Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-11-19
THE BIGGEST SHAKE
That Ever Struck Memphls---A Earth
quake Of Terrific Strength and
%FrIghtfnl Duration.

this city was visited by the most violent
earthquake ever felt in Memphis. A
rumbling sound, as iffrom afar, was heard,
and soon there came a jumbling, quivering
concussion that brought terror to the
hearts Of every person who CHANGED to be
awake. There were three distinctly sepa-
rate shocks accompanying what may be
termed the general shake" which lasted
at least half a minute. These strange
conclusions actually rocked the beds and
aroused many a slumbering man, woman
and child. While there we're three direct
and most violent shocks, the rumbling,
fearful noise was distinct, continuous and
most fearful, causing no little fright to al
who heard this strange phenomenon. AT
one house on Adams street a party of FIVE
gentlemen was demoralizcd, and it was
difficult TO believethat the building, a sub
%stantial three story brick, was not under
mined and topping to destruction. The
floor moved, the thick walls trembled like
unto a railway car in rapid motion over
a rough track, The building seemed to
sway to and fro, and every second would
indicate that it was sure to crumble to the
quivering bosom Of the agonized and fear
fully excited earth. The lady occupants
of the house were aroused from their
couches, and more than one prayer,
'Great Lord, from lightning and tempest
and earthquakes deliver us" went forth
from the throbbing heart of affrighted
woman. One lady ina residence on -
street was shaken out of bed, but managed
toregain the use Of her limbs and climbed
to the fourth story. These features Of
fright, or terror, or dismay, for you may
term them as you wish, are not uncom-
mon in events of earthquakes. Such
an earthquake was never expert
eneed in Memphis, and its trem-
ulous sensations will long be re-
membered. Had the earthquake been
twenty per cent. stronger it is probable
that almost every house in Memphis were
now in ruins. st. Peters parsonage on
Adams street was shaken to its very foun.
dation, even the lamp upon the table Civ
ing light to the never-wearying eye Of the
holy father as he studied out the word.
and lines of religious rulings, was made
to tremble. Immediately after the earth.
quake the LEDGER reporter, under tn,
guidance of two Chickasaw Guards. :
government officer and most excellent
physician, started out in quest of informa
ton regarding the shock" At the cor,
ner Of Second and Adams streets h,
espied two persons leaning against thu
church-yard railing and trying t,
decide how much it would requirI
to topple the plain square tower of Cal
vary Episcopal Church. One of the per
sons, a well-known gentleman and modes
~benefactor-a man who fearlessly an,
without ostentation or desire for oficia
renown, personal fame or individual
glory. passed through the fearful ordeal q
the devastating plague-said to u re
porter: We have outlived the fever an
buried many a friend, but what induce
ment u there to live, when after the epi
demic an earthquake comes along t
wreck our last tenure of mundane exist
ence2 =
Rather a natural suggestion thought h
LEDGER man, but then why should a
Earthquake ruin us2 The hero Of yello'
fever said: my friend "a handsom
) youth Of twenty-seven summers) and
were standing here, and as a co,
hurried by we heard a great noise. I sal
that the damned COW made more NOS
than any beast Of her size l had ever seei
or heard. This quoth my companion
is not the noise Of a COW tramping alon
the street, but it is an earthquake
This utterance made me uneasy, an
t hence my vexation about the earthquake
administering upon the effects Of the lat
e Yellow Jack"
4 May be find nothing, Monsieur Eartl
5 quake, and Time, the sheriff Of immortal
4 ty, make a final return Of nalla bona as
this, was our response. And after this Il
= LEDGER mans corps moved forwar
The first observer Of the phenom
non was an honest Waterman, foun
on Main street, near North Coul
When Intercepted, this man Of slccple
y eyelids said he heard a noise up the Sire,
and some persons actually told him that
It must be an earthquake. "Pshawl it v
nothing" and he paid no attention to
Edward Niederer, a well-known dispcns
Of spiritual consolation on Madison sire,
was next visited By the LEDGER mi
commission. Mr.. Niederer said he hea
the noise, and at first thought that il W
Al caused by some one rolling a barrel
ID whisky across the floor. This mornir
the LEDGER man, abandoning his COZ
a. mission, was shown a cracked building
the northeast corner Of Main n
Jefferson streets. A painter exr
tiatcd upon this building, and said Il
the great cracks we're caused. doubtle
by the violent earthquake. 4
painter said that he would not endoay
to put his artistic brush upon the sus
cious walls Of this building.
81 An earthquake is said to be a shakii
trembling or conclusion Of the earth, OF
I. accompanied by a rumbling noise. 7
70 vibration originating in some %concussic
is transmitted by the material Of
earth's crust, and sometimes transver
half a hemisphere, causing great dcstrl
of ton OF cities and life. This conclusion
IRE trembling is due to subterranean eau
Whether these be the volcano, oc'
wave. electric evolution Of opposed mat