Gordn Was badly damaged. hay
ing several buildings thrown down and
one man killed.
\ rha>m WAS opened, extending %
miles down the valley. ranging from 3
inches to 10 feet i'll width. Rocks were
torn from their places. and rolled down
into the valley.
At Tibhctt'> rancho. ID miles above
Independence. ~ acres of ground sunk
seven feet below the surface of the sur
rounding country. Big Owen lake has
risen seven feet since the first shock.
Owens river ran over its banks. dcpoS-
iting shoals of fish on the shore. After
ward il reccded for three OF four miles.
Through Lone Pine the earth cracked ::
one side remained stationary. while the
other sank seven or eight feet. leaving
IL wall of earth extending over eight
miles. where formerly was Il level plane.
lmnumerIhle cracks We're made through
out the valley. kearn'S river was turn
ed. and ran up stream Il few minutes.
leaving its dry bed, and finally return
ed with increased volume.
The Indians have all fled from the vi
cinity of Green Mount Hood i'll fright.
They have II tradition that Il terrific
earthquake occurred in the section. Il
century ago. which produced what is
known as owens valley. but which WAS
before Il chain of mountains.
The section affected 10y the earth
quake is >pal>clN inhabited. mainly 10y
people engaged i'll working silvcr-hear
ing lead mines. 1t is remarkable that
only slight shock was felt i'll central
and northern California.
There has been II" parallel To this
earthquake since l-l2. when several
towns i'll Lower California were de
\ dispatch from NiSalia. SAYS that
several shocks were felt in that city.
last night. coming from the southeast.