The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-09-08
THE GREAT

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Local earthquakes are not uncom-
mon occurrences, even in the United
States, where they are felt from time
to time, but when one assumes con-
%tinental proportions as did the one
on the night of the 31st Of August,
it becomes memorable. The first OF
the four shocks which came in sue
cession within an interval Of an
hour, was perccptibiy felt through
out the vast region of country from
the Atlantic to the Rocky mountains
while some parts west Of the noun
tain range report having experienced
it. At some points greater violence
was manifested than at others,
especially along the coast line in
which the main wave seemed to
travel. The initial point OF disturb
ance as far as known seems to have
been in the vicinity Of Charleston,
South Carolina, which was also the
greatest sufferer. The reportsreceiv-
ed the day after the disturbance
represented Charleston in ruins,
with great loss of life and many
persons injured, reports which we
r glad to say were not corroborated
by later advices. There was great
damage done, however, in the city
entailing a loss Of many millions
of dollars. St. Phillips and st.
Michaers Churches We're sc badly
shattered that the steeples will
have to be taken down, while the
Charleston hotel, a massive building,
is SO badly shattered as to be
thought beyond repair. But few
buildings in the city escaped injury,
while three-fourths of them are very
much damaged, some of them to
such an extent that they will have
to be torn down. The principal
damage done was among the
houses built many years ago, the
walls of which had been more or
less weakened by time. The new
and more substantial buildings We're
injured little, if any.
The deaths have been placed as
high as thirty, caused by topping
chimneys and dislodged cornices
and brick work falling from the
upper portions Of high buildings.
The citizens having passed the ter
riblc ordeal of the night Of terror
and fears of the day following when
other, but slighter shocks Eel felt,
have gone to work heroically to
repair the damage and get the city
into shape again.
The evidence of the action of the
internal disturbance on the earth's
lrface is more p~erceptible in the.
country surrounding Charleston
than in the city itself. 1t is said
that assures may be seen in Jail
directions for a distance of twehty-
five miles, especially in the direction
Of Summerville, where the violence
was very great, these fissuresIbeing
from one inch to a foot or more wide,
and the wider some twenty feet deep
when they seem to close SHOWING a
deposit of very fine white sand,
which has also in many places been
thrown to the surface. Over a con-
SiuCI dUlC area CucIc SccLIS Also 10
have been an eruption of a blush
mud mixed with sand, whiIe wells
were suddenly filled with clear, cold
water. At other points warm water
is reported to have burst from the
ground, and here and there a settling
of the earth extending for some dis
lance.
The agitation was felt for some
distance out at sea, but as vet
scientists who are Investigating the
occurrence have not been able to
locate the starting point. The fact
that there was no tidal wave argues
that the disturbance was not Of sub
marine origin. It is possible that it
may have begun in the West Indies,
Or perhaps in the volcanic regions of
South America, where the disturb
ances are sometimes SO great as to
be felt thousands of miles away.
But wherever it started, the de-
monstrations came with such force
that this shake up will be a memoir
able one, and the most far-reaching
that this country has ever expert
enced.