Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-01-06
THE EARTHQUAKE.

Fast night, the biggest scare was ex.
perienced by the people here that
Richmond has known for many long
year. All day long the weather had
been oppressive,y warm and sultry.
Towards night, however, it blew up a
little chilly, though still very damp
but near midnight, the few stragglers
on the streets were conscious of an
unusual Stiffness and heaviness in the
atmosphere, and at twenty minutes to
twelve o'clock, a distinct and severe
earthquake shock WAS felt throughout
the entire city.
CHAR AcTERISTICs OF THE SHOCK.
The duration Of tins shock was yari-
ously estimated at from ten 10 twenty
seconds as,dithe movement north and
south. Tie first intmation was a
heavy decoration followed by a rapid
rocking and low ruii.blins.N A ccssa-'
ton of about four seconds. and then
another distinct moYernent. travelling
east and vest was felt. Throughout
the city the widest Consideration pre-
vailed. The vast majority Of onr citl
zens were Of course IN bed, and we're
startled from Their slumbefs lntipr the
impression that the buildings in which
they were had tumbled in. To those
who happened to be up and moving
the first impression was, that terrific
I.explosion had occurred in the ilnme-
diate nelghborhood. In less time than
We have taken to write, the above
perhaps a large proportion OF our male
population was in the streets, every
man plying every other man with
questions, and all evincing general
| state Of generalization. At.the Ems
oUIRER Office, owing to the situation in
a large block, the shock produced lit-
tie Impression, and caused no one to
quit work. The effect in the editorial
room was as if an imposing stone, OF
some other heavy body, had fallen
upon the floor above and Jared the
building, the sensation being followed
by a slight rumbling. In the Dispatch
composing-room, however, the gas
lights and cases fairly danced a jig, and
the compositors made general rush
for the street, one of them cutting his
hand very severely in sliding down a
rope.
At the Wig office there was also a
general exodus Of the printers whose
| first conviction was that the boiler Of
I the engine had exploded. III
A negro came to the ENQUIRER with
| eyes as big as harvest moons and said,
without giving reporter time to reply,
''Mr. Mayo was writing and | couldn't
keep wake, but when that thing come
it opened my eyes, / tell you, and l
don't expect to close them tonight any
more.
One of our reporters interviewed
hurriedly a private watchman who was
on duty, and he was sure that boiler
at Manchester factory had exploded.
He added that when the arsenal was
blown UP on the Sd of April, 1875, it
Jared ali of the houses in Richmond.
AT THE HOTELS.
AT Ford's Hotel all the bells were
rung, and the guests made general
rush for the passages and corridors
At the Exchange nearly every person
in the building was awakened, and the
bridge between the two buildings
swayed backwards and forwards as if
it would be torn from its fastenings.
When an ENQUIRER reported reached
the hotel office the scene was laughable
in the extreme, nine men in every ten
being collarless ! Gas well as colerless)
and shirtlcss, and all were endeavoring
to give their experiences at the same
time. Many of the ladies were greatly
frightened, and few of them took time
to make their toilets sa}fa, Il
A Confederate whom we all love to
honor, was taking lemonade at the Elk,
change bar-room. When the shock
came, he 3 held his glass firmly, but
swallowed the mild decoction and |felt
assured that if the wreck of matter,
and the crash of worlds had really
come he would not lose It. u 70 .
At the st. James, the experience was
pretty much the same as at the other
hotels, and around the American there
was throng that would have done
credit to panic in a banking estab-
lishment, one individual being parties
ularly noticeable for his approximation
to the primeval eostume.-Richnsond
Enquirer Dec. 13th.