The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-01
THE TERRORS OF LAST NIGHT.
The Great Tidal Wave on the Lake.
Extraordinary Phenomenon.
The Bottom of Lake POntchartrain
Exposed to View.

Exposed to View.
The ordinary course of events was last
night considerably interrupted in the city, by
the rumor which was spread throughout the
city that there was a considerable excitement
at the Lake. In the hurry of the moment il
was almost impossible at first to get the cause
Of this fever, but after considerable persever.
ance the reporters discovered that the source
of all these reports was a well-known cab
driver here.
After search he was found, and upon in
quiry, disclosed the fact that all the rumors
so current in the city were based upon the
fact that Lake Pontchartrain had been falling
very rapidly, and, within the memory of the
oldest inhabitant such a decrease in the water
in the lake had never before been known.
Little attention was given the matter until
the arrival Of the 10 o'clock train of the Pont-
chartrain Railroad last night, when SO strong
was the corfrmatory evidence by the
passengers OF some extraordinary ac-
ton Of nature at 11ilneburg, it was
deemed of sufficient importance to send COM
missioners at once to the spot strong
northeast wind had been blowing all the
afternoon, and heavy rain set mat 10 o'clock
to add to the disagreeable situation. Safely
housed beneath the impervious oil-cloths OF
the cab, the commissioners Of the BULLETIN
quietly pulled their cigars Awaiting their ar
rival at the Lake shore for further develop
ments.
After long and tedious drive down the
Bayou St John, the long looked for spot was
reached, and cool and impassive as reporters
usually are the sight which met their gaze
had the effect of almost making the party
unwilling to believe their senses.
It has long been q known fact to science
that the attraction of the moon and other
stellar bodies exercised great influence over
the ebb and flow Of the tides. By q universal
law of gravitation and attraction all masses
of matter have tendency to be attracted or
drawn toward each other The moon and
the several planets, Therefore, in their passage
have tendency to draw the earth toward
them, and as consequence have greater or
less power to superinduce Ill easily affected
bodies to incline in their direction.
Of all matter, water is the most subjective
to the attractions Of MATER, and hence the
ocean readily responds to the relative position
of the moon during its revolutions, and
hence our tides. As our satellite revolves
around the earth it draws up. the water, SO to
speak, out of its natural position, and in
common language carries huge wave after
it. Ii the attraction of the moon produces
such effects as are seen in thu Bay of Fundy,
where the rise is over seyeny-two feet, how
much more must be this eject when the
largest planets conjoin to exert their power
Of attraction? Last night at l0h. On. Ii sec.
80 lines, the moon, Jupiter AID Uranus were
in conjunction, and all unit.d, for the first
time in 1887 years in exertingtheir influence
on the waters of the South.
Abu Medjid, about three hundred years
ago, prophesied that about the last quarter Of
the nineteenth century there would be
great tidal wave in the ocean N account of
the conjunction of the mon and two
planets.
Much as these ideas were ridculed the old
philosopher lad . more accurate knowledge
OF astronomy and the tides than would be
acknowledged, as was verified last mig ht.
Upon the arrival ct the reporters at the lake
,1,o.o a coopa MIGHT fru1v ho cai6 ut
almost ghastliness was presented to the sight.
The waters of the lake had commenced
falling about 1890 o'clock at the rate OF about
one foot in ten minutes, and by midnight the
bottom of Pontchartrain lay exposed to the
view, dark, dreary desert Of sand. Some ex-
pcstulations had the effect Of making the
cabby drive his horse out through the mire
and mud which lines the shores, out into the
rolling, sandy bottom Of the lake.
There was some terror exhibited at first on
the part of the horse at this venture upon this
undlscoved land, but after he had become
accu stoned to the firm footing Of the sandy
bottom he travelled along with the same ease
as if upon the shell road.
The night was unusually dark, and the
Lightning in fitful flashes now and then threw
its glare over the broad waste. The bottom
of the lake was SO unlike what the magma
ton had pictured it the surprise vas more
marked.
AS the reporters drove further and further
out into the lake, new scenes broke upon
their vision. Pools OF water left after the sub
sidence Of the water was alive with fish wrig
Cling and twisting in their struggle for more
room. Curious and hitherto unknown species
were seen on all sides. Green scaled, Shiny
creatures, unlike any thing hitherto caught,
were making the little water left lively by
their efforts to secure an egress to the deep
sea, and they lashed the food in despair.
On all SIDES the hills and miniature valleys
were covered with curious shapes lett there
by the fleeing waters Here resting on its
side was an old charchoal schooner, with a
large cargo on board, the hands looking over
her sides the pictures Of dismsy. There,
shapeless and weird, lay the remnants of some
sunken vessel, her ribs white with the bar
nacles gathered on her timhers and like the
ghost Of departed days, silent, gloomy and
black. Driving farther out on the lakes
bottom were passed grinning skulls of lost
sailors, looking up toward the overcast
heavens as petitioning for Christian burial.
The scene was anything but one calculated
to crafty the es hetical tastes Of tnose who
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