Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-04-14
Rhode Islands Phenomenon.

Tuesday evening, at about 1920
O'Clock, the inhabitants of this city and
vicinity were startled by an earthquake,
which shook the houses to such an extent
as to cause the windows to rattle, and in
some instances shaking the globes from
the chandeliers. There were two dis
tinct shocks felt in the city, lasting about
eight seconds, the last being much
fainter than the first. The shocks
seemed to travel from about northwest
to southeast, being much more severe
at the northern part of the city. The
accounts from farmers out on the island
show that the vibrations were much
more distinct there than in many parts
of the city, three shocks being felt by
them, while in town there we're only
two, and in some parts only one, and
the severity Of the shocks on the island
brought many farmers from their beds
on tours of investigation, while those felt
in the southern part of the city were
mistaken by many as being caused by
a heavy team on the frozen ground.
There is considerable difference of opin-
ion in regard to this phenomenon, some
claiming that it was an earthquake, and
some claiming that it was not. A mo-
ment or two before these shocks were
felt a meteor OF great brilliancy shot
across the sky from the northward.
This meteor is %variously described by
the few who were fortunate enough to
see it. By some it is given the size of a
large football, by others that of an or
binary playing-ball, but by all it is de-
scribed as being extraordinarily brilliant,
making a path of dazzling flame several
feet in width. Those who state that the
shocks felt were 10 those of an earth
quake, give it as their opinion that they
were caused by the bursting of the me-
teor. However that may be, and what
ever may have been the cause, we know
that there was Il rumbling, and that the
earth did quake as it never did in this
vicinity before.
We give the observations as related
by Mr.. Jonathan kenney, who resides
on Ocean avenue, about one mile east
OF Brenton's Point. Mr.. Kenney SAYS
he had just returned from this city, and
was unloading the wagon of some pur-
chases he had made in the city, and
had stepped upon his piazza when lie
thought he heard the paddle-wheels .
the New York boat. He turned and
looked in the direction OF Point Judith,
but did not see the steamers lights as
usual; while looking he Jaw a flash of
light and what appeared to be a large
ball Of fire falling from the heavens to-
ward the water, it seemed to strike the
water and bound upon its surface and
explode with a fearful sound; at the
same time it illuminated the whole
visible heavens, the ocean,, and the land
as far as the eye could extend. He. said
objects could be as distinctly seer as at
MONDAY. The point, he thinks, was
much further off than Block Island, but
very nearly in that direction from where
he stood. The shocks were felt princi-
pa'ly at places along the coast. Reports
from East Greenwich, Block Island,
Darlington, O%lneyville, Bristol, Fall
River, New Bedford, and Norwich,
Conn, gave various descriptions of the
vibrations felt, and of the meteor seen.
--NcAQ>ort az. H. Mercmy.