New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-05
.snt her. tbsre will be great distress slight snocH
wss fail hare about ocsck but the streets are
cd ana few persops felt It. Eyeryeooy eioP'
streets aud parks tonight.
AN EXPERIENCE IN THE STRICKEN CIlf'
THE FIRST sHoCK-TERRoR OF THE INHABirANi'
OF TIE PLACE.

AN EXPERIENCE IN THE STRICKEN CITY.
THE FIRST sHoCK-TERRoR OF THE iNhAbiiA ANi'
OF THE PLACE.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. 4(Specidt "A gen.
teman who arrived In Washington to-day fom Ch"res'
ton ave graphic account Of his experience anu son'
tons during the earthquake. He sad
Ihad been conscious all the evening of strange leef
Ing Of dread, OF premonton OF an Impending ca'a'-
trophe. There a subtle influence IN the ar nys
terous something that filed the mind with feelins VI
gloom ana nervous expectancy. But seeing no appa'-
ent cause for giving way to this weak dreau tiou ~
throw 1t off, but could not went to my room aoou' i
o'clock to get ready to go TO bed Just as was aoous
TO unlress there heavy trembling OF the mousse
stoplei short in my preparations and sloou
In he middle OF the floor half paralyzed
fright. realized that it was an earthquake and
something seemed TO warn me that the worst had not
yet come Before could from my place the shocK
came with horrible sound OF cracking timoers ana
falling ceilings The rocked 10 aud fro THROWING
me of my feet picked myself up aud found was 10
utter darkness the light having gone out The house
ives still trembling and the plaster falling ana tue ar
was filled with choking dust nave raceu ooa'u
many times my life but never have had such an eh
perience that was cropping in the darkness ior no
door that could not lind and the hoor roiiing ana
trembling beneath me, expecting every secohd 10 30
down with the building into crushed shapeless mass
under tue tinbers.
AT last reached tue street strange silence was
all around The hrst crash of falling walls was over ana
the people had recovered their frightehea wits
Through bniing, sthng haze Of mortar thers shone
the gar, OF the street lamps. suddenly there was
scream aud then all Ind me hearu tue crio Vi
terror the groans OF uisn and pain and an inde
scrDabe uproar Poor knet down right 10 the mi ide
OF the streets and prayed aloud to be saved. Iney
swayod backward and forward with each successive
shock while bricks and tiles fell all around them.
knew that "A tidal wave usually followed an earthquake
20 selected tall and stood by 1t ready 10 cno "
on the slightest warning. After while seeing that the
danger OF tidal wave was past walked arounu tne
,uins No one fet like standing still at any place, ana
all night the nned with people walking
hther and thhef, some crying, some praying others
cursng, but all wearing tue san air OF nervous OK
pect .ncy like person bcinA hunted down by zoe re-
lentcss aud quiet that WAS likely spriug upon him at
any mcmeut At every frequent shock the Ieofe wouid
stop ana with bated breath and Danched faces anxousy
await the passing OF the quake, not knowing what
moment the earth would open anu swallow th-ln In
tue middle OF the little assures would open Ia tue
pavement from which Issued small streams Vi Dohnk
water and blush mud. 1hls would be followed Dy au
emission of u VAIN substance resembling heavy paint
ucnty Iaces O1 the same phtnOmenpn III tho
places being two feet in crcun ference. -
The next DAY spent n u frutess endeavor to get out
of town There trains, because there were no
RAILROADS.. The YER, loal beus were DESTROYED anu III
night OF the quake was painful one AS Ieopie oesan
realize the deorabe danse ana the tcrrc Iorce OF
houses the second stories II which were twisted COM
peely around and lay crosswas or the lower stories
Come houses tilted right up on end Their Walls
buleing oil around and their heavy IRON cOumus
bent outward No lOrm an adequate IDEA OI the
witnessed. NO one Thought or eatng
day and really there nothing TO eat Tor people
were aral enter thelr houses TO COOK. Not negro
cook waiter could he induced to 20 10 Work. lbe
second night spent aboard Of little steamer which As
| to 20 Beaufort next day. Theie were about 100
people abOarda we AL stayed out Oh deck We wanted
| to DO where could jump fell asleep ol the deck
and about ~ O'Clock was awakened by sh0cE We all
| runtu
| nignt Tne next morning 1 learned tuat hs rail " ay
track had been repaired and rah wou1 20 out; 50
rft tne steamer and caught tue train. All wanted Was
l., get OUT OF CDarlestOn; matter where. We made
slow time road for uluo miles wuen to uan
| sud .eny stopped. There place Theic he rO d
bed was suuken six feet for distance OF thousand
Yards The ran down lutO the SlSnt ueCD'lty snu
along the suuken rails, sesmeu like riding O' 81
uicKsands grOuni giving and sinking at every turn
OF the wheels believe my halr stool ON emu utii we
had ras.ed over. Wien | arrived here the reaction
was so great that completely unnerved ana TO-DAY
1 am as weak as Cat. GOi forbid that ever nave
another such EXP erence that night IN ChariostOl