Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-09-04
Charlestown, s. c., Damaged
by an Earth4r."' 4r"ake'
Fifty Persons Killed and Over
100 Wounded.
The Shake Quite General
Through the Southwest.

Charleston last night shortly after Il
o'clock, causing more loss and injury te
life than the cyclone of year before
The city is wrecked, the streets encum
bered with masses Of fallen bricks and
tangled telegraph and telephone wires
and up to al early hour it was impossi.
bic to pass from one part to another
The first shock was by far the most Sc.
we're. Most people with families passed
the night in the streets, which even this
morning are full of people afraid to re-
enter their homes. More than sixty
persons are killed and wounded, chiefly
colored. Among the whites killed and
fatally injured are NJ. J. Lynch, DR.. r.
Alexander hammond and Ainsley Role
son. Fires broke out in different parts
Of the city Immediately after the earth.
quake, and some arc still burning, but
there is no danger of spreading. There
ls no way of leaving the city at present.
IN RUINS.
Two slight shocks Of earthquake have
been felt since the first one at 1926 this
morning and one ut about 80, neither
doing any further damage. Not even
during Gen. Gilman's bombardment of
this city has there ever been such dc.
plorable state of affairs here. The city
is literally in ruins, and the people are
living in the open squares and public
parks. There is a great rush to the rail-
road depots to get away, but owing to the
earthquake no trains have been able TO
be dispatched from the city. Telegraphic
communication is also cut off save one
wire of the Southern Telegraph COM
pany, which is crowded with anxious
private messages. 1t is impossible to
depict the ruin and desolation that pre-
walls here. Not "a single place of busi-
ness in the city is open save drug
store. which is busy preparing prescrip-
tions for the wounded. 1t is impossible
also to give any correct estimate of tho
killed and wounded, as bodies are con-
stantlY being disinterrcd from the debris
Of wrecked houses.
HORRIBLE.
The women and children are running
about in the open air terribly ag,tatcd.
There are three or four steamers in port,
including the busy tenders, and many
of the inhabitants are provided with
berths on these boats. Fortunately the
weather has been good and the hardships
are not as severe rs they might have
been. The situation, however, is be-
coming horrible, cut off from commu-
nication with the rest of the world, af-
flicted and haunted with the prospect Of
Immediate death, is about the condition
Of this community. No trains have de-
parted Or arrived here IN twcnty-four
hours. 1t is said that all the railroads
leading into the city are crippled. The
statement is made that all the railway
tracks are twisted into the shape of
snakes.
l1:45 p. m.--ltcpeatcd earthquake
shocks Of mild character lave been
heard and felt within the last hour.
passing to the west Of the city, and it is
reported that at every shock it threw
down several housou
THE CASUALTIES.
Owing to the dcmoralized conditi on
OF everything here it is impossible to
give the correct facts further than this:
The number of casualties has not been
ascertained; probably from thirty to
forty deaths and probably over one hun
drcd injured. The loss Of property will
probably reach eight Or ten million dol
lars. Three-fourths Of the buildings in
the city will have to be rebuilt The
disturbances have not at all affected the
water in the harbor, although it is evil
dent that all the shocks were from a j
southeasterly direction and from the
sea. There are no signs of tidal wave
as yet.
1:5O p. m.-another shock has Just
occurred, rather more severe than any
since last night at 9:55, knocking down
several houses.
TIE VICTIMS.
CHARLEsToN, Sept. 2-The official list
OF those who were killed by the earth
quake or have since died Of their iniur-
les is II white persons and go colorcd.
AT COLUMBIA.
COLUMBIA, S. G., Sept. 1.-There were
sixteen distinct shocks from the earth.
quake last night and up TO o'clock this
morning The first shock was fearful,
and houses were shaken as though made
Of pasteboard. 1t seemed as If every
thing must topple. The rumbling in the
earth was loud and horrifying in the ex.
IRENE. Clocks stopped, bells were rung
and damage done to some buildings,
by topping chimneys. There
were numerous cases of nervous pros
tratlon, and doctors were in demand to
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