Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-09-10

to bottom and were badly shattered in
every instance. Women and children
reused from sleep or interrupted in their
evening pursuits by the sound of the
ruin being effected above and around
them, rushed out into the streets and httd.
died together awaiting the end, whatever
it might be, lnvalids were brought out
on mattresses and depCsited on the road
way. No thought was given to material
treasures left behind in the effort to save
the peculiar treasure of life itself, sudden
! ly become 50 precious III the eyes of all
the invalid woman and the robust man
alike. Until long after midnight the
streets We're filled with tugitiveS in sight
of their homes. Through the long hours
that followed few were the eyes even of
| childhood that were closed i'll sleep.
Charleston was full of those who watch, ii
for the morning, and never in any city in
any land,did the first gray shades that mark
| the approach OF dawn appear so beauti-
full and so welcome to eyes as they APP
peared to the thousands of people who
hailed them this morning from the midst
. OF the countless wrecked homes in our
! thrice RcourSed but still patient, still
brave, still hopeful, still beautiful city by
the sea-"
Government Engineers to Inspect the
Buildings-Tents and Huts Provided.
CHARLESTON, SC, Sept. 5-Charleston
Is quiet to daY, and the sabbath silence is
only broken by singing at the different
religious meetings held in the open air.
Hardly Il church in Charleston is cousid
cred safe for occupancy. There is no
doubt that the estimates of loss by the
earthquake are far below the mark. The
city appraiser, who has gone over the
whole city and is familiar with the value
OF property, estimates it will cost at least
5000, 600 to make Charleston as good as
it was only week ago. Buildings which
were considered entirely safe are now
found to be in dangerous condition.
and persons who thought they had es-
capped without injury are confronted
by damages entirely beyond their
means to repair. Two government
engineers are expected tomorrow, and in
addition to these the secretary of the
treasury has been requested to-day to de
tail number of competent civil engineer,
from the Office of the supervising archi-
| tect of The treasury to assist in examining
thoroughly every building, so that the eX-
tent of the injury and whether the build
ing is habitable and can be al
ascertained. The relief committee will
be able shortly : to provide adequate
shelter for the homeless refugees and can
furnish them also with such food as hey
require. Many persons are suffering for
want of bread whose wants will be quiet
| ly met. Government tents are erected in en-
equipments in different parts of The city
where full attention will be given to SAM
tary requirements, but at least 5000 per
sons will need shelter for weeks to come
1t is proposed to erect hutS on public
grounds for those for whom tents will not
suffice. Ample accommodation will be
provided for cOlored refugees.
1t can be seen that even the generous
assistance given throughout the United
states will be entirely inadequate to meet
this emergency. If Charleston is to be
rebuilt and restored, it must have at an
early day at least 81 100000 to borrow at a
low rate of interest, upon the security
of property to be rebuilt. or rest ored
The arrival of Mayor Courtnay from Eu-
rope on Tuesday is awaited. In his cour-
age and ability, in his comprehensive
ness as well rs mastery of detail the
people have full confidence. His presence
here will be worth II thousand men. There
has been no shock of earthquake since
about II O'Clock last night. This
helps to make the people hopeful
The prevailing belief is That the worst is
over, based mainly upon the assurances of
scientists who say here is only the slight
est probability of recurrence of the more
powerful shocks after lapse of SO much
time. Many citizens who lett in hot haste
have begun to return, aand visitors and
SIghtseerS are putting i'll an appearance
Very few regular inhabitants will return
to their homes this week. In fact only
the most daring OF the strangers venture
inside of a building They have no true
appreciation of the effect a severe shock
would have, when the houses hang to-
gether by slender threads.
native describes the sound of the most
damaging shock to have resembled the
noise of Il ball in ten-pn alley and the
tremor to have been like the motion of a
window is
firmly over 1t in such Il way as to make a
hars h rattle. ChlmneyS, fronts of buildings
walls and brick fences did indeed fall like
ten pins. Forts Sumpter and Moultrie
are plainly in view as the sun peered
through the scrub oaks and into the tents
his morning, and the inhabitants re-
spOnsively turned out to greet their first
Sunday morning since the disaster, and
thrilling scene was presented. Scores of
little children were seen gambolling on
the green, mothers were making
he toilet of their infants, servants
were preparing breakfast over oil
stoves, and men were in groups like
soldiers after battle, discussing the past,
present, and future. Within a space 300
feet by 1900 feet, probably 1000 persons
were camped. This is one of the aristo-
cratic portions of the city and the campers
were OF the best families. a number of
births have occurred, twins in two cases.
With the first morning blush the voices of
HtpTotS were htdru singing ana shouting.
BY 1890, services were in progress at Il
dozen points. Splendid voices blended to-
gether in perfect harmony. The singing
could ne heard at the distance of a mile.
Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, and
other denominations worshipped in the
air. All the sermons treated of the calami
| ty. At O'Clock there was general mass
meeting at the corner of Broad and East
Bay streets. Thousands of people attend
ed and eloquent sermons were preached
! by volunteer ministers The singing was
! beautiful and touching, and the teachings
! impressive. On heaps of debris for near
! ly a square in every direction, people We're
| cOngregated. Before the sermon began,
experiences of Tuesday night were given,
some pitiiul, some ludicrous, and others
heartrendlng. a white haired colored
woman, who had spent two-thirds of her
! life in slavery, told how her only son, i'll
fleeing from their home had been Drained
ON the stoop 10y a falling piazza.
PrOfs. Mendenhall and McGee take
| friendly issue rs to the cause of the earth
quakes. The latter maintains they are the
! result of land slides Ihila rho Ina.