The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-20
Two Distinct Shocks, or Wave Motions, Last
ing About Five Seconds Effect of the
Disturbance in the City.
Reports from Towns in Indiana, North
western Ohio and Southern Michigan.
Serious Alarm Caused in Many Places, Par
ticularly in School-Rooms, the Chill
dren Being Almost Panic Stricken.
~ TnE EARrHoUAKn RELr.

/
yesterday afternoon, in considerable alarm, of
the telegraph editor. They were seated at ad-
joining tables and their two chairs were rocking
in unison An earthquake suspect said the
imperturbable telegraph editor, taking out his
| watch and noting the time as 214 p NJ In half
minute several members of the editorial and
reportorial forces came in. Each one had ex-
perienced the rocking motion, and each had
noted various capers INDUCED in by different
articles of furniture. A voice from the count.
ing-room came up through the speaking-tub re-
questing reporter to come down stairs and
note the singular conduct of the framed pictures,
which were dancing jig on the walls.
The oscillations appeared to be from west to east.
There were two distinct vibrations in each
direction, as noted by the reporter-that is, two
forward and two back. The terrene tremor was
felt all over the city, and, though brief in dura7
ton, was sufficiently startling to make visit
alton enough, and cause apprehension of repe-
tition.
Editor Dooley, of the Herald, said he was
greatly shaken, but thought at first that the
motion was perhaps caused by the moving Of
heavy machinery into the building.
At the Arsenal the shake caused number Of
men at work in buildings to run out, under the
impression that the houses were about to fall
In the house of Major Cress, commandant, a
large chandelier was broken.
i The billowy motion invaded Fletcher &
Sharpe's building Receiver Wallace and Isaac
Herr were in conversation, the chandelier shak
ing, when Mr. Herr jumped up and asked what
was the matter with the building, and began to
make hurried arrangements to get outside. A
second thought told them it was genuine
earthquake, not as large as they have them
further East, but quite big enough for Indian
apolis.
Nearly everybody in the Courthouse felt the
shake. Charles Edward Steinwenter deaf
mute, a very intelligent young man at work in
the County Recorders Office, was sitting on
table when the earthquake rolled under him
BE gave an animated description of his sensa-
tons in dumb show, and then in pencil commu
nicated them to the reporter. He wrote: II
am accustomed to feel and see 1t moved under
me. and | thought the gas works had burst. 1t
felt the same as when was at school and the
gas works blew up.n
William Castor, of the fire department, was on.
the lookout in the tower, two hundred feet above
the sidewalk. The oscillation was very great at
that elevation. His watch hanging on a hook
at the side of the tower banged against the
wall four or five times, and a chair on castors
rolled across the floor and back. Mr. CASTOR was
almost thrown off his feet If called on as
witness he is prepared to swear it was full
4 grown earthquake
Colonel l. N Walker, in the County Auditors
j Office heard the iron shutters inside the room
rattle. The windows were raised two inches at
the bottom and he thought high wind was at
4 hand.
The shock was felt in nearly all the public
schools, particularly in No 10 corner of Ash
street and Home avenue, and No 26, on Yandes
street. In Miss Wales's room, at No. 10, the
! hildren were n quite panic, but fortunately
| no one was hurt In two of the rooms in this
building great slabs of plaster fell from the
| ceilings.
One old lady on the North Side, when told of
/ the panic, said she had felt the motion, but
| thought it was the dog out on the porch scratch
ing feas
In the thick-walled post-ofice building
the shake was as pronounced as in Trailer
structures. Judge Woods OF the federal
/ court was in his chamber and noted the rocking
| motion, United States Clerk Butler also felt a
decided shake On the third floor Messrs
Nichols, McDevitt and McCarer all experienced
the rise of the floor The shock had hardly
! passed before everybody in the Offices of the
marshal, pension agent collector, clerk and
custom-house had come out into the corridors to
compare notes.
! City Librarian Hooper says he counted seven
4 teen distinct waves, and that the motion lasted
! three and onehalf seconds.
In the battery room Of the Western Union
4 Telegraph Company, which is on the sixth floor,
the movement stirred the solution in the jars.
i The operators place the time of the occurrence
| of the earthquake at 2:15 P. NJ
The tremor at the State offices caused great
rocking about the entire building. and the gem
tlemen who sit with their legs hanging out of the
windows at the State treasurers Office, drew
them in with greater haste than they have done
anything for over a year.
| The duration of the shock by comparison of
authorities is placed at five seconds.
THROUGHOUT THE STATE
AT Anderson the vibrations were perfectly
perceptible, and lasted several seconds. No
damage was done, but the shock was SO severe
into the street
At Elkhart the swaying Of buildings was dis
tinctIy felt by persons in upper stories. The
shock lasted about twenty seconds.
Michigan City was considerably shaken up
and its citizens good deal startled Tho wave
extended east and west, and the vibrations
lasted nearly minute. Several houses and
stores were vacated by the occupants during the
shock.
The shock was distinctly felt At Marion, but
no damage resulted.
AT Portland the shock was slight
At Redkey several business men ran into the
street to see if the buildings were falling and
ascertain the cause, There was great excite
mont for few minutes.
| At Albany large brick buildings wore SO
shaken that the inhabitants though they were
| going TO fall.
Tho wayo OF an earthquake, rooyiag north aud