Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-11

| in the city was agitated, more or less,
their occupants running breatnlessly into
the streets, thinking that terrible ex-
plOsion had taken place.
EVERYBODY OUT OF DOORS.
A few moments later three-fourtbs of
the entire population were in the streets.
Everywhere men, women and children
congregated upon the sidewalks and
| street corners, and eagerly dis
cussed the affair. This was more notice
able in the thickly populated districts
of Kensington and Southwark. Grad
ually the impression that an earthquake
! had occurred grew on the citizens and
each inquired OF his neighbor if he had
! felt the shock. Many timid people were
so alarmed that they hesitated TO re-enter
| their houses, and did not do so until thev
were assured by stronger minded neigh
bOrs that a repetition of the remarkable
| event was unlikely.
EAGER FOR NEWS.
! In short time after the occurrence
| people flocked from all parts of the city
to Chestnut street, and there gathered
around the different newspaper and teIe-
| graph offices to ascertain the news from
| other parts of the city and surrounding
places. Shipping was likewise affected
! by the shock. Large ships loading with
| petroleum in the Schuylkill river snapped
from going ashore b the united efforts of
their crews. Several large steamers were
thrown strongly against the wharVes in
the lower section of the city and the
crews thrown out of their hunks.
TIDAL WAVE.
Huge waves, backed up by a rising
tide, overf1OWed many of the wharyes and
considerable property was flooded there
by. In several instances where persons
NOR nNfas
they found themselves suddenly oVertak-
en- by huge waves and were thoroughly
soaked with water. Deeply laden steam
ers, lying in the Delaware, trembled with
out apparent injury during the existence
of the shock.
THE EXPERIENCE OF THE HUB.
BOSTON, Aug. 10.-No less than six
distinct shocks of earthquake were felt
in this section this afternoon. Prof.
Pickering, of Harvard Observatory, says
that he first noticed tremulous move
ment of the earth, followed by the sway
ing of the building and the creaking of
timbers. The shock was first noticed
about , O'Clock minutes and 10 seconds,
and continued about ten seconds
He has no record of previous
shocks, their duration being so short as to
make it impossible to compute accurately
their extent or duration. Shocks were
being very clearly defined in the outlying
districts. The occupants of second story
tenements felt the shock more plainly
than those on the ground floor.
COLORED PEOPLE RATIFIED.
At the West End considerable excite |
ment was occasioned among the cOlored |
people, who are naturally superstitious.
and as windows and bells began to rattle |
they ran into the streets, and for a long
time could not be persuaded to return in |
doors.
At the Parker House chandeliers were
ratified, beds were moved, and |
the inmates of the hotel were thoroughly |
frightened. Many of the guests rushed |
down stairs half clothed. No damage |
was done here. A big chimney on School |
street rocked to and fro and the mortar |
ratified from between the bricks, but the |
chimney did not fall in. In hundreds Of |
places in the city pictures were swung |
against the walls, gas fixtures shaken |
and small articles thrown from mantels, |
but in no instance is any serious damage |
known to have been done.
BOY THROWN DOWN STAIRS.
In the Charlestown district small boy |
is reported to have been thrown down |
stairs Oy the violence of the shock. In |
Newton, Watertown and Waltham three |
shocks were noticed, the first of which |
AdOIiCu hionS5 ana bWd1Gu WluuOW cur |
talns. This was followed by a heavier |
shock 80 seconds later, and this by a third |
one, lighter than either of the others.
The whole mOVenentOf the earthquake |
lasted perhaps l minute. The direction |
of the shock seemed to be directly East |
and West. Persons who have had some |
experience with earthquakes in southern |
countries assert that these shocks are |
among the severest they have ever eXpe-
rienced.
COMMANDER SIMPSONS EXPERIENCE,
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1O.-Further in
vestigation developed the fact that the |
earthquake was noticed by few persons in |
Washington. The most definite and clear |
headed of these was Commander Samp- |
son, Assistant Superintendent of the Ma |
val Observatory, who was in the second |
story of his residence at the time. The |
vibrations lasted about 16 seconds, and |
occurred about2 O'Clock. No disturbance |
was noticed in the lower floors of the |
building.
POKER PLAYERS DIsMAYED.
ALLENTOWN, PA, Aug. 1O.-Two dis |
tinct shocks of earthquake were felt here |
shortly after 2 O'Clock this afternoon. |
There was a general rocking of houses, |
and in some cases the motion was very |
great and threw some persons who were |
asleep in their beds on to the floor. A |
poker in club room, rushed into the street |
hatless and cOatless, under the impress
sion that an attempt had been made to |
wreck the building. A brick chimney |
also fell to the ground under the influence |
of the shocks.
CHESTER BADLY SHAKEN.
CHESTER, PA, Aug. 10.-This city was |
badly shaken about 2:10 o'clock to-day by |
what is believed to have been an earth
quake. Several chimneys were thrown
down. Plaster was torn from the walls |
and earthenware broken.
IN BALTIMoRE's SUBURBS.
BALTIMORE, Aug. 10.-The residents on
the hills and highland surrounding the
city report that slight shock of earth
quake was felt shortly after 2 O'Clock to-
day. In the city it was not perceptible.
kilograms from Rockville, in Montgomery
county, and Mechanicst0wn, in Frederick |
county, report that a slight shock was
felt.
FRIGHT AT HOTEL TABLES.
ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., Aug. 10.-Three |
distinct shocks of earthquake were felt
here to-day, commencing at 2:09 O'Clock.
No noise accompanied them, but the |
effect was very marked, without being |
damaging. Water pitchers were over
turned in hotels, and in several instances |
furniture was thrown down and globes
shaken from chandeliers. Dishes were |
ratified and much CONSERVATION was Oc-
casiOned in few hotels where guests
were assembled at their meals. Some of |
the people were very scared.
At HARRISBURG.
HARRIsTE b, Pa, Aug. 1O.-A slight
shock of e$1uake was felt here this
afternoon Eweceded by a low rumbling
noise. No damage of any kind has been
reported, but houses were shaken and |
small articles rolled from the shelves.
SHOCKS FAR APART.
BURLINGTON, VT, Augr 10.-Two slight
but very distinct earthquake shocks were
felt hereathis afternoon, the first at 2:30
O'Clock and the second at6;3O.
Fatally injured in Runaway.