St. Landry democrat., 1886-09-11
CHARLESTON'S WOE.
The City Rent Asunder by the
Earth's Commissions.
The Recent Earthquake Finds its Center
at Charleston, s. c., and Leaves the
City a Scene of Death faim-
ing and Desolation.

l. CHARLESTON, D. u, Sept. 1.-SHoIIiy
after ten O'Clock last night an earthquake
of such violence as has never before been
experienced In this city occurred. The
whole city was shaken violently, causing
heavy loss of life and doing immense
damage to property. The city is one
mass of wreck The streets are COM
pletely blockaded with debris of ruined
houses, telegraph poles, wires. Vehicles
of any kind can not be driven through
the streets, while pedestrianism is both
dangerous and difficult. People have
been in the streets since the occurrence
of the first shock wringing their hands
and crying aloud to God to save them.
Whole families passed the night cuddled
together i'll open spaces, some of them
praying continuously, imploring Divine
intercesslon.
Opinions differ as to the number of
shocks which occurred. Some assert
that there were only two, while others
are as positive that there were three. A
great many insist that there were even
more. However, this may be, the first
was the most severe, and did the most
damage.
There are large numbers of buildings
wrecked, but it is impossible to
ascertain in the present excite
ment how many. Several OF the
wrecked houses caught fire, and are still
burning in various parts of the city;
but no fears are entertained of the fires
spreading. So far as learned, from sixty
to seventy persons have been killed and
IaJ ;S foaro6 fhaf yyhGn q
canvass of the wrecked districts is made
this number will be materially augment
ed. A few of the names of those who
have either lost their lives or received
fatal injuries through the destruction of
their dwellings have been ascertained,
and among them are the following: M.
J. Lynch, d. r. Alexander, Hammond
and Alnsley Sobeson-all white.
The majority of the victims are colored
people.
1t is impossible to give any estimate of
the loss of property at present, but it is
believed it will reach far up in the mill
ions. The city is completely isolated
and at present there is no means of eth
er entering or leaving it.
LATER.
The earthquake last night destroyed
tiit principal DuSiIcSS pOIGIOu Ol tuG
city, and hundreds are rendered home.
less. The main station house, the City
| hall, Hibernian hall, and many other we'll
known public buildings, including the
Never-dying ST. Michael's Church, are ir-
reparably damaged. Broad street this
morning presented spectacle of the ut
| most horror. Even women, armed with
hatchets, worked valiantly to rescue the
| imprisoned unfortunates.
Meeting street, from Broad to Hazel, is
| a wreck lined with homeless people. To
add to the hSgror of the night, many fires
broke out and were ineffe ctually fought
| by the brave fire department.
The night was made hideous with the
howls' of the dying, the groans of the
| wounded and the prayers of the unin-
| jured. 1t is impossible vet to state the
loss of life or damage to property. Up
to ten O'Clock this morning ten distinct
shocks were felt here.
CHARLESTON, S. c., Sept. AT twenty
! minutes after eight O'Clock this morning
| another wave swept over the city, COM
ing, as the others did, from the South
east and going in Northwest direction.
BY that time people who had been out on
the public parks and open places all night
had, many.of them, ventured into their
houses to get clothing and something to
eat. The approach of the quake was
heralded by the usual rumbling sound,
resembling distant thunder. Then it
| gradually approached, earth quaked and
heaved, and in three seconds it had pass
| ed, the sound dying out in the distance.
| This is the only wave felt since 2:3O a. m.
1t was not destructive, all the destruc-
| tion have been done last night. Fully
| two thirds of the residences in the city
are uninhabitable, wrecked either totally
| or partially.
| 1t is impossible to give correct esti-
mate of the casualties. 1t Is thought
| that between fifty and one hundred per-
sons have been killed and several hun
| dred wounded, at the time of the first
shock. About twenty houses wese de-
| stroyed by fire. Scarcely one hundred
houses in the city are occupied at this
| time, the people being all encamped in
| open places. All the stores are closed
and scarcity of provisions is feared, not
from want of provisions, but because no
one can be got into the stores to sell
them.
| CHARLESTON, S. c., Sept. l, 8 P. M
Two slight earthquake shocks have been
felt here to-day, besides the one which
occurred in the morning. They were
but slight quakes, and neither did any
| further destruction. Not even during
| General Gimore's bombardment of the
city has there ever been such deplora-
| BILE state of affairs here. The city is
literally in ruins, and people are liy-
ing in the open squares and parks.
! There is great rush to the railroad de-
! pots to get away, but owing to damage to
! the railways no trains have been able to