Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-10-08
rHs ezvrEN11A EARTHQUAKE.


of the earthquake that took place there or
the evening before:
"On the Sd of September, at s 80 P. NJ.
without any previous warning, a strong earth
quake shook the ground violently in a direc
ton from west to east. The movement was
series Of strong vertical and horizontal i'm.
pulses combined. The wave-like undulation.
on the surface rose and fell at least foot.
This, acting, along with the Aforementioned
vertical movement, made it almost impossible
to move about without being thrown to the
ground. Nevertheless, every ole in the
house managed to get out into the court yard,
lexpecting every moment to see the walls come
tumbling down upon us. Being taken by sur
prise, can scarcely say what happened In the
first seconds, but | soon recovered eQuanimi-
~ enough TO note the direction OF the shock
by the swinging of the lamp which hung in
The por,ico of the Hotel dc Concrete, where
was staying, and any other phenomena that
might occur. Every object around ME was in
motion. 1t gave to me the feeling as if
stepped into hole and there stumbled against
an elevated body which prevented me from
recov ering my equilibrium. Added to all this
there were the piercing cries of the populace,
the creaking and cracking of walls, loud
sounds like thunder from the earth beneath,
the rafting noise of tiles, houses, and walls
| falling, which altogether formed hideous
concert which can never be forgotten. If you
consider the darkness of the night made this
| all the more impressve-that every visible
object was in violent motion, and that it was
necessary to balance ones self with the great
est care to avoid fall, you will not be sur
prsed that my observations of the first mo-
ments of this catastrophe are rather scanty. A
strange perplexity seemed to paralyze all the
mental faculties. think, however, l am cor
rect in estimating the duration Of the first
strong shock to have been from twenty-five to
thirty seconds. The contents of large wa
ter tank in the courtyard were thrown out in
a broad sheet Of water. Wild screeches and
screams continued even after the first terror
| had little subsidized. at once saw that our
policy was to keep quiet and away from the
walls. Long after the first shock had passed
there was still the noise Of walls falling more
or less distant. Suddenly arose the sound
of hundreds of voices chanting hymn to the
Creator for mercy; the solemn melody had a
strange effect on my excited nerves and feel
ings. Many shocks followed during the night
of varying intelsities, every one of which
gave rise to new alarms and new implorations
for mercy. The night seemed an age in length.
Fortunately no rain fell.
At daybreak went through the town to see
the extent of the mischief done. l Judge
about two dozen houses that were inhabited
have been destroyed, causing, as far as
could learn, the loss of thirty-two lives. The
number of houses damaged, and which will
have to be torn down, will be found con-
siderable. Many of the old ruins of 1873
have suffered new damages.
| In Guatemala, the capital, shocks were felt
but slight; this fact, taken along with the d.
rection of the earthquake, and its increasing
effect being in a direct ratio to the distance
from the "Volcan del FueRo," makes it prob
able that this mountain caused all the noctur-
nal disturbance above described The In
dams say that three villages at the foot of the
volcano have been destroyed, though this
wants confirmation.
During the confusion and disaster of the
earthquake, many narrow and wonderful es-
capes are related as usual. For instance: a
| mother was killed, but the child she held in
| her arms was unhurt. Another woman got hold
of her child and her old mother, but in getting
out of the house the old woman was killed !;
| and so on.
| Even during the terror of the FIRST shock,
there were not wanting perverse men, who
appeared with long knives, for the purpose of
stealing and numbering. and tried to do so,
but fortunately the Political Chief of Antigua
proved to be the right man for the occasion.
|
pests of society and saved the people of An
tgua from murder and plumber. The author
tiles did their duty on this trying occasion and
| deserve public thanks.
All the squares and 0peE places of Antigua
| are covered with tents and Other modes of
shelter The inhabitants look with fear to the
approach of night, expecting q repetition of
the earthquake at the same hour. The chill
dren alone seemed to enjoy this new mode of
life, regarding it probably az a nice picnic.
| Happy childhood!
Even carriages and carts serve as temporary
abodes. 1t will take some time before the
people Of Antigua, Guatemala, recover seren-
| ~ OF mind enough to go to sleep in their tot
tering houses. Impressions Of a strong shock
of earthquake are not easily forgotten or di-
mnished by force of will"
LEWIS AND KENNEBEC RAILWAY.
1t is gratifying to learn that by the 10Th of
and St. Mary's, a distance of over thirty
miles, will be finished, and regular trains
two passenger and one frei2ht-will COM
mence to run daily between those two points.
| BY the same period next year, it is antici-
pa,ed that the road will be pushed to St.
George, and in a very short time afterwards,
if properly encouraged by the Provincial
Government, it will be carried through to the
frontier and a connection formed with the
Maine railway system, We do not exagger-
ate when we say that this line is for Quebec
only second in Importance to the North
Shore Road. In fact, in some senses, the one
is useless without the other, unless Mr..
Sewell succeeds in solving the knotty ques-
ton Of the feasibility Of navigating the St.
Lawrence in winter, for without the Lewis
and Kennebeck, we would be to as great an
extent as isolated as ever in winter. But
with the latter, when it has secured its con-
necton W it'll the railways of Maine, we would
at once be placed in direct communication
with winter port instead of by the present
tedious and round about way of Richmond.
For Lewis, however, its realization possesses
all the elements of growth and prosperity,
while for the fine agricultural region extend
| ing from the South shore of the st. Lawrence
to the United States boundary, it means SIM
ply new life to its population. wealth and
denser settlement We sincerely hope that
the scheme has seen all the difficulties in
store for it and that the hands of the energet-
| ic contractors Messrs. Larochelle aud Scott,
| will be in every way strengthened to enable