Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-12
U'AS IT Az EARTHQU4KE}
The People OF Lancaster, Pa, startled BY
Conyulsion of Nature.

tOnNHisiOn OF NathTr.
\ Lancaster Pa special says \
ConyulSion of nature, now believed to
have been an earthquake. occurred in
this city and county about o'clock
last evening, the magnitude of which
was not fully realized until to-day. At
the Moravian church loud. reverbera-
ting noise was heard. accompanied with
avery perceptible vibration of the earth,
and many of the worshippers were not
"A little alarmed. The sound and sensa-
ton passing away in few seconds, little
more was thought Of the occurrence until
this morning. when people began compa-
ring notes. George Nauman, a prominent
member of the bar, living in the eX-
treme eastern part of the city, heard
the noise distinctly, and it sounded TO
him like thunder, while Jacob BauS-
man. president of the Farmers National
Bank. living in the western part of the
city. heard the noise and felt the shock
just as distinctly, attributing it TO
the falling Of coal in his cellar. Jo-
scph c. Snyder, living in the north
ern part of the city. ran out
of the house. thinking neighbor-
ing stable had fallen. Bernard Me-
Claim, on west Chestnut street. heard a
terrible rafting among his dishes, and
also felt the shock. Going into his
kitchen he found some of his dishes
broken by the concussion. Mr. Rife,
messenger at the First National Bank.
was in the building at the time OF the
visitation and expected to see all the
large French-plate glass shattered by
the terrible shock. The large glass
ratified like small window-paneS i'll a
dilapidated building, although the
structure has an iron front and IS one
of the most substantial i'll the city.
Hundreds Of people scattered all over
the city had experiences similar in some
respect or other to those related. That
more of the people did not hear and
feel it is probably accounted for from
the fact that thousands Of them were
assembled in churches whose services
consisted of singing at that particular
hour. those who were in churches
where preaching and praying were oc-
curing at the time having heard and felt
il distinctly. In the rural districts, par
ticularly south of Lancaster, the shock
was most distinctly heard and felt and
farmers ran 70 their doors, thinking 1t
was thunder, only to see bright, star
~ night. Rev. A. B. Shenkle. one Of
the best-known divines in the country.
was preaching in the Reformed Church
on Willow street. and so great was the
noise and so strong the shock that he
paused in the service, while his cOngre-
cation sat awe-stricken. T.. X. Stettler,
Justice of the peace, living not far from
the church. saw the stoye-plates dance
on his cook-stove from the vibration and
expected to see them hurled to the floor
by the shock. II. +. Stagmaker, Lam
casters leading wine-merchant, de-
scribes the sounds to have been like
that of two locomotives running in yio-
lent collision and then grinding to
atoms.
Less than a year ago a shock was felt
here, though far less perceptible than
this. and our scientists hold TO theory
originated many years ago and still be-
lieyed in. that Lancaster is built over
an immense cave or subterranean lake,
the inlets to which, if there are any,
have never been explored, and that the
noise and vibration Of last night arose
from the falling of great masses Of earth
and rock from the roof Of the cave and
rolling and rafting into the great gull
below.