The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-11-02
EARTHQUAKE ECHOES.

EARTHQUAKE ECHOES.
from the ArsonaHt.
whats tliat?"
II don't know. It looks % II the rooi
were falling in"
Thus said my companion and myself
We were driving in buggy down Broad.
way, Oakland, and were looking at q
building then called the "Wilcox Build
ing" 1t was the morning of October 2l
1858.
As said, We we're looking at this
building. A new story had just been
added to II, and we were speculating as
to the eafety of making such additions to
buildings whose walls were only desig.
mated for structures Of lesser height. II
was FIVE minutes-to eight o'clock. We
had pulled up, and we're looking curl.
onsly at the now story when my com.
panion made the remark:
Whats that?''
1t did indeed look as IL the roof were
niling in. The walls budged out. the
roof seemed to sink, the building moved
slightly, and then recovered it's perpen-
dicular: We were both 80 amazed that
we could only stare in open-,nou.hed
wonder. ~
At this moment I noticed that the
horse was acting queerly. He did not
look as il he were going to run away,
bnt simply as il something extraordinary
were puzzling his equine brain. 1 fam
cied there might be something wrong
with the harness, and giving the lines
10 my companion. jumped out to see.
As my feet struck the ground thought
for a moment tnat must he mad. The
earth rocked beneath ME; il rocked
stand. seized the shaft, partly to
steady myself, and partly to get to the
horses head, for lie was giving such
signs ofagitation that I feared he might
runaway.
As l got to tue horses head, there
was dull, rumbling roar, and cloud
of dust lose up snd down the street.
Then there was q crashing. jingling
sound, and saw many window-fronts
upon Broadway falling into the street.
Following them came an avalanche Of
bricks and mortar from falling chimneys
and fire. walls. And last of all came a
dense mass of people from the shops
and houses. Your human does not move
as quickly as inanimate objects during
an earthquake. When he does, he
sometimes regrets it, for ifhe arrives at
the same time as the falling bricks and
mortar, he wishes he hadn't-unless, of
course, he be good Christian, whose
salvation is all fixed and his good deeds
chalked up, in which case. of course, q
nious joy should pervade his breast.
All that have related took but a
few seconds. And in about minute after
the shock began Broadway was filed
with runaway teams of every descrip-
ton.
There was at that time an open square,
or vacant lot, on Broadway, containing
nothing but trees. remember notic-
ing these trees, and being struck, even
then, at their absurd appearance. Zone
thinks quickly during an earthquake. ]
AS the waves Of the earth-spasm rolled
along, the trees rose and fell, inclining
first to one side, then to the other. bob
bing and bowling in q ludicrous fashion.
Those Who were on this side of the
bay that morning may think this de.
scription OF the shock exaggerated. But
when they consider thnt the local CEN
tire of the earthquake of '6S was evident
ly at San Ltandro, they will see that
they are mistaken. Over there some
buildings were entirely demolished,
others twisted upon their foundations
and assures and cracks opened in the
earth many rods III length. Scarcely o
chimney was LETT standing in Oakland OF
Alameda.
A curious phase Of the earthquake
was the belief on the part oe the Oak.
landerst that San Francisco was destroyed
| A thick haze hung over the bay. 1t
was impossible to see any of the spires
and towers of San Francisco. The tele'
graph wires were down; the draw.
bridge over San Antonio Creek was
| thrown out of gear by the shock; the
train (there was but one thenl wa.
penned up on the other side of the es
tuary. The only way of reaching the
city was by freight-bo which they rar
on the creek. To this repaired the
anxious Oaklanders and we still more
| anxious San Franciscans.
On the little pier at the foot Of Broad
way was Q crowd of several hundred
men. 1t was divided into
little groups. in the centre of eact
| of which was an excited man, telling
where he was and what he did at thu
time of the shock, He was perpetually
being interrupted by other excited men
| who wanted to tell what they did anG
where they we're. Every man In every
group was engaged in moving his arms
wind. mill-wiss. to illustrate how tht
earth had quivered. In moments ofex
| element the Anglo-Saxon race becomes
as gesticulative as the Latin.
One man in particular remember
He was one OF those small men with i'm
lnense fustian voices-one who could
outroar any one else, and by virtue o
his superior lung power had succeeded
any npmber Of times. As soon as h.
had finished it, he began again.
| It may be necessary to remark here
that all through the morning of the 2ls
there we're continuous shocks. Peopl.
had their nerves completely unhinget
by the first shock, and the gentle ye
ominous oscillations Of mother eartl
kept them. permanently 90. Twill furthe
remark apparently without Conference
that there was an immense heap Of con
piled up on the edge Of the pier.
The little man with the big voice wa
still talking. His Grafton ran thus:
"You see, we had jist got up from
breakfast when that there first shocl
come. My vito she started to run.
SAYS to her. Now, Jemima,' says ]
swhatever is the use of runnin." Blu
she wouldn't listen to nuthin', 80 I jis
grabbed her and held her till it wa
over. And what do you think?-whel
that shock come to an end, Jemima sh
tainted and was iist % cool as an
now"
"Drip-drip-drip-drip!"
The coal was falling into the wste
over the edge Of the pier. Every on
turned-the slightest noise was ominous
"Drig-driD-drip-drip! Plash! Dash
Tue pier was rocking to and ffo-Ara
gently, then with yigor. then with
vicious thump which meant mischief
There was q sudden disqualification /
dry land. The crowd resolved itsel
into an immense and swiftly movin
fan, the apex pointing toward the shore
The apex was our friend, the little ma
with the big voice.
At this point manv of the Oakland er
lost thefr interest in San Francisco
They could not be again induced to g
upon the pier. They contented them
selves with vaguely remarking that the
"would wait and see," and with whooE
ing up others who seemed disincline
to 20.
Al last the boat made her appearance
think it was the old ferry.boat Louise
long since disappeared from these vi
L 10 khek a. 1oaak IT, "a,