Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-09-10
StilI Another shock.
THRILLING Personal EXPERIENCE.

THRILLING Personal EXPERIENCE.
The Horrors of the Charleston Earthquake
Described by an Eye Witness.
WAsHINGTON, Sept. 5.-rhomas II. Tol-
son of Baltimore arrived from Charleston
yesterday and gives this account of the
earthquake, which nearly destroyed the
latter city: 1.-The evening preceding the
earthquake had been exceedingly warm
and close There wa, not breath of air
stirring The sky had lurid appear
ance. Many people noticed and spoke of
the stiffness of the air. had been sitting
out doors opposite the Charleston hotel,
talking with an old gentleman, and about
9:45 babe HIM good night, went over to
the hotel, and soon went to my room,
which was ON the third floor When | lit
my gas heard a noise and supposed had
! broken something and made an inspec-
ton, but could find nothing broken
! Then | went to place my hat on bureau
and just then the shock came, without
any warning | would have fallen if
had not thrown my hands out and chung
| to the window. 1t seemed as though the
hotel was lifted up and swung backwards
and forwards distance of 10 or 20 inche,
| at each vibration. | was terrified. At the
very first shock the lights in the house all
went out and ] was in perfect dark
ness. Then the plastering began to fall.
| 1t flashed on my mind that | should en-
deavur to get out of the house, and got out
| into the corridor and groUed my way, in
| utter darkness, amid falling plaster
When reached tine ground floor, could
see Il little from the reflection from the
street lamps The air was filed with
plaster dust. All around was a terrible
rln and hp in
was heightened by the falling of timberS.
| found the front doOro of the house closed,
il fortunate thug for me, as it saved my
life. 1t took me Il moment to find the
knob, and rs | was looking for 1t tons of
brick fell down from the upper part of
the house, in front of the door. If had
found the door open | would have been
buried under the bricks. ran out through
the heaps of fallen bricks and fell twice
in getting 10 the middle of the street, and
there remained terror stricken.
Three shocks came after | reached the
middle of the street, one faint, and seven
minutes after the first, and another, more
violent than the second, nine minutes
later The three shocks occurred within
IL minutes | remained in front of the
hotel until o'clock. | was so unnerved
that could scarcely stand. As it became
queter, no more shocks occurring, | went
up the street to an open space and re.
manned there until O'Clock There we
had another Slight shock AT 3 o'clock |
went to the battery park and found it
crowded, several thousands of terrified
people having as sembled there. There | re-
manned during the remainder of the night.
At DAYLIGHT. like others feIt moro on
couraged and moved around to see what
ies! rt'cIlot had peeh done. / found
costly bnuses IN thn cit,, n,.',cr,aJ fmor, tIa
ground to the top and some nortions of
the buildings We're destroyed completely.
Al OF the Charleston residences are built
"t,t ~ ~ NuT9 ii llol,t' hlaly naNlhS sup
thrown town Thara w,oi nt honeo CO. ~
Charleston that had its chimneys standing
The terror among the PEG lie during the
nl9ht was intense: Ihey rushed through
r. bare nar,,, C"i'II1S IN upi
had nerhnns uevt.r nr.vaI heforpa than
prayed aloud. Then to this was added the
shlleks of the wounded and the lamenta
. lU1 oa .nose VINO naa iost friends Here
" t ny P"lties WIN ilShts were looking
W. tne ru,ls ior tne MISSING people;
ne Srt"'est terror ana conf fusion relgned
o,vi "ne'c. ne PeopIe, When me SHOCK
T"nit' i"ii' liiell women anu chllureh' OUT
tuo teVta III 'lleii i'Siiu clot hIhe, anu
ie.i1iii1' III .hal way curing the night,
n''uuieu loRe'ner IN lhe streets. None
mo.,iu nGntule p"ch liiio me houses. Inc
ie a-s' iit.Ie SHOCK was Iikeiy 70 throw the
mouoeo ~ 'ne S.ooiu' Das IiSul was never
Meico'leu as 1T was ny the thousands OF
U s.llckeil people III tne streets OF
Oh"'les'ol euuesday morning.
Ano,her E.r,,ou.o r.,. a., u
''' y" VIC i'"i"'r'
CHARLESTON, >. T., sept. 6-The steeple
of st. Michael's church land mark of
the CITY. which was sunnosad to ha com.
nIateIv wreclad on,oars ~ Ia aha,1t a..
p'I.e.' ,n "i .' "pp1"i1 W NC aoo"U 'he
ohiy tai structure Whlch can be permit
ted to stand. The people who slept on
board the vessels in the harbor last night
saw they felt at II O'Clock. the shock yery
It'll A. a1itlrioi -, ~, ,r S > 'eiS
P'"l"!' an e'i'oi'ai III Tue news ana
courier TINS morning refers to the gener-
Gus aid now being given the sufferers and
calls attention to another way nv which
suhstont;.I os.i,taucaoa, IVA ,,i,,o,, th,ti,