The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-09-01
THE EARTH ON A BENDER.
THE MOST NOTABLE EARTHQUAKE THAI
EVER SHOOK THIS COUNTRY.
a Night when The Earth TrembIcd
and Quaked, and when the People

after dark last nlSDl, unu lluu d lt'i &c huH'oci
of our papers printed when the earthquake
took place.
! Last night at ten minutes before ten O'Clock
this village experienced tho most severe earth
quake that was ever felt in this section OF the
country. The oldest citizens have felt moth.
| ing like it.. The shock lasted for long time,
and increased in severity until Lhc end. The
exact length of its continuance cannot be de-
tcrmincd We have heard Of no one who
| knows and the estimates conflict. The short
est We have heard was half minute, and the
| longest five minutes. In our own opinion It
may not have been more than minute. one
man put on n shoe, and walked to the steps,
one hundred ana twenty feet distant, and
was half way down the steps before 1t ceased.
The people were thoroughly frightened, and
great numbers ran from their houses, In tile
greatest haste, expecting their structures TO
| fall upon them and bury them in the ruins.
| Those who were in bed asleep were aroused
and were more frightened than those who
we're awake. People of all ages and sexes
rushed to the streets with the hasticst toilets.
Some come wearing only such clothing as
they slept in.
1t is said that the COWS lowed, the dogs bark
fright. But I'VE did not hear any of this.
| The printers in the Press and Banner office
rushed to the door, believing that the house
was falling.
One lady tainted, and was SO much over
come that medical attention was necessary.
At that hour religious exercises were being
conducted in the Methodist church, which
was filled with dcvout worshippcrs. Presid-
Ing Elder Smart had just delivered an elo-
qucnt and soul-stirring sermon from the
text "prepare to meet thy God;" and was In
the act rr delivering an address to those who
had so recently surrounded the altar To re.
ceive the payers Of the cbIrch, when the
:: first culver Of the shock was felt. All were
startled and many thought cyclone had
struck the church, and at the second Vibra-
ton OF the shock every man, woman and
child in the church came to their feet, the eN
crcises were suspended, and when the con-
Guiding convuIsion took place, which was
greatly intensified, many persons expected
the house 10 fall, a panic ensued, and rush
for the door was made at the door Which
opens from the vesitibule to the yard, one
lady fell, and others In quick succession were
soon prostrate. The crowd rushed on but
and other articles were left In tho church.
Many women cried, and many men were eN-
cited, while others gave less evidence OF fear.
The few who remained III the church after
the earthquake had passed, sang the doX"lo-
gy, while those who reached the open air
rushed to their homes TO sec what damage, II
any, had been done there The shock to the,
church was so great thai many had an Idea
that their houses, which were less able To
withstand H. must have been destroyed, but
up to this writing VIC have no knowledge of
any serious injury which any house has sus-
tanned
This morning those who had lost books
fans, handkcrchcfS, etc, are going back
to find the lost articles.
One man left his hat In the church. 1t was
still there this morning at half-3ast Six
o'clock.
The loose bricks from the tops of CHM
ncys fell, and we learn that the plastering
fell from the rooms in many houses, but no
house SO far as VIC have learned, has been Sc
| riouSly injured.
Window glass in the Methodist church and
in Judge Cothran's house were broken.
Some persons from the country were so i'm:
pTCSScu Win GtlC sSNSiHy Va WV ShSSN N'''N
they came Immediately to town.
Ten minutes after the first shock. second
shock OF much less violence was felt.
\ few minutes later another shock sent
| people flying from their houses.
\ fourth shock of like severely was felt at
1885.
Atfive minutes TO eleven o'clock another
shock occurred, which shock the New Hotel;
and made it rattle in u way which we cannot
describe.
At ten minutes to one o'clock the sixth
shock was preceded by Il trcmor.
| At 4.35 this morning there was perccpti-
bic trcmor of the earth. A few seconds later
the shock was sufficient to rattle the windows
Of the office.
These were shocks so distinct and SO nota-
Bile that none could fail to hear and notice
them, but those persons who were Gnvorably
situated for noticing state that there were at
| least four light shocks of which the people
generally took no notice.
While we have no opinion rs to the dlrec-
tlon whence the shocks came, others assert
| that they came from the SOUTHEAST, and
were preceded by notable noise.
Many nervous people were sitting up at one
O'Clock last night and the unusually large
| number OF lights that were to be seen i'll all
parts Of the town seemed TO furnish at least
one proof that others wanted to have n light
in case they should find it necessary to seek
refuge from their dwellings.
| The men gathered in knots about town I'M
I'll IL late hour discussing tho phenomena.
The Idea has been advanced that this earth.
quaii e may have been sent as IL warming TO
sinners to heed the preachers effort to con-
vert them to the ways Of righteousness, and
it is said that some Of our people spent some
time last night III reading their Bibles and in
prayer.
The religious zeal of the prisoners in jail
burst forth in loud prayer and song.
Much anXictyis felt to hear the news from
other sections of the couatry.
The telegraph operator ut Hodges called the
operator at this place most vigorously, but
not knowing the Office Mt Hodges would bc
opened the operator ut this place was not in
the office. If we could have gotten commu-
nicatiOn with the outside world VIC should
have given something Of the earthquake in
other places.
Mr.. Penney the watchman at the depot said
he thought the depot was about to fall. lie
rushed to the door.
The boxes Of the cars ratified in q manner
never before heard.
The Abbevillc colorcd band was practicing
In the basement OF the Clinton Lodge. The
band adjourned so suddenly that they forgot
to lock the door after they went out.
Cries of distress were plainly heard In ono
/ IL Il hoe