New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-01
SHAKEN BY AN EARTHQUAKE
SHOCKS PLAINLY FELT IN The CITR.
THE EFFECTS PRODUCED UPON PEOPLE
AND BUILDINGS.
FRIGHTENED PERSONS RUSHING OUT OF HOUSES IN
BRooKLYN-LiTTLE VIBRATION NOTICED
IN UPTOWN HorELs-How DIFFER-
ENT OBSERVERS DESCRIBED.
TIER SENSATIONS.

IN UPTOWN HorELs-How DIFFER
ENT OBSERVERS DESCRIBED.
THEIR SENSATIONS.
A distinct shock Of earthquake was ex-
perienced last evening In o large part Of
tho country lying east Of the Mississippi
River Telegraphic advces show that it
from the Gulf Of Mexico tho Great Lakes snd
westward from the Atlantic Coast Later
dispatches may prove that the limits
within which the shock was noticed were
even WIDER Observations Of the direction in which the
seismic wave travelled were of necessity hssty. and,
no ooupt In some cases inaccurate. But 1t seems
to nave aveled from centre in the Appalachian
range OF mountains In North Carolina So far heard
from tbe disturbance was much and pro-
longed In that State than in any other. There is
much apparent incongruty In the reports Of the time
which the shock was reit But the dispatches come
from belts in which two hour apart-are
IN use, While In solar still In popular
favor.
The full force of the earthquake fell upon
the country southwest OF NewYork and it
was there that the greatest damage WAS done.
In this city the shock was comparatively mild one
and 1t was noticed principally In tall buildings As
nearly as the testimony OF persons who
nouccd the sensation bc reconciled,
the sensation lasted from fifteen seconds nearly
full minute. Tho chief with the earthquake
shock of 1884 the absence OF noise. After that 1t
direction. Those who noted tho occurrence described
the sensation as akin to a rocking motion
such as would be made by Idle boat
on ripping surface OF water by hammock gently
swung At the Signal Service Office In the Equit-
able Building, Observer w. +. Robinson said that
he felt the motion distinctly about 9:53 o'clock.
Ills desk seemed to sway sideways and the
chandeliers the decidedly vibrated.
The movement seemed to be from the northwest to
southeast and it lasted nearly minute. AT the time
the weather was fogsy, the wind was blowing from the
northwest and the barometer had been rapidly rising
since O'Clock, the rise covering 2 inch Ths tempera-
ture at the time was 6s.
Az the Western Union Telegraph building the
shock was distinctly felt In tho rooms
OF tho Associated Press the movement
was so decided that almost panic was created
among the operators The swaying OF tho
desks and tho vibration of the floor positive
that the men sprang to their feet. hafpossessed
OF the idea that the building was in danger Of
falling Some OF the older men, who remembered the
earthquake OF 1884 earlier experiences OF
the same kind soon quieted the fears OF
their colleagues and then began a hasty COM
parison OF notes as to the duration Of the vibration
the time of its occurrence and its characteristics,
In the operatngroom OF the Western Union Telegraph
Company the sensation less pronounced but 1t
decidedly noticeable One man described bis impressions
by saying that he thought his switchboard was
moving away from him. He placed the time OF the shock
at 954 O'clock because he had just sent q message
marked that hour moment before he noticed the vbra-
tiOn.
In some high buildings there was an idea that
a second shock had followed the first after
lapse OF about ten minutes. 1t was OF
different from the rst being moro OF the ma
ure OF brief trembling OF the floor than the unduat-
ing motion that marked the first development OF
the sesmic wave Tho first shock distinctly felt In
THE Building and the later second tremor also
noticeable.
The shock was slight that In many portions OF the
city IL noticed at ALL This was especially
the along tho lines OF the Elevated
railroads, where the buildings are constantly
Jared by the passing trains In the upper stories OF
tall buildings the motion distinctly perceptibe
and the first conclusion reached by the persons who felt
1t was that an explosion had occurred in the neghbor-
hood.
Clerk Merritt Of the Metropolitan Hotel. said that he
the shock distinctly, but paid attention to IT, as
spent much time in tropical regions where earth
duakes frequent occurrences One OF the guests on
the fourth floor his bureau begin to sway to and fro
my first impression that had been seized with
dizziness" he said In describing his sensations 81
placed my hand on tho msntelpiece to steady myself
and then felt tho floor 1 thought tho building
was about to in and started to 90 down stairs,
when met a man from the floor above me who mad
felt the shock aud decided 1t to be an earthquake"
81 never nearer swearing OIL In
my nfe,' said red nosed tOper'
who stood in the Metropolitan barroom when the earth
trembed. "Pve been pretty hard drlnker oil my life
and have stood 1t pretty WELL but whom the particular
block marble upon which stood began TO move
around like a plate on q pivot, and the barral took
notion swiug. thought had the jdjams sure, and
dropped my cocktail like a hot poker"
AZ tho Windsor Hotel few of the people about the
office remembered having felt slight motion OF tho
floor about 10 O'clock but those who gave tho matter
moments thought believed that was caused by blast
few here eXCavated.
None OF the guests lad reported the office any dis
turbance OF the furniture in their rooms. Tho same
state OF Affairs existed at tho other uptown hotels and
many the idea that there had been any earth
quake.
The clerk at the Hoffman House said that tho only
shock caused by the reported resignation
of Iyni At Firth Avenue Hotel the clerk said that
the earthquake the serpent ana other summer sem
sations mad registered there, and at the Morton
House there had been an earthquake IN the
kitchen, all their cooks having been discharged. John
A. McCaul thought the vibration was caused by the tre
mendous hit his opera had made and the doorkeeper
at Nibos positive that the explosion Of the steamer
In Around World ~ Eighty Days" was realistic
enough to be heard half tho world over
Two distinct vibrations evidently from earthquake,
were felt In Brooklyn evening, the first about 945
o'clock and the second half hour later The latter was
tho stronger aud gave sway 10 buildings which
lasted for two seconds 1t was felt
perceptibly in all parts or the city
and people left their houses and gathered In the streets
10 discuss the phenomenon. The rumbling noise usual
accompanying earthquakes not noticed, and the
shocks were slight. TO number Of newspaper men IN
an Office the top floor of tue Municipal Department
Building the vibration was quito distinct. ana
thelr desks rocked back aud forth from west 10
east On the second floor OF the same
building Telegraph Operator Gear noticed both shocks
az he sat sce At the first shock he felt slcKen-
ing seusaton aud put hand his heart thinking lie
might heart disease, but looking up he saw the
chandelier away knew that he alone was not affected
When the second shock camo he was prepared Tor H.
IL lasted for seconds The times OF the two SHOCKS
were noted by him As Q: As and l0:l7 O'clock.
resident OF HancooE-st, near Bedford-aye, BrooR-