, 1882-05-06
TELEGRAPHHC.
E.r.hs.ake n Portland.

A Portland dispatch of May Is; says
At i2 minutes to II o'clock last night q
slight earthquake shock Was felt, lasting
probably two seconds This was followed
about three seconds later by more Sc
we're shock, accompanied by low rumb-
ling, which lasted frcm FIVE to seven
seconds. Every building in the city was
shaken and sleepers were generally
aroused. In the Orsgonian office 1t
seemed as if the big press was sinking
through the floor, pulling the walls IN IN
its descent. 4 gas fixture attached TO
the ceiling vibrated through an arc OF
abou. ten inches In the larger buildings
particularly the Clarendon hotel, New
Market theatre and Union block, the
shock was more keenly felt and resi-
dences in the western portion OF the city
shook as though they must fall. The
wave seemed TO take a direction from
north of east to south Of west. Though
the shock vas by far the most severe ever
felt in Portland no damage beyond e1-
cessive fright resulted. A gentleman
who witnessed the two greatest shocks ex-
perienced in San Francisco gave 1t as ms
opinion that this was more severe.
Nihifists In America.
New YORK, April 29.-A dastardly at
tempt vas made to-day on the lives of
VIM. H. Vanderbilt and Cyrus W. Field
by sending them explosives through the
mails. fortunately the dangerous char
acter of the packages was discovered en-
route to the postoffice station and proba-
bic loss thus prevented. The circumstan-
ces of the case as related by Postmaster
Pearson are as follows Two missives
came into the post office at 4:3O in the af-
ternoon. One was posted in the Office and
the other brought in by collector few
minutes afterwards. The last one was
addressed to VIM. H. Vanderbilt, and the
first was addressed to Cyrus ". Field.
The packets were placed in a mail bag, put
in mail wagon and taken to Third ave
nue. on the Elevated railroad to the sta
ton at the head of Chatham street, and
then deposited on the front platform of
the car. The tlain started and before
reaching the station at Ninth street and
Sd avenue an explosion was heard from a
mail bag, and fire and smoke were oh
served to issue from it. When the train
stopped the burning bag vas hastily trans
ferred to the platform. 1t was placed on
a wagon and taken to the post office sta
ton. The superintendent in charge sen
a messenger in haste for Postmaster Peart
son. When he arrived half the burned
mail bags and contents were examined.
The package addressedtoF Field was plunged
in bucket of water for fear it might also
explode. and when thoroughly soaked was
examined. 1t consisted OF pasteboard
box, covered with gaudy flowers and pic
lures, and had small drawer in it from
which depended string, as it is sup
posed, for the purpose of drawing it open
and causing an explosion. Inside the box
was tin can containing half pound of
powder and glass jar containing white
powder and liquid, believed to be some
kind of an explosive, but what it was
none of the postofiice officials could say.
1t will be analysed 1t was Vanderbilt's
package that exploded, probably caused
by the jolting of the cars, and but for
which occurrence the packages might have
reached their destination and exploded in
the hands of the parties to whom they
we're addressed. Postmaster Pearson
says he will hunt down the parties who
made the attempt.