Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-10-16

The Great Earthquake that Pro
duced tbs Lake-An Inter-
esting Account by an
Eye Witness.

Eye Witness.
The following letter, addressed to
Lorenzo Dow, is published in the
Tenn, Enquirer:
New MADRID TERRITORY or No,
March p, lSl6.-Dear Sir: In com
pliance with your request, | will now
give you a history, as full in detail as
the limits Of a letter will permit Of
the late awful visitation of Providence
in this place and vicinity.
On the 10th Of December, ISL,
about two o'clock m, We were visited
by a violent shock Of an earthquake,
accompanied by a very awful noise
resembling loud but distant thunder,
but more hOarse and vibrating, which
was followed in a few minutes by the
complete s~aturation Of the atmosphere
with s%ulphurous vapor, causing total
darkness. The screams OF the alright
ed inhabitants running 70 and fro, not
knowing where to 20 or what 20 do
the cries Of the fowls aud beasts of
every species--the cracking Of
trees falling, aud the roaring OF
the MiSsisSippi-the current OF
which was retrOgade for a few min
utes, owing, as is supposed, TO an
Eruption in its hed-iOrmed a scene
truly horrible. From that time until
about sunrise a number Of lighter
shocks occurred, at which time one
more violent han the FIRST took place,
with the same Accomplishments as the
hrSt, and the terror which had been
excited in every one was now doubled
The inhabitants fed in every diree
ton to the country, surprising (lt 1t
be admitted that their minds were tx
ercised at aid that there was less dan
ger at a distance from the river. In
one person, q female. the alarm was so
great that she tainted, and could net
be recovered There were several
shocks a Day, but lighter than those
mentioned, until tn 23d Of January,
ISL. when one occurred as violent a
the severest Of the former oues, a.
companied by the same phenomena
as the former From this tine until
the 4th of FL uary h earth was IN
continual agitation, yi,ibly waving a
a gentle sea. On that day there was
another shock, nearly as hard as the
preceding ones. Next day four such.
and on the 9Th, about / o'clock a.m
q conclusion took place 80 much
more violent than those which had
preceded it that it was deRomlnated
the hard shock. The awful DARKNESS
of the atmosphere, which, as formerly,
was saturated with sulphuric Yapor,
and the violence OF the. tempestuOus
laundering noise that accompanied II,
together with Al the other phenom-
ena mentioned as attending the tyT-
mer ones. formed a scene, the descrip
t on of which would require the mos
subIimely fanciful imagination, a.
first the Mississippi seemed to recede
from its banks, and its waters, gath
ering like a mountain, leaving fora
moment many boats which were here
on their way to New Orleans, on the
bare sand, in which time the poor
sailors made their escape from them.
1t then rose fifteen or twenty feet per
pendieularly, and expanding, as II
were. at the same moment, the banks
were ~oveFhowed with a %retrOgrade
current, rapid as a tOrrent-the boats
which before had been left on the
sand, we're torn from their mOOrlngs
aud suddenlydriyen up q lite creck,at
the mouth Of which they laid, to the
distance, in some instances, Of nearly
a quarter Of a mile. The river falling
Immediately as rapid as it had risen,
receded within its banks again, with
such violence that it took with it
whole groves Of young cottonwood
trees which lodged its borders. They
we're broken off with such regularity,
in some instances, that persons WHO
had not witnessed the fact would be
difficulty persuaded that it has been
the work OF art. A great many fish
we're left on the banks, being unable
TO keep pace with the water. The
river was literally covered with the
wrecks of boats, and it is said that
one was wrecked in which there was a
lady and six children, all Of, whom
were lost. In all the hard shocks
mentioned, the earth was horribl
torn to pieces-th surface VI hundred.
Of acres, was, from tine to time. GOV
cred over, o. various depths, by tn
sand which issued from the assures,
which were made in great numb-rs
all over this country. some Of which
closed up Immediately alter they ba
vOmited forth their sand aad water
which, it must be rem ,rked, was th
matter generally lhrown up. In
some places, however, there war d
substance somewhat resembling col
or impure stone coal, thrown up With
the sand. 1t is imp ssble TO ga,
what the depth Of the assures or IT,
regular breaks we're; We have rea-on
TO believe til I srme of thu
are very d ep. Tn site Of ]
Town wa wi leutly seu'ei dow
at lest e te a. an lut octua
half a m be er d
not appeart ny g. h
bank If me r r; b &C ON b
river a nal III tame t.r
arge pond 81 l. c a t y VIZ
called, which covered ur.a p4tt
the country. W.T. nearly dri d up
The oeds Vi some o. them are e {
waited above th' If 'orm-r banks So
eral ieet, producing an alteration 0
ten. fifteen to twenty feet, from theli
original state And lately it has been
discovered that a lake was formed 0,
the opposite side Of the Mississippi. IN
the Indian country, upwards OF on,
hundred miles in length aud from on,
to six miles in width, Of the depth O
from ten to fifty leet. 1t has commu
nication with the river at both end.
and it is conjectured that it will b,
many years before the principal part
il not the whole Of the Mississippi
will pass that way. We were con
strained by the fear Of our house
falling to live twelve or eiqhteer
, months. alter the first shocks. il
light camns mada of hoardo L,,, a..