The Hope pioneer., 1886-09-10
CHA ES 4 o N JIM RJJ INS.
IThe,C ommerciaI Pride OF the Palmetto
State an Awful Scene Of Wreck
y and Death
Three-F -Fourths Of Charleston Destroyed
by Earthquake and Upwards Of
One Hundred Lives Lost.

quake, Sucn as mas nevcr DefOre been known
In the history Of this city, swept over Charles
ton last nigh shortly after 10 O'Clock, caus-
Ing more loss and injury to property and far
more loss of life than the Cyclone Of a year
before. The city Is wrecked, the streets are
encountered with masses Of fallen bricks
and tangled telegraph and telephone wires,
and up to an early hour 1t was almost Inn
possible to pass from one part Of the city to
another The first shock was by far the
most severe. Most Of the people, with
their families, passed the night In the
streets, which this morning were crowded
with people afraid to re-enter their homes
10 add to the horror Of the scene
MANY FIRES BROKE OUT
and were Intellectually fought by the fire de-
partment The night was hideous with the
groans Of the wounded and the prayers Of
the uninjured Fully two thirds OF the resi-
dences in the city are uninhabited and
wrecked either totally or partially.
The loss by fire and earthquakes can be
placed safely
AT FIVE MILLION DoILARR
4 AS far as could be ascertained during the
night fifteen to twenty were killed and a
much greater number wounded In all sorts
Of ways The loss of human life will be
large, and 1t will take days to get at the &C.
curate number.
AN EDITORS IMPRESSIONS.
The compositors Of the News and Courier
decline to work tonight, expecting fresh
shocks Of earthquake. and the paper cannot,
therefore, issue tomorrow. The following
article was prepared for publication In the
News and Courier:
Necessarily the description that can be given
OF the disaster which had befallen our city con-
s1sts of the narration of experiences and obser-
the same and the e1paseneea Of @ ali befns nearly
alike, the story told by one careful observer
may well stand for hundred others, with slight
The Character Of te sturbanee tS thegefore @ NAV nav
be obtained from narl alton of the events and
scenes Of Tuesday night as they were presented
to single person. While engaged in his usual
duties In tho second story room of the
News and Courier office at the time
Of the first shock, the. writer's atten.
tion was vaguely attracted by sound
which seemed to come from the office below, and
which was supposed for q moment to be caused
by the rapid rolling of heavy body, as an iron
safe or heavily laden truck over the floor.
Accompanying she sound, there was percept-
ible tremor Of the building. not more marked,
however, than would be caused by the
passage Of street car or dray along the street.
no surprise or comment. Then the sound
deepened in volume, the tremor became more
decided, the ear caught the rattle of window
jccts. Tie men in the office. with per-
haps Simultaneous fash of recollections,
Of the disturbance Of the Friday before glanced
startled questions M and and answers = What sss IS shas
sEarthQuake?". And then all was bewilderment
and confusion. Then the long roar deepened
to pervade at once the troubled earth
and the still air above and around
The tremor was now rude. rapid culver that
Ggitated the whole lofty. strong walled building
n mo- ch Irey, tNNt tIo hon ~
an tmmeasureable power with intent to tear its
joints asunder and scatter its stone and bricks
abroad as q tree casts its over-ripened fruit be-
fore the breath OF the gale. There was no inter
mission In the vibration of the mighty sub
ter anean engine. From the first to the last
it was o continuous jar, only adding force at
and reached the climax of its manifestation, it
seemed for q few terrible seconds that no work
Of human hands could possibly survive the
shocks. The floors were heaving under foot, the
surrounding wallis and partitions visibly swayed
to and fro
THE CRASH OF FALLING STONE
and brick and mortar was heard overhead, and
without ths terrible roar filled the ears, and
seemed to fill the mind and heart. dazing percep-
tion, bewildering thought, and for few painting
breaths, or while you held your breath in dread
ful anticipation Of Immediate death, you
felt that life was already past and waited for the
end as the victim with his head on the block
to many men to look in The face Of It the destrayar
and vet live, but 1t is little to say that the group
OF strong men who shared the experience
above ; family described. will carry with them
Their dying day. None expected to escape A
sudden rush was simultaneously made to en-
pace 70 saeta he a and flee
The tottering wall and stopped. feeling IL
that - hope was vain, that It was only question
buried by the sinking roof. or crushed by the
toppling walls. The uproar slowly died away
IN seeming distance. The earth was still, and oh
the blessed relief of that stiffness but how
rudely the silence was broken. As w
dashed down the stairway and ont into tb,
street. already on every side arose the shrieks
the cries of pain and fear, the prayers and wall
ing of terrified women and children, co-mingled
with the hoarse shouts of excited men. Out il
the street the air was filed to the he;aht Of the
houses with q whitish, dry, sitting dust from
the lime and mortar and shattered masonry
which, falling upon the pavement and stone
roadway, had been reduced to powder. Through
cred dImly, shedding but little light, SO that
you stumble at every step over the piles OF
brick, Or become entaneled in the lines
in every direction from their broken
supports On every side were hurrying forms
OF men and women, bareheaded, partially
were crazed with fear or excitement. Hero
the woman spms ssepp9rtsd ssr half fadnting
into the open space at the street co corner. g.
where present safety seems assured. There q
woman lies on the pavement with up-turned
face and out-stretched limbs. and the crowds
alive or dead. A sudden light flashes thron1f, a
window overlooking the street, 1T becomes mo-
mentarily brighter and
CRY OF FIRE
resounds from the multitude. rush is made
toward the spot A man is seen doubled up and
helpless against the wall; but this moment out
at sea, overhead, deep In the ground is heard
again the low omtnous roll which is already too
well known to be mistaken. It grows louder
approaching his prey, and is forgotten again in
the frenzied wish for the open space where alone
is the hope of security. The tall buildings on
either hand blot out the skies and the stars.
ground between them them. Their as Shattered iHas ID
cornices and capings, the tops Of their frowning
~alis seem piled from both sides to the center
Of the street 1t seems that touch would send
me shattered masses down upon the people be-
low, who look up and shrink together as the
tremor OF The earthquake passed over
them, and mysterious reverberations swell and
roll along like some Internal drum beat suIn-
mon1ng them to die. It passes away. and again
from impending calamity. Again far along the
street and up from the alley ways that
lead into it on either side, ts heard that chorus
OF wailing and lamentations, which, though 1t
had had not . ceased, was scarcely noticed mo-
the sound Of the helpless horror Of
stricken humanity; old and young, the strong
and feeble alike where all are so feeble, calling
their anguished voices in petition Tor me mercy. L
Is not scene to be described by any mortal
to be forgotten VIXEN once Witnessed.
feels safe The rst shock % Occurred AZ seyea sea
minutes OF 10. This was indicated this morn
ing by PUBLIC clocks, the hands of all Of which