The daily gazette., 1880-01-24
SECOND EDITION
A MIGHT OF TERROR.
Havana Reels Under the Shocks Of
an Earthquake.
HAVANA, Jan. %, 1880.

hA FANAt cahs 80, looVs
Last night, for the first time In the
recollection of living residents, Havana
was reused by earthquake shocks that
made her massive buildings shudder like
shanties in storm. 1t lacked ten min
utes Of eleven when the theatres were
closing and the cafes full, when park and
prado were brilliant with lights, equi-
pages, beauty and music. The half moon
shone from the zenith of steel blue
cloudless sky. Suddenly sound was
heard as of the rising of a mighty wind
through the pines, and then an unmis-
takably subterranean moan, while the
earth reeled with three unsteady, ,sicken-
ing oscillations.
AMID SOUNDS OF REvELRY.
Stricken with momentary alarm the
swarms of people in the parks paused
and reeled likewise. The horses hitch
ed to hundred flying carriages STOP
ped and braced themselves In dumb af-
fright. Restaurant tables rocked and
spilled their liquids, and men started up
from their chairs at the Louvre with
dread. Druggists bottles were shaken
from their shelves. Dainty pyramids of
bar glass tumbled to destruction. Seno-
ras and senoctas gazed aghast at the
overturn of their toilet stands. Besides
the crowds at the refreshment places,
whole families rushed from their homes
into the streets, and the stairways of
some hotels were crowded with guests
hurrying blindly down to the sidewalks.
A place on the ground or pavement
seemed preferable to most citizens, who
huddled in groups beyond the moonlit
shadows Of the buildings they had de-
serted and chartered of bivouacking for
the night.
UPLIFTED WAVES.
Down in the bay vessels rocked at
their anchorages and groaned against the
wharves, and rusty cannon threatened to
fall from their pivots on the ancient forti-
tications of Cabana and the MORO.
Hours passed ere the apprehension caus-
ed by these first shocks was calmed in
general slumber. About four in the
morning the Herald correspondent was
awakened by premonitory commotion
in the atmosphere SO direful that before
the head could leave the pillow ladies
were already rushing through the upper
corridors OF the hotel. A myriad, gigan-
tic shuttle seemed to be weaving ruin in
the outer air. Mems voices, tremulous
and unnatural, rose from the street be-
meath. Then came the words of men
within, cheering their wives and those
ladies whom even in these first five or
ten seconds they had encountered in the
the halls. Then came the second earth
quake.
THE EX-PREsIDENT OFFICIALLY RE-
CEIvED AT THE PALACE.
HAVANA, Jan. 23,-The ex-Presldent
and his party passed q ooo--f--"''S1' 'iiSn"
nOJWsuIIsUantiIIS Uu0 earthquake. To
day being the Kings saint day a grand
official reception was held at the Palace,
attended by members of the municipali-
ty and the superior military and naval
officers, in full uniform, and the foreign
| Consuls,
BOWED IN PRAYER.
The venerable Church of the San Do
mingo, which stands in the lower part
at the city, received an unusual influx OF
worshippers. Hard by the palace of tn .
Captain General, placed only yesterday
mofnIng at the disposal of the distin-
guished party of Americans. of whom
General Sheridan is one, were seen
tilckering lights in the upper windows.
Beyond The palace a street leads down
to neighboring wharf, where as the
CLOCK struck Blk, hundreds of boatman
dropped ON their knees at signal, with
their faces turned toward the bay. "Save
U God, the world" was the burden OF
prayer of priest who had come down
to bless them; .'Let not Thy children be
swallowed in fire or be crushed beneath
the ruins of their habitations." To which
prayer all Havana, rising up after the
nights double threat of disaster, could
almost be heard TO say. "AmenP