The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-24

VIRGINIA VIBRATED.
THE EARTlIGUAKE OF WEDNES-
DAY NIGHT.
THREE OR FOUR sHoCyls.
TREMBLING HOUSES AMI ToTTER-
ING WALLS.
A MOUNTAIN BOULDER UNsETTLRD
Miners DrsseR from Their Work.
THE CAUSE AND EFFECT.
A moUNTAsN BoIEDEa USsETTLRD
Miners Dr.sea from Their Work
THE CAUSE AND EFFECT.
Details. Incidents, and Views of Scientist
cHANcHs OF ANOTHER SHAKING.

tanned from our excited people between rnid-
night and the hour Of going TO press. Yes'
terday we were able to get many addtnonal
facts and incidents about the shocks felt IN
this city and we received kilograms aad
letters from all sections Of the State giving
full particulars Of the sensation experienced
in each locality. The course of the earth
quake Is far from being clearly settled; but
a great number incline to the opinion that 1t
came from southwardly direction. VI lib
extent, we know that it was felt at Alexan-
dria. Norfolk, Greensboro, N. c., Salem,
LyBchburg, and StaTnton, and at all
places in this State inside of those boundary
points. The Upper Valley and portion OF
the Southwestjwe exempted from the vlsl-
tatiou. Nowhere was there any loss OF iiie;
but hundreds of people, ladies especially,
were frightened nearly to death; ; and IN some
cases reported 1t is not improbable that se'
rious results may follow.
In addition to our local reports and special
kilograms and correspondence we present
the views Of Professor c. Fl. Winston, OF
Richmond College; DR.. William H. Taylor,
of Richmond and Professor j. w. NAL
lett, OF the University of Virginia, which
throw a aood of light upon this subject,
which is but little understood by the people.
Mayor KeiIey's Experience.
Mayor Kelley graphically describes the
sensation be experienced. He said
I had gone to bed, but found 1t impossi.
ble TO sleep. The extraordinary sultriness
of the atmosphere, and certain quality IN
the air for which there is no name 10 our
language, but which may be sufficiently de.
scribed by the word "unbreathabeness,"
conSpired to keep me awake, and, as IS usual
when the wskefulness is complete and at tne
same time protrdcted, an unusual sensitive.
ness to sound and motion followed. NY bed
lies with the head to the southeast, and Ia tne
third story of a very ubstantially.built house.
While lying thus perfectly awake, neard
the Stiffness broken by what I supposed was
the first puff of coming storm, and nao
full time to frame this explanation OF the
noise when 1t increased to q roar, and the
same instant the house began to tremole,
the vibration and the roar increasing to-
gether.
The movement did not resemble the sway
ing of body freely moving as pendulum
but the rapid, irregular, and agitated shake
which passionate man might give TO weak
adversary. 1t appeared to me to have TWO
or three lulls during its progress, subsldiug
for half second perhaps, and then swelling
in force and volume. From the first sound
to the last an interval offully ten seconds, and
think mere, must have elapsed, making every
allowance for the tendency to exaggerate
time under circumstances of suspense and
alarm.
The moment the vibrations ceased rose,
turned on the gas, and found the time SIX
teen minutes before H. raised my window
and looked out. The sky was perfectly
cloudless, and nothing unusual IN It's appear
ance, no change in temperature, aHd IN TACT
none of the startling phenomena Whlcn are
often reported as accompanying these con-
vulsions were perceptible.
returned to bed, and between i've ana
seven minutes afterwards another, but
far less violent, shock followed, and at an
interval of some twelve or fifteen minutes
more a third of less violence than the first.
but much more than the second. In all the
beginning was q sound like rising wind
rapidly increasing in force, and in all the
conclusion was like the dying of a fierce storm.
| In all the sound and the movement seemed
to me to come distinctly from the east and
move towards the west, and in all the mo-
ton was an irregular shaking, not sway
| ing to and fro-a circumstance which even
at the time struck me as singular In view Of
1 the definite east and west direction which
| the earthquake appeared to follow.
| do not think can better describe the
roaring that accompanied the vibration of
| the earth than by saying that 1t resembled
the sound Of chimney on fire; but the
whole was so unlike anything | had ever
witnessed or felt, that never thought OF as.
cribing il to any other source than an earth
quake. Such turmoil in the atmosphere,
such O tremor on the earth, g trembling OF
the house so violent and protracted, could
have no other origin and shared the alarm
which may well be entertained when the
i" foundations of the earth" are felt to
tremble.
Fearful Ruabling In HenrfcO.
Mr., James T. Redd, surveyor of Henrico
county, who lives about five miles from tne
CITY, and near the Brook turnpike, gives this
account of the occurrences OF "wednesday
night:
At about twenty minutes before II O'Clock
nav whole household were suddenly aroused
by a most fearful rumbling and tremor OF
she earth. My house is of the most solid con-
struction, the walls being nearly two teet IN
thickness, and yet 1t seemed to rock ana
culver like light vehicle when driven over
rough, frozen ground, causing most terri
bic rattling of the windows and furniture.
The noise Of the rumbling was different
from that produced BY any other cause, and
cannot be described. This first shock lasted
about two minutes, and in five or six min.
utcs thereafter was followed by a second
and less distinct shock, which was again re-
peated after an interval of fifteen minutes.
These two latter shocks, though very much
fainter than the first, were still much more
vivid than any that l ever before eX-
perienced. After the second shock l
went out to view the appearance OF
the heavens. The sky was clear, not
a yestige OF cloud to be seen, but there was
dingy murkiness about the atmosphere
that caused the stars to shine with some.
what reddish light. and those near the horl-
zon to huye faint nebuous appearance.
NV children are all hard sleepers, yet they
were sll instantly aroused by The first shock,
and described their sensations by likening
them to the effect produced by powerful
electric current.
About an hour previous to the shocks l
had walked out, and while out noticed seYe-
raj faint flashes of light, which appeared and
disappeared so raptdig that was unable to
locate them. I had often seen flashes of this
sort on former occasions, and thought no.
hing about 1t at the time. These flashes,
though entirely unlike any form OF Light
,ing, were evidently OF electric origin but
whether they had any connection With the
earthquake CHAT followed do not presume
o say.
About three weeks ago, about II O'Clock
{ night, heard and felt very decided mani.
estations OF an earthquake, but less VIVID
ban any of those that occurred Wednesday
'lght.
AddIttoMaE Incidents.
Mr.. Lewis L. Barnes, formerly citizen OF
.ichlnOnd, and once The Chief Engineer OF
nc city Fire Department, came 10 Riehmonds