The Brookhaven leader., 1886-09-09
THE EARTHQUAKE.


the wreck-The injured Patients-The
Death List-Another shock and Another
Victim.
CHARLESTON, S. c., Sept. 4.-Distress-
Ing scenes have been witnessed all along
the railroads leading into Charleston
during the last twenty-four hours. Many
of the best-to-do citizens were In the
North at the time of the shocks, spending
the heated term. Being unable to receive
any definite Information as to the extent
of the loss OF either life or property, they
started on their return. At every stop
of the tram they rushed pell-mell into
telegraph offices, called for and sent mes
sages, and gave the people along the way
a tinge of the excitement. They could
learn nothing. kilograms we're banked
up IN the Offices here and were not de-
livercd. In many instances the messages
were not sent. AS the returning citizens
neared Charleston, they learried less and
less of the true condition of affairs, and
their suspense became agoniZing. They
could not sleep and paced the floors
of the coaches wringing
their hands and evncing painful
alarm. Even the outgoing passengers
who were hailed by those incoming could
give no accurate or useful information.
Only the most courageous of the citizens
returned to the city. Many stopped at
suburban places and opened up unsatis-
factory communication by telephone or
telegraph.
Up to yesterday it was with difficulty
that the railroads could run trains in the
city, owitig to the fact that employees, and
especially the colorcd ones, feared to
enter the city. An old colored porter,
when informed at one. of the cities above
Charleston that he had been ordered on a
run, turned pale as death and stammered
to his superintendent: "'Scuse me, cap
ting, but dOan wants to go TO Charles
ton" When informed that he must, he
took off his cap, laid it down, and, bow
ing with Difference, said: "Then | re-
signs, sab; doan go down thar to be
killed by the quakes, sab"
IIuddlcd about one of the parks were
lot of colored men and woman yesterday
afternoon discussing the future probabil-
tiles. When asked If Ire knew what
caused the earthquake, one of the bright
est of the crowd turned up his eyes and
replied:
at is the handiwork of the Lord. We
are not to know whence it cometh or
whittier 1t goeth."
Prof. w. J. McGee, of the United
States Geological Survey, arrived yester-
day morning from Washington.
81 came" said he to a United Press re.
porter, "lo ascertain the origin of the
earthquake. The effect of it is Of little
moment to science. The origin is of
mt -, . p,ia a..
world. People want to know the condi-
tion of the earth under which earth
quakes occur. 1t seems to be settling
of the earth
Prof McGee, as well as local scientists,
discredIts all statements about atmoS-
pheric pressure of any character, and
boiling water or sulphuric discoveries at
points where assures appear in the earth.
1t was reported yesterday afternoon that
at one place in the city hot water had
gushed from the ground, scalding peo-
pie, who were compelled to rush through
it..
There is but one theory advanced by
scientists as to the cause of the phcnom.
enOn, and that is some kind of settlement
in the earth. There were no upheavals
at all in places where surface indications
of trouble are visible. The earth is
sunken for several miles Immediately
outside Oh the city. This sinking was SO
positive that the railroad tracks were
thrown out of level, and section hands
have been at work putting in new rail
road ties, raising old ones and reballdst-
ing the road. In a number of instances
culverts and bridges were thrown out OF
keller and had to be repaired. ..
At special meeting OF the City Coun'
Gil yesterday the mayor and aldermen
were constituteda a committee to investi.
gate the condition of buildings in their
respective wards, and to orders any un
safe walls or buildings TO be taken down.
They continued their work far into the
night. tits estimated that over five hun
dred buildings will be condemned. A
prominent real estate agent says that
while some of the wooden buildings are
habltable under fair circumstances, most
of them are badly wrecked, and that
there is scarcely a safe brick building in
the city. The same gentleman estimates
the loss and damage of real and personal
property in the city at from $l0,Q00,00C
to SIS, 900, 900. ...H
Yesterday morning the patients were
all moved from the City hospital to the
Agricultural hall, where they are being
made as comfortable as possible. No
more deaths or new cases were reported
at the hospital during the morning. AT
present there are in the hospital ll9 pa
tients, 100 of whom are suffering from
injuries sustained Tuesday night. About
half of them were bruised by falling build
lngs, and the others are prostrated BY
the excitement. The bulk of the earth,
quake sufferers are being cared for al
their homes. There is considerable i'll
ness among children, resulting from
exposure and sleeping out at night
"Earthquakeana" is the name sug
gested from little girl brought into
the world four hours before the great up,
heaval. Mother and child, it may bt
said, are doing well, Notwithstanding the
fact that they are quartered in Washing
ton square.
The deaths from injuries by the earth
quake up to ten o'clock last night in
creased the list TO twenty-five. Most OF
them are colored people.
Yesterday afternoon the Charleston
Cotton and Produce exchanges issued al
address to the commercialmcn of the
country, setting forth that Charleston il
fully equipped for business. They alst
ask Congress to loan the citizens $l5,,
OOO, 900 with which to rebuild. One hun.
dred tents are expected to arrive from
the War Department to-day, but will fal
five hundred short Of the requirement
The Secretary of War is requested to
send Government engineers to inspect
buildings and ascertain the needs.
'r ...
A Superstitious Notion.
CHARLESTON, S. c., Sept. 4.-Througt
some superstious notion all Of the tower