Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-01
SHAKING UP THE NATION.
Reports from All Parts of the Coun-
try Tell of Trembling Cities.


try Tell of Trembling Cities.
| WASHINGTON, Aug. 3l.-At :55 O'Clock
| tonight a very decided vibration Of the
earth was felt in Washington, and in
few minutes advices began to arrive that
the disturbance covered almost the entire
country. Two shocks occurred. The
second shock was of longer duration and
more severe than the first aud lew Sec
onds later. 1t was felt in all parts of the
city. Several meetings in progress in va
rious parts OF the city were broken by the
frightened members, thinking the build
ings were falling and rushing from the
halls into the streets.
AT THE THEATRES.
The audiences in the lower part Of the
houses were composed principally of la
dies, but they were less frightened, and
very few left their seats. The performers
went on with their parts and quiet was
restored. No one was injured. People
on the street did not feel the shock and the
| first knowledge they had of the occurrence
was obtained from the sight of the fright
ened inmates Of houses rushing from them
into the streets.
A Western Union operator at Bowie,
Nd, about twenty miles from here, tele-
graphed that the earthquake cracked the
walls Of mis- station and stopped the clock.
Prof. Simon NeWcOmbe, of the Nautical
Almanac, furnishes the following figures
regarding the earthquake: The first shock
occurred at 9:5320 O'Clock; the second
shock about 9:54 80, and lasted until 1850
No reports of any serious damage in the
city have been received.
PANIC-sTRIKEN PRISONERS.
RICHMOND, VA, Aug. 31.-A shock of
earthquake was felt here at 9:55 O'Clock
tonight. Houses were shaken, and In
some instances severely. Many persons
ran into the streets, some being only halt
dressed. The shock was generally felt
| throughout the city and the excitement
was Intense. To increase the excitement
the prisoners in the penitentiary became
panic stricken and began great cutlery
and hammering on the doors OF their cells
The guards on duty endeavored to
| quiet them without effect, whereupon
| the fire alarm was turned in to arouse the
citizens, and soon thereafter a call for
military was sounded by the fire bells.
The call was promptly responded to, and
! in few minutes soldiers were Fastening
to the scene. Company after company
reported for duty In rapid succession, one
! colored company being the first on the
| ground. While this was going on the
streets leading to the penitentiary We're
! crowded. In a half hours time from
5000 TO 10000 people we're in the vicinity
of the penitentlary. At IL 80 O'Clock Gov.
Lee drove out to the scene, but before
he arrived everything had become quiet,
kilograms from Danville, Petersburg.
| Norfolk and Ashland and other points
state that the shock at those places was
similar in most respects to the one felt
here. The time of duration Is reported
| from thirty seconds to three minutes, and
the course from east TO west.
WILMINGTON.
WILMINGTON, n. c., Aug. 31.-A severe
| earthquake shock was felt here at $3.50
| o. clock tonight. Windows ratified, bricks
were shaken from chimneys and people
! were greatly alarmed. The first shock
/ lasted fifty seconds. 1t was accompanied
by heavy rumbling noise. The shock
was severe at SmithviIle and along the
coast.
NOT SEVERE AT CINCINNATI.
! CINCINNATI, Aug. 31.-At DIG O'Clock
| tonight, city time, a slight shock of
earthquake was felt here. The printers
in the sun Office started to run down
stairs, thinking the building was falling.
The shock was quite perceptible at the
..
but 1t was not noticed much by persons
IN the streets.
The officers and reporters at police
headquarters in the city building made a
stampede from the shaking building into
the street, as the building was expected
to collapse for several years. At all the
hotels there was more or less fright and
confusion but no casualties. The same
may be said OF the theatres. The clocks
in the Western Union Telegraph office
stopped at S:44. Probably the worst
scare OF the night was in the composing
room OF the Commercial Gazette. There
the swaying terrified the printers and a
dozen or so jumped out of the windows to
the roof OF an adjoining building, dis
lance OF six feet. One of them was
somewhat bruised in his haste but was
net seriously hurt.
SEVERE AT COLUMBUS.
COLUMBUS, o., Aug. 3l.-Reports are
coming in from all over the city that the
shock Of an earthquake was distinctly
felt here about S:45 o'clock tonight. II
was more perceptible in larger buildings.
| At the Central Asylum for the insane
! furniture was turned around and patients
became so alarmed that the attendants
bad trouble in getting them 10 return to
their wards. AT the Institute for the
Blind the shock was so strong that rock
|
! in motion and chandeliers were swayed
TO and fro with such force that they con-
tinued for some time afterward in motion,
| These are samples OF the sensation. The
teachers at the Blind Institute refused to
return 10 their rooms after running to the
main audience room below. The time
given at the Blind Institute was 9:22
! O'Clock, local.
TWO SHOCKS AT SCRANTON.
SCRANTON, PA, Aug. 31.-rwo very
distinct shocks OF earthquake were felt in
this city tonight. The first came at eX-
actly 10 O'Clock and the second twelve
minutes later. In the editorial and COM
! posing rooms of the Republican office, in
the nth story OF the building, suspended
! objects swung to and fro, and consid-
cradle conservation prevailed Tor a short
time. The shock was felt in various por-
lions OF the city, especially in the higher
! buildings.