Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-01-05
PARTICULARS At RIGHMOND.
Felt tn ihe CtY-Excttemons and
Alarm Of the People,

From the Richmond Dispatch. December %.
About III 40 o'clock last night three
severe and distinct shocks as of earth
quake We're felt in all parts of the city,
and created great CONSERVATION.
Thousands of people were aroused by
the rafting of window-panes and the
trembling of their houses, and awoke
in great fright. The sensation lasted
about twenty or thirty seconds, and
began with a slight rocking. which
rapidly increased until houses swayed
To and fro and the earth seemed slip
ping from beneath the feet of those
who were on the street. A gentleman
who was sitting smoking his pipe in
the western portion of the city, says
he heard the rumbling noise, rs il of
some heavy vehicle passing on the
macadamized street, before lie felt
the guivering sensation. Then he
heard the rafting of the window
panes. and the floor began to shiver,
producing an unpleasant sensation.
like he experienced when standing on
the Supreme Courtroom floor the
moment before it gave way with such
terrible destruction TO human lives.
This gentleman states that, looking ut
the head board Of the bed in the room,
he clearly perceived tyibrating like a
pendulum. There were three shocks.
the last two running into each other,
not sharp or sudden, but coming on
rather slowly, swelling in force, and
then quickly dying out. The gentle
man ran to his window and opened
il, and almost simultaneously several
other windows were raised. He
asked. ''What is the natter" and
gentleman from across the street re-
spondcd, "lt is an earthquake. What
shall we do?" Even at that time the
earth seemed hardly settled. Every
voice that was heard conveyed the
impression of fright and OF some
dreaded catastrophe impending. The
idea was that the shocks We're from
north 20 south or from south To north,
but few people were cool enough To
be able to tell exactly from what di-
reetion they came.
AT the Dispatca office the shocks
We're painfully felt. The tall building
| tremblcd to its very foundations, and
the compoeitors ON the fourth floor,
apprehensive that the structure was
topping, left their stands with all the
lrapidity possible and rushed into the
street. tine of the compositors, whose
stand IS near the door. believing that
| the front of the house was falling in
| wardiy, was the first To get out. He
was followed by all the Others. Many
of the men reached the ground breath
/ less. and some say they were almost
out OF their senses, not knowing the
character az extent af the danger. and
being really unable TO decide when
they had reached 4 place of safety.
One or two I'M coming down the steps
| hurt themselves. One. with more
tforcthought than the Others, lei HIM
self down BY means of the dumb
waiter.
/ In less than five minutes after the
| shock al least one ne-fourth of the pco-
pie OF the city were out in the streets
or in their yards, many in their night
clothes. Mothers grasped their babes
/ from their cradles and went out OF
the houses. seeking open spaces. 10 be
away from the falling houses. SO un.
respected. SO unprecedented in the
history of Richmond WAS the occur
renee. that none We're prepared for il,
and those who. under ordinary dan
gers would have shown boldness and
ieouragp. lost all control of themselves
Never before was there such universal
CONSERVATION. Never before, even In
the darkest days Of the WAR, when the
lalmost countless hosts Of the enemy
were laundering nj our gates. and
bomb shells were bursting in sight oi
4 oh
such fright.
Al Ford's. 81. James. and Exchange
Hotels hundreds of people were
awakened. and those.. who were not
asleep felt the quake and heard ihs
rumbling noise most plainly. Al
these irotcls bells were run9, lights
put ont, people were almost iostleG
from their beds. aud panic and con
fusion took possession OF many. TIL,
great desire--indeed. the instinct
seemed TO be 10 get out OF the build
ings. Al the Exchange one mai
climbed out upon the roof. seeking ,
$ safe place.
|, In Manchester there was the sam,
: experience.
Between IL and l o'clock dozens o
= ESutiNutSh hhput uii fti va tit vi.
called at the Dispatch office. The,
+ gave accounts agreeing in the mail
7 with what is here written. One sale
I he felt three separate shocks as plain
+ ly as he ever felt anything in his life
All described the movement Of til,
+ earth as Of a Regular rocking rathe
$ than of a convulsivc character. Their
: was a swaymg to and fro rather thar
: an upward or spasmodic movement
l Many represented that ladies ha,
: been frightened almost to death, an,
n it is certain that large portion o
2 our population passed slceplcs
! night, not knowing how soon ncy
I shocks would come, or when the
7 came what would be the result. Quit
g La number of gentlemen, ladies, am
q children passed the night in the ope
. lair.