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

LlECEMBER "A, 1873.
streets ln their night-clotbes, expecting to be
crushed By their falling houses. The shock
Is calculated TO have. lasted ten seconds. AZ.
ter the lspse Of five minutes 'or more the
second shock followed, not quite so distinct
or sharp, but sufficient to make itself very
plainly felt. The printers employed in the
Neus and Inder.Appeal offices rushed out
OF those establishments in great haste, and be
took themselves 10 the street for safety from
the ruin supposed to be impending. To-
day what was then thought to be 80 serious
Is made very light OF, and converted into q
running joke. For instance, one genius
suggests that the agitation was occasion.
ed by the explosion of can OF dynamite
which Thonasson teok with bin into the
imperial regions. Mr. John W. Goodwin,
q scientific gentleman of this city, believes the
noise was made by the descent and explosion
of meteor, and not by any earthquake.
This view Is confirmed by letter received
today from gentleman living near. the rail.
road in NottoWay, who reports that the con.
cussion and shock In that neighberhood ap-
peared as If made by heavy falling and
bursting aerolite. The prevalent belief here
Is, however, that the attack was genuine
and very distinct young earthquake.
+. I'D ROBIN HooD.
Effect at Fredericksburg.
Correspondence of the Richmond Lispatch.l
FREDEREEsBURa, Va, December %, 1876.
Last night about hali-past II O'Clock dis
tinct shock of an earthquake was felt through
out this place, shaking buildings aud rat
ting windows. The shocks were preceded
by loud roar, lasting about fifteen seconds.
The effects were novel aud startling, nothing
of the kind haviug been experienced here
within the memory of the oldest inhabitant.
The roaring noise was repeated about fifteen
minutes after the shock, but no shock was
felt the second time. The noise and move
ment Of the first shock appeared to proceed
from the northwest.
PiftsyIvania Heard From.
Especial telegram to tie Disparch.]
PITTsYLvANIA COURTHOUSE, December %.
A severe shock was felt here last night about
half-past II O'Clock, lasting some fifteen Sec
onds. The inhabitants were greatly alarmed,
rushing into the streets wild with excite.
ment. No damage.
The Sensation at Lynchburg.
lSpeclal Telegram 10 tne Dlspatcn.J
LYNCHBuRG, VA, December 23.-This vi
cinity was treated to a rare sensation about
11:45 last night in the shape Of an earth
quake. The first shock was sufficiently in
tense to greatly alarm all timid persons who
bad not yet succumbed to the influences Of
Morpheus, causing windows to rattle and
foundations of buildings to tremble as
though mother earth was suffering from o
severe attack of ague. The shock was at
first scarcely perceptible. and produced the
impression that it was caused BY heavily
loaded vehicle being driven rapidly over 8
cobble-stone pavement, but 1t gradually in
creased in intensity until decidedly uncom.
Portable recollections of South American
earthquakes. with their frequent accompani'
ments of falling houses and yawning earth.
chasms, were conjured up, and one felt
strongly inclined to seek safety In fight.
The shock reached its maximum intensity
in about fifteen seconds, and then as
gradually died away. Two other scarcely
perceptible shocks were felt at intervals ol
ten or fifteen minutes. All of them seemed
to the writer to proceed from the, southeast
to the northwest, with rapid wave or vibra.
ting motion and the usual rumbling sound
quite loud and apparently close at hand in
seemingly at distance in the others. Many
the first shock. The sky was almost cloud.
less throughout.
Alexandria,
Especial telegram to the Dlspatch.l
ALEXANDRIA, Va, December 23.-Th
earthquake was sensibly felt here and in th
surrounding country. No damage reported
Stanton Shocked.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.]
STAUNToN, December %, 1S75.-Las
night about half.past IL O'Clock the inhabit
ants here felt the violent shock Of an earth
quake. The night was perfectly calm ant
still, and the shaking of the houses com
| menced without any preceding sound. a
the residence of Mr.. NJ. Harvey Efinger
teman who was sitting up at first thought
| it was terrific wind that had struck the
house. 1t also felt as if number of persons
in another room were. jumping up ant
down. [ give this example, as it wa:
pretty much the experience of the town
with slight variations. At the house OF Mr
w. J.. Nelson the knives and forks were
thrown from the shelf on which they were
Waynesboro', report very much the same ex
perience there.
The first news from Richmond this morn
ing was rumor that the city had been near
ly destroyed, which created far greater
The right story, however, came along shortly
after rwards.
The White Sulphur and Beyond.
Especial telegram to the Dispatch.I
GREEHBRIER WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W
Va, December 23.-The earthquake wal
not felt west of or at this place.
The Southwest Exempted.
Especial telegram to the Dispatch.J
LYscHBURG, VA, December 23.-Earth
quake Of last night was felt and heard al
Liberty and Salem very perceptibly. Does
not seem to have been experienced at Chris
tiansburg or at any point southwest of the
Blue Ridge.
Intelligence from Other Points.
The shock was distinctly felt at Norfolk
It appeared to travel from north to south
and lasted eight or ten seconds.
A telegram from Winchester says "tbere
has been no earthquake near this place."
Three shocks were felt at Burkeville.
at Greenwood and Kesnich det o.s, in Al.
bemare county, the earthquake was severe.
Near Kesnich huge boulder on the road.
side was thrown down.
The Old North State Slightly Stirred.
Especial telezrams TO the Dispatch.I
GREENSBORO, N. c., December 23.-A
slight swaying to and fro OF the earth was
felt here about 1880 last night, lasting twenty
seconds. No noise was heard beyond that
produced by the rattling of windoW.panes
The following is from the Bald Mountain
region:
CHARLOTTE, N. c., December 23.-The
earthquake was not felt here. AS lar as
heard from, Bald Mountain stands steady.
v,oua nS Predecessor Winston.