New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-09-08
EARTHQUAKES.
Probably the Most General Agi-
tationo of Terra Firma that this
Country Has Ever Expe-
rienced.
Large Buildings Sway Back and
Forth and Panic Seizes the
People, But Nothing Sc
riOus Results.

On the night of the 31st Of august, earth
quake shocks were felt in nearly all the
New York, Chicago, Washington, Cincinnati,
Detroit, Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis,
Richm ond, Raleigh, Louisville. Cleveland,
Columbus, Dubuque, Philadelphia, etc..
etc.
Prof. Seman Newcomb, Of the Nautical
Almanac furnishes the following figures re-
garding the earthquake: First shock occur
red at 9:53 and lasted twenty seconds; the
second about 9:541l, and lasted until $50.
The officials of the signal service bureau
report that four distinct shocks were felt
in Washington.
The first began at 1854 and LASTED forty
seconds, the second was felt at 1904 and
was followed by another at 1910 and by
a fourth at 1880. Prof. Capen the wealth
er prophet of that city predicted that Jaw
full and terrific" earthquakes would be re-
ported.
There is marked similarity in accounts
from all points struck by the earthquake
though Incidents are varied. The follow
ing from Washington will answer for many
other places:
ted press office in the Corcoran
building began to vibrate in a pc
culiar but unmistakable fashion that sug-
gested an earthquake. A few minutes
later The janitor reported that the upper
stories OF the building were rocked
back and forth, and the night man
ager of the Western Union Telegraph
office made q similar announcement, with
the additional information that the clock
on the western wall OF the room had
stopped. Telephone messages from
gentleman connected with the as
ISOLATED press Office, who lives on
other points in the city reported that the
ornaments on mantelpieces were rattling.
The telegraph operators in Atlanta a few
minutes before this had notified the Wash
ington operators that the shake was
coming and to look for it, but no atten-
ton was paid to the warming as it was
regarded as a Joke. Two shocks oc-
Cured, the second OF longer duration
and more severe than the first, and few
seconds later it was felt in all parts OF
the city, Great ting considerable consterna-
ton. Several meetings in progress in va
rious parts OF the city were broken up by
buildings t sA'v were falling, rushing from ON
the halls into the street. At the
opera house the large audi
ence became frightened by the shaking of
the building, and a stampede ensued. The
occupants OF the galleries, mainly gentle
men, jumped to their feet and rushed pell
nell down the stairs. falling over one
another in their efforts to escape from
the building, and stopped for nothing
till they reached the street. The audience
in the lower part of the house was COM
posed principally of ladies, but they were
less frightened, and few left their seats.
1o u,opf Nth %hoir ,,io
and quiet was soon 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 frightened inmates of the
houses rushing from them into the streets.
The Western Union operator at Bowie,
Nd, twenty miles from Washington, tele-
grahed that the earthquake cracked the
walls OF his station and stopped the clock.
In the upper stories of the tall Western I'm.
ion building in New York the waves were
plainly observable, and persons walking
about experienced the sensation as OF fall
ing. At Columbia, S. c., there were ten dis
tinct shocks, but none SO heavy as the
first which lasted three minutes. The
streets were filled with people getting away
from their shaking houses.
At Atlanta, Ca, the city was thrown in
to a state OF the widest excitement. The
shocks were accompanied by rumbling
noise and followed one another in quick
succession. The scene at negro churches
was one Of utmost confusion, negroes going
on their knees, feeling sure that the judy
meat day was at hand.
AtLangley, Ca, the earthquake DESTROYED
q mill dam, and the water washed away
the roadbed. A train rushed into the flood,
and the engineer and fireman were drowned.
Two shocks were felt at Bloomington.
III. Desks, furniture and chandeliers were
swayed. The latter oscillated north and
south.
Probably the worst scare at Cincinnati
was in the composing room of the CONNER
alGazette Office. There the swaying ter
rified the printers, and dozen or so
jumped out of the windows to the roof Of
the adjoining building, distance of six
feet.
At Detroit the wave went from west to
east, and was felt in all parts of the city,
in high buildings Chairs tables,
pictures and chandeliers were shaken.
At Memphis it's motion was from north
to south, and lasted ten seconds. It had
q rapid, oscillating movement. Greatcon-
sternation was felt.
At Richmond, Va. the shock lasted
about three minutes, and men, women and
children who had retired jumped from their
beds and rushed out of doors.
At Raleigh. n c., buildings rocked, walls
cracked, floors broke loose from their sup
porters, chimneys fell and lamps were over
turned. The motion OF the earth was
very decided.
At Wilmington, N. c., they were very Sc
we're, and came near wrecking several build
iEgs. No such excitement was ever known
here before. The shock rang church bells.
1t also threw down plastering and rang
door bells in houses.
At Cleveland, Ohio, people left the
theaters and ran into the streets. At
the opera house a stampede for the
street took place. Nearly everybody
made rush for the doors, but hap
PLY no one was severely injured.
At Dubuque, Iowa, people at the tops
OF high buildings felt the building vibrate
violently. Printers in the fourth story Of
the Herald building ran for their lives to
the foot OF a sixty foot staircase, and the
audience in the opera house was very much
frightened. Many ran from the building.
jamestown, N. Y, was severely shaken.
The shocks lasted twenty seconds. The
people rushed into the streets. Chandeliers
vibrated and several persons experienced
nauseau.
People in every part OF Savanna, Ca,
were terrified and rushed into the streets
and aoI1uh% the oman snua roo Qua o%ho-