Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-01

4 outrQ was W1tnuIhWu WIN 'oo 'o"ee'
ing Confederate forces. and the priso
Was left to the guardianship Of a fe'
civil officers, the prisoners loosed them
selves, and they, breaking out, and tn
mob, breaking in for plunder, fred tn
buildings and the convicts swsrme
over the city. Some were taken int
custody by the United States proves
guard others changed their clothes an
entirely escaped.
THE FIRE ALARM.
Nothing could exceed the promptnes
with which the military assembled a
the Armory. Company after company
to the beat Of the drum, and each fol
lowed by an excited procession, double
| quicked to the penitentiary.
The Blues, who bad been on amoon
light excursion on the steamer Ariel
landed at the wharf at l0:40, and scat
tered with their lady friends. But th'
news Of the earthquake spread rapidly
and the company formed at its armory
was supplied with ammunition, anC
reached the penitentiary at ll:20 witt
thirty men rank and file, four mer
having been detailed to guard the ar
mory.
General G. J. Anderson, Colonel
Spotswood, and Major Bidgood were
present TO take orders from Srperin'
terdent Moses, and by Mr.. Moses's re-
quest they made detail Of men to re-
main at the penitentiary.
Some police were double-quicked
from the First station others from The
Second others from the Third-while
the prompt response Of the fire de-
partment to the fre-alarm at once
brought fremen and citizens to the in.
sti,ution in such numbers as to render
an outbreak impracticable.
IN CLOSE CONFINEMENT.
The men who broke from their cells
and rushed on the inner gate were all
put in close confinement. Most Of them
were negroes.
"What did you want to rush on that
gate for 2" asked Mr.. Moses.
A stalwart negro, under arrest, re-
Piled &" We thought we were going to
be killed."
"But didn't tell you all that there
was no danger? ?" interrupted one of the
yard officers.
"Yes, but we was skeered for our
lives" said the convict.
Then be was marched off to his soli-
tary cell. ltis an unruly body at best,
and discipline must be maintained.
GOVERNOR LEE THERE.
Governor Lee drove out to the peni-
tentisry shortly before midnight in or
der to post himself and prepare for such
action as would prevent trouble. lie
found every thing quiet, and a detach-
ment OF eighty. eight men, under Captain
Z. Leslie Spence, acting as guard. lie
returned home at midnight. The guard
remained all night.
The Earthquake OF 1873.
The earthquake, the shock Of which
was felt here last night. recalls the one
of December %, 1875. On that occs-
sion, we'll remembered by thousands Of
people, there were three distinct shocks
felt here, and accurate reports obtained
by tie Dispatch showed that they were
likewise felt in Hanover, Caroline,
Goochland, Fluvanna, Louisa, and at
Weldon, Petersburg, Norfolk, Burke
vile, Farmville, Dsnyille, Greensboro,
Lynchburg, Baltimore, Alexandria,
Charlottesville, and many other places.
The following is portion of the report
written for this paper almost while the
earth was quiveripg, and gives fair ac-
count Of the sensations Of the moment,
and is followed by an account written
by Mr.. Kelley the next day friday:
Our Earthquake.
About ll:45 o'clock last night three
severe and distinct shocks of earth.
quake were felt in all parts Of the city,
and created great CONSERVATION. Thou
sands Of people who were peacefully
slumbering at the time were aroused by
the rattliDg Of window-psnes and the
trembling of their houses, and aweke
in great fright. The sensation lasted
for about twenty or thirty seconds,
and began with a slight rocking, which
rapidly increased until houses swayed
to and fro, and the earth seemed slip
ping from beneath the feet Of those
who were on the street. A gentleman
who was quietly sitting smoking his
pipe in his chamber in the western por-
tion Of the city says he heard the
rumbling noise as if of some heavy
vehicle passing on the macadamized
street before he felt
THE QUIvERING SENSATION.
Then be heard the rattling Of the
window-panes, and the floor began to
shiver, producing an unpleasant sensa-
tion, like he experienced when standing
on the Sspreme Courtroom floor the
moment before it gave way with such
terrible destruction Of human lives.
This gentleman states that, looking at
the beadboard of the bed in the room,
be clearly perceived it vibrating like
pendulum. There were three shocks,
the two last running into each
other, not sharp or sudden,
but coming on rather slowly,
swelling in force and then quickly
dying out. The gentleman ran to his
window ard opened it, and almost
several other windows
were raised. He asked, What is the
matter? " and a gentleman from across
the street responded, sit is an earth
quake. What shall we do?" Even at
that time the earth seemed hardly set
tied. Every voice that was heard con-
veyed the impression of fright and Of
some dreaded
CATASTROPHE IMPENDING.
The idea was that the shocks were
from north to- south or from south to
north, but few people were cool enough
10 be able to tell exactly from what di-
Iection they came. At the Dispatch
office the shocks were painfully felt
The tall building trembled to its very
and the compositors on the
fourth floor, apprehensive that the
structure was topping, left their stands