Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-08-14

to the oause Of the nnwonted agitation
their houses, and for half an hour a
least front-d0or steps, sidewalks an
corners were crowded with excited peopl
who were exchanging notes as to thei
experiences. AT first all sorts Of looS
causes for the oommotion were assigned
people In the southern section of the cit
believing that there had been an explo
sion Of one or more of the oil tanks O
Point Breeze, while In other portions
was currently reported that new build
ings had fallen or that boiler explosion
had occurred. When the news spread
however, that the shock had been felt Il
all sections Of the city, these theorie
were quickly abandoned and tn
true state Of affairs begun 4
be realized. The earthquake was tn
all absorbing topic Of conversation for tn
rest Of the day, and Chestnut street ant
the other thoroughfares in the business
centre of the city were crowded with peo
pie until a late hour In the evening
Everybody had story to tell, and tn,
experiences and sensations which wer,
related, II written, would fill many
columns. A great many persons wer,
phuAy AiRutouou Wy bub buOOk bbV6rA
were reported to have tainted from thai
cause, and in West Philadelphia the case
Of one family who could not be persuaded
to return to their house until evening
was quoted. Many Of the stories told,
however, were probably exaggerated.
Summing up the various accounts oil
the earthquake, the principal points OBJ
served were about as follows: The move
ment occurred at 2.09 O'Clock, and there
appear to have been two movements or
vibrations, one following the other In
quick succession. The first is vsriously
described as being like the deep vibration
caused by the moving Of a heavy oats.
maran over q paved street, or the moving
Of heavy furniture upon the floor OF a
building close at hand, or still again, like
the rumble OF train upon bridge. The
second movement was somewhat longer
than the first, and was attended by
marked oscillations Of the earth. At one
or two points It was described as wave
like motion. AS to the direction OF the
wave there were slight variations In the
reports, hut the indications are that II
was from north to south, or that It only
slightly varied from those points.
The United States signal officer, whose
office Ia on the upper floor of the new post
office building, states that at the time OF
the earthquake he was sitting at his desk,
facing the south, his chair tilted back on
two Of its legs. The movement Of the
building was sufficient to upset him, and
he noticed that the large chandelier sus-
pended from the ceiling swayed back and
forth, the arc described by the lower end
being foot or more long. This move.
ment was from north to south, and IS the
chandeliers are hung In ball and socket
joint they were free to move in any d.
reotion.
IN NEW YORK.
In New Yoyk there was o severe shock
AT Ill p. M, which lasted about 10
seconds. Inmates Of the houses rush ed
out into the streets terror stricken and
with blanohed faces only to discover that
all their nsighbors were rushing out
amazed and panic stricken like them
selves. As there was no evidence OF
catastrophe to be seen anywhere, many
quickly realized that the occurrence
which had 30 startled every one was an
earthquake. As a rule people remained
in front Of their houses for many minu.
tes, apparently trying to get at some
solution Of their fears, and Watching the
faces and manner Of others. Women and
ohil6red as they regained some degree OF
confidence returned TO their houses. Men
assembled in groups in the streets dis.
eussing the ooourranoe which had so
startled them.
At the observatory of the United States
signal service, in the Equitable Build
ing, the time OF the earthquake and its
duration were noted. Assistant Observers
r. Il. Hinman and Mervine were at the
time In the office, which Is on the roof Of
the building, about 200 feet above the
level of the street. The first intimation
of the earthquake was low, rumbling
round, like the muttering Of distant
thunder. It was Immediately followed
by a shock as that Of violent explosion,
which caused the building to quiver,
although 1t did not shake peroeptibly.
While the shock was felt strongly in
the dwelling houses, 1t is somewhat
singular that persons travelling on the
elevated roads did not know Of the oc-
ourrenoe until they were told Of It by
people getting in at the stations, and
that the shock felt at the elevated sta-
tions was slight compared with that felt
on the ground below. AS far as can be
asoertained, the shock was entirely i'm
peroeptible on the water, and no wave
such as usually accompanies the phenom
ena in the adjacent waters was here
observed.
In Ludlow street between Hester and
Canal, the panic was ct its hight. The
streets were swarming with people; men,
women and children huddled together
like sheep in pen, evidently thinking
that their last hour had arrived, and ex-
peoting every moment to See the walls of
their dwellings fall upon them. Women
were shrieking and children bswling, and
the men either swearing or praying. This
was kept up for nearly half an hour,
when the oommotion finally subsided and
the police persuaded the people to return
to their houses.
In Central Park the shock was more
severe,it is said, than in the surrounding
region. There were large crowds in the
Mall who were at once thrown into state
Of violent excitement by the shaking and
strange rumbling in the ground, which
was distinctly heard. The animals in the
menagerie were evidently frightened by
the shock, and many Of them were seen
to tremble as II in fear, while they re-
mained perfectly still for some time after
II occurred.
The polios on the Brooklyn bridge re-
port that the shock was distinctly felt
there, and the great towers at either end
oscillated viBibly, while the bridge itself
rocked as II struck with q hurricane.
The shook Of the earthquake was felt
generally along the river fronts, and the
piers were shaken as II by q heavily
laden truck passing over them. At the
iron steamboat pier, which is built Of
solid masonry, the motion was 80 violent
that the ticket takers rushed from their
Offices to ascertain the cause OF the COM
motion.
The late afternoon boats brought back
crowds from Coney Island, where II was
said that the sheck was much more
violent than In the city. The piazzss
and dining room at the Manhattan and
Brighton Beach were we'll filled when a
rambling noise was heard followed by a
rocking Of the ground which made win
dow pAnes rattle and shook dishes and
wineiglAsses from the tablt. There was a
general rush for the open air and great
excitement prevailed, ohairs were ratified
about upon the floors. There was a
general rush towards the main entrance,
the people being under the impression
that the structure was giving way. As
the shocks did not reour, their appre.
tensions on this score we're soon allAyed.
In Brooklyn the earthquake was felt
very generally throughout the city. Along
the river front and in the eastern dis
trict the shook appears to have been
heavier and Of longer duration. Every.
where people ran from their houses in
terror. People In Greenpoint started on
L n rnn for the immanaA oil Wnrka which