Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-14
RHODE ISLANDS PHENOMENA.
The Bursting of a Meteor Followed by
AN Earfhquake.

an Earthquake.
The Newport Mercury in recent issue
says; Tuesday evening about 1920
O'Clock the inhabitants of this city and
vicinity were startled by an earthquake,
which shock 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 distinct
shocks felt in the city, lasting about eight
seconds. the last beng 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 yibra-
tiOns were much more distinct there
than i'm many parts Of the city, three
shocks being felt 10y 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 feli in the southern part of the city
were mistaken by many as being caused
by heavy team on the frozen ground.
There is considerable difference Ofopinion
in regard to this phenomenon, some claim
ing tBat il was an earthquake and some
claiming that il was not. \ moment or
two before these shocks were felt Il 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 il is given the size of a large foot
ball, by others that of an ordinary playing
ball. but by all is described as being eX-
traOrdinarily brilliant, making path of
dazzling flame several feet in width.
Those who state that the shocks felt were
not those of an earthquake, give il as their
opinion that they were caused by the
bursting of the meteor. However that may
nd -hstA Aar lslN hQN
we know that there was rumbling and
that Toe earth did quake as il never did in
this vicinity before,
I'VE give the observations as related by
Mr.. Jonathan kenney, who resides on
Ocean avenue, about one mile east of
Brent0l's 5 Point. Mr.. kenney says he had
lust returned from this city and was un-
loading his wagon of some purchases he
had made i'm the city, ,and had just stepped
upon his piazza, when he thought he heard
the paddle wheels of the New York boat
de turned and looked in the direction of
Point Judith, hut did not see the steamers S
lights as usual; while looking he saw a
flash of light and what appeared to be a
large ball of tire falling from the heavens
toward the water. 1t seemed to strike the
watar and bound upon its surface and eX-
plOde with . fearful sound. At the same
time il Illuminated the whole visible heav-
ems. the ocean. and the land as far as the
eve could extend. He said objects could
he a. distinctly seen as at MONDAY. The
point. he THINKS. was much further oil than
Block Island. but very nearly in that di-
rectiOn from where he stood. The shocks
wefe felt principally at places along the
coast. Reports from East Greenwich,
Block Island, harrington, Olneyyille,
Bristol, Tall River New Bedford and Nor
wich. Conn.,. give various descriptions of
the vibrations felt, and Of fhe meteqF seen.'