Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-16
AN EARTHQUAKE ON THE PA
CIFIC COAST.


From q Letter of q Savannah Lady,
FORT c., W. T., May 1, 1SS2.-DEAR
-; You must all forgive me for not hav-
ing written to any of you in the past ten
days, but we have been having such IN
usually fine weather that we have taken ad-
vantage of it to live out of doors. The
thermometer for FIVE days stood at summer
heat, and what do you think this unlocked
for heat resulted in : An earthquake
Last night, about eleven O'Clock, as H
and L were sitting quietly reading, there
came rumbling noise, and the house shook
violently. At first we both thought that
the powder magazine had eXploded; but
the noise continued, and increased, and the
house shook and swayed so that every
board and timber in 1t tsqueaked and groaned.
Doors were forced openi the hanging lamp
swung from side to side, and all the while
the horrible rumbling going on. [ was the
most fearfully scared woman you ever saw,
and made dash for the front door. H
caught NJ up in the blankets and fol-
lowed. K came flying down in her robe
de qaatit and, altogether, we were demor-
allied household. The shock lasted,
suppose now, thirty seconds,
but 1t seemed at the time five minutes. The
there any China thrown down. The parlor
clock stopped; two ornaments on our book
case were upset, but there was no damage
done. We went out to see the waves that
followed the shock, and there were four or
five huge ones tumbliDg into the shore.
shall never forget the dreadful sense of
helplessness that felt during the swinging
of the ground. The oscillations were not
regular, but we're more like severe s'bumps," 4"
and the floor wabbled in every direction.
Have you experienced an eartbquakeg II
so, you know what they are. But one is
enough for me. The heavy plate glass in
the light house was shivered, and In Astoria
the shock was very severe, breaking many
windows and doing other damage. But one
can hardly be surprised, however, at that,
IS the town Is built on piers over the water
There is not a street on dry land In It. This
is the first earthquake here in nine years,
and l most devoutlY hope that there may
not be another for a much longer time
anyhow, not until we have completed our
tour of service.
Between Indians and earthquakes our life
promises to be anything but cheerful. Two
companies OF this regiment have been
ordered to Arizona, but We hope that being
so far off (nOrth Of the Columbia river this
command will not be sent there also. The
Indian outbreaks are the worst feature at this
time. However, l am not going to borrow
trouble. There will be time enough to be
miserable in should H have to go-of
which think there is no immediate pros
pect.
We have been "salmoned" to death al
most. l have never been so tired of any
diet before, although we have cooked II in
every way and style we could think of. It
surely is the most delicious of fish, but It
begins to pail l wish you in Savannah
could have some of 1t.
We have no church privileges at all. As
toria is too far off, and there is no boat,
either, on Sunday. We read the Church
Service and sing hymns, and try to remem-
Der the day and its obligations. We need a
chaplain, but unfortunately this is not what
is called a chaplain's post, and missionaries
do not apparently travel in this direction.
M