Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-03-29
A STARTLING PHENOMENON,
The Bursting of Meteor Followed
by an Earthquake.

Dy an Earthquake.
Tuesday evening at about 1920
O'Clock the inhabitants of this city and
vicinity were startled by On earthquake
which shook the houses to such an ex-
tent as to cause the windows to rattle,
and IN come instances shaking the
globes from the chandeliers. There
were two distinct 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
were 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 be-
ing cansed by heavy team on tbs fro
zen ground. There is considerable diff
ference of opinion in regard to this
phenomenon, some claiming that it
was an earthquake, and some claiming
that it was not. A moment or two be-
fore these shocks were felt meteor of
great brllliancy 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 foot ball, by
! others that of an ordinary playing ball,
but by all it is described as being extra
ordinarily brilliant, making a path of
dazzling flame several feet in width.
Those who state that the shocks felt
were not those of ar earthquake give
it as their opinion that they were caused
by the bursting of the meteor. How
ever that may be, and whatever may
have been the cause, we know there
was rumbling and that the earth did
quake SIS 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 west
of Brenton's point. Mr.. Kenney says
he had just returned from this city and
was unloading his wagon of some pur-
OldoCo hO Aau Iuesuc III lu6 C1by, duu
had just stepped upon his piazza when
he thought be heard the paddle wheels
of 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 saw flash
of light and what appeared to be a
large ball of fire falling from the heav-
ems toward the water, it seemed to strik e
the water and bound uson its surface
aud 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 distictly seen as at
MONDAY. The point, he thinks, was
much farther off than Rock leland, but
very nearly in that direction from where
he stood. The shocks were felt princi-
pally at places along the coast. Re-
ports from East Greenwich, Block Is
land, Darlington, Olneyville, Brist Of,
Fall RIVER, New Bedford and Norwich,
Conn.,, give various descriptions of the
vibrations felt and of the meteors seen.
l-Newport (R. I. Mercury.