, 1875-12-26
THE EARTHQUAKE.
Shocks In Virginia and ut Waah-
iUEtOn.

Co7res,oadfnee 4Stto York Herald.
R1cHnoSD, Va, Dec 23.-At o'clock q. N l
to ASCERTAIN accurately the extent and effect of
the earthquake. The result was that 1T turned
out to be much more serious, startling and, per-
haps dangerous than I was aware o. Every
where the citzeus were Walking ABOUT toe
strsets half dressed, or cong1egated On the
corners discussing the events Some ct them
remained in sheir houses with the doors open,
prepared at the first symptom OF
another rumble to rush to the streets for
safety from the impending dsngor Of falling:
houses. Few were courageous enough to Ee-
tire again. aud those wo did 40 kept their clothes
on to be ready f,r flight in any emergency, ana
numbers chose the seemingly safer alternative
OF walking about all ulght. Never IN the his
tory Of this city, so. famous Tor disasters ana
terrible casastrophes. Was there such dismay
md consterna ion depicted Oh tho countenances
Of the populace as they stood in tho,r dooi ways
OF in tho streets, trenbingly looking forward TO
calamity more awful than anything they had
vet experienced. From interviews had with
nersons Of intelligence and cool judgment it ls
now certain TINT the city and vicinity wero V1o-
LEFTY shaken by three distinct runbings OF an
earthquake, accompanied BY noise resenoane
thunder, o rushing sound IN the ar, ana the
shooting Of Thousands OF meteors through fhe
heavens.
Everybody agrees that tho first Of the shocks
VAS the most terrific and startling of them all,
shaking and swsying the houses like the rocking
of cradle rafting glasses and glassware. rlps-
ing bells, and Ii many instances, throwing pal
sous from their hadB With force and violence to
the floor. This latter incident occurred 1t sew
oral OF the hotels and numbers OF private dwell
.ings, and the effect was at once TO produce
panic and the widest consteEnaz1on that can be
imagined. Men and women ALIKE rushed INTO
passages and streets, screaming with terror, I'M
able to realize such an awful visitation, atld IN
the confusion and uproar which ensued escaping
the effect Of the second ''shaka," which fol-
lowed in about three minutes after the first
This latter shock was less V1olent bnt, Ake tue
first it came with the same Tumbllng, and as II
suppressed, sound OF thunder, the ealue rushing
noise. like whirlHind, and the same shooting
OF meteors in the ompyrean, which vas hIeu
with electricity producing the most brilliant AND
at the same time tho most astonishing effects.
Those who were calm and collected enough to
witneas the latter display in the streets became
terribly impressed with this extraordinary DEM
oustration Of nature, and there was many men-
tai resolution. tending to reformation IN the
future, made in the few minutes that il tasteo.
In about twenty minutes from the first ehock
the third occurred and this was still les8 Violent
tLan even the second. but accompanied With the
came atmospheric phenomena IS the preceding
twC.
eary morning stiffness, unbroken save only by the
wsnderiues OF the panic-ssricken citizens and
their erecu1atious and dl8cussione aa 20 Inc re-
curreuce OF the remarkable and exciting events
Of The night Nothing further happened ana
When a. some say, st little afler a. m, still
another slight and feeble Hhock wae felt end
beard, but 80 very slight that but fow noticed 1t,
though many vouch for it as an actual fact
From every source in the city. at least, the
conclusion has been arrived at that the rumble,
or quake. began a. some point IN the southeast
ern portion OF the State passing under the
James River and traEersicg the entire territory
lying between the North Carolina bozder and the
4Hf- vfYAE EtRf