The New York herald., 1874-12-12

possible that the real OF the supposed earth
quake was blast OF unusual strength.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT from WASHINGTON HEIGHTS
Mr.. Rignal I. Woodward, who lives on Washing
ton Heights and does business IN Worth street.
states that he distinctly Scard the earthquake and
felt IL. He was at hrst disposed to believe he
heard thunder In the far distance, but when the
shock became so prolonged he instinctively knew
that he was experiencing an earthquake and that
he was in personal danger. He, however, was i'm
mediately conscious that no action was necessary
or OF use and remained passive while the rumbling
sound went on and the rocking decreased
In strength and intensity. That 1t was an
earthquake, MIR. Woodward has not the slightest
particle Of doubt, and no one who was awake
could fail to perceive It,. The noise and the SEN
sation OF rocking were both distinctly perceptibe.
and no clap OF thunder ever either felt Ike 1t or
sounded in q similar manner.
A SOUTH AMERICAN TEsTIFIEs
Mr.. Suppartes, resident OF Washington Heights,
quake, though not OF the severest kind. 1t was
accompanied BY rocking and rumoIing, and
taken to De q serious sign. He hao lived In south
America in an earthquake country for many years
and ne was perfectly familiar with the phenomena
OF earthquakes and his opinion was therefore, en-.
titled to more than usua! weight He became con-
scious OF the fact that an earthquake had hap
pened Immediately upon feeling the peculiar mo-
tion OF the earth under his feet. This was
distinct from the quaKlng, one succeeding the
other, however, at almost an instanrs interval.
The noise in this case was more percep ptible
than the motion, which Was contrary 10 the rule
In South America where the motion was the most
serious feature OF the earthquake. He believed,
force would have been sufficient to have damaged
property. moment before the time the air was
1t was simply impossible that thunderclap should
have happened in the midst OF this peace In toe
air. The noise and motion were subterranean.
ALONG THE HARLRM ROAD
Along the Harlem road the excitement was in
tense yesterday, and the great theme OF discus
sion seemed to be the question whether 1t was an
earthquake or an explosion which had created
such great alarm on the previous night. or
TO the duration OF the shock. while some were IN
cllned to the opinion that 1t must have
sssn Says Ssss sesra felt
other explosive material Of the Kind Painful
explosions had occurred. One man lelt sure there
had been an explosion at Haverstraw, the sound
night; the other felt positive that II was at Port
chester where the leariul calamity had occurred.
the a had qss snees ana soy
was very dificult to come to any
definite conclusion. However, as the day
sion sion tae conviction gained ground that it must
have oeen an earthquake and nothing else. In
quiries elected the fact that the shock was heard
almost all the way from fremont to Pawling
AT FORDHAM
there seemed to be scarcely anybody who had felt
Mouna aad
Pleasantville, Chappaqua, the home OF Horace
Greeley; Mount KIsc0, Katonah. &c, the shock
have been at West Mount Vernon, White Plans,
Kenslco, Mount Kisco and Katonah.
AT WHITE PLAINS
there was marriage least going on when the dun
thud was heard, and the CONSERVATION which en-
sued can easily be imagined. At first the bridal
discharged in their honor, but when this
assumption proved to be erroneous, everybody
ter ter. .Its an ne exposloni, "lt,s thunaeri" Its
an earthquake" These were the wild exclama-
tions wnich burst from the lips Of the frightened
jewellers. subsequently, when the first excite
ment had subsided, they all laughed at this unex-
pected intermezzo and returned TO their enjoy
ments.
The road master, Mr.. Eggleston, was awakened
motive in the engine house, near by, must have
exploded. 1t was also stated yesterday that Mr..
as ne could "s found yesterday this
Of the &c the carss sS ii thai white as PsH
his W son mad fallen out Of bed. Similar accidents
must have occurred TO others II popular report Is
Mr.. John L. scnmeman. who lives near Broad.
way in White Plains, thought the shock proceeded
from west to east He was up az the time. and,
as he was not easily, frightened. he re;
r. sm ron ke ts qumons Of Verg
heavy wagon on rough ground. only very
much stronger OF course; HIS house saook his
to the belief that 1t was an explosion. However,
subsequently he made up MS mind that 1t was not
All explosion, but an earthquake.
A GOOD SHAKING IN BED.
One OF the conductors OF the Harlem Railway,
M nsn saSs Ss the e
s1 y the sio's made snSSk MS his mss Ssa Ss
the bed was no longer q safe resting place. He
got up, and SO violent was the tremor That he ex-
over. He dressed himself In the greatest hurry,
but by the time he had finished his toilet the great
much Ike the "a rst sire report Of an explosion and
then died away slowly 'iike the rumbltng OF
thunder" In his Judgment IL must have lasted
Mr.. stephen o. Aipro. who lives in Broadway,
White Plains says that ne began to appreciate
ten on Thursday night, his house began to shake
to It's very foundations HIS lamps rattled tre-
He thought the snock lasted fully one minute.
A CRACKED CEILING.
At Patrick Farrell's house, in White Plains. the
effects OF the shock are yet visible In tremen-
dous crack In the ceiling or o room on the second
story. The mousse is q two story frame building,
tumble to pieces that very night. However, the
crack In the ceiling Is tn only damage he sus-
tanned with the exception OF the
crack His next-door neighbor was read
Ing. when the lamp on the table began
by itself. This rather alarmed him. as he IS no
Spirtualist and did not think that II was spook.
He describes the sound as double EXPLOSION, the
second report being lighter than the nrst, and as
continuous low rumbling like 'the rolling OF a
heavy cart over rough road" and he estimates
It's duration at half o minute.
Hudson the watchman at the Court House at
White Pains came running out OF 1t IN GREATNESS
haste, declaring that the Court House was threat
ening to tumble down. 1t shook so fearfuly. Here
IN front OF the Court House, the scene was one OF
great excitement. Eve witnesses say that the
men came rushing ont en- deshdbtue from the
neighboring hotels, and that many seemed to be
absolutely terrified by the earthquake.
AT HARRISON
the shock was also plainly felt. Mr.. Charles N.
Booth, an intelligent gentleman. who lives on the
Old POrtchester road, was in bed and just in that
sweet doze that precedes Sleep when he was
rudeiy awakened by the rumoling grumble OF the
earth. He got up to see II his aged and feeble
mother -ln-law was perfectly sale, and as ne
walked across the noor it trembled
plainly under MIS- feet. The windows shook
piece struck up lively rattle. His wife was so