Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-09-04

sion in the vibration of the mighty subter-
rapeau engine. From the first to the last II
was a continuous jar, only adding force at
every moment, and as it approached ana
reached the climax of its manifestation, II
seemed for q few terrible seconds that no
work of human hands could possibly survive
the shocks The floors were heaving under
foot, the surrounding walls and partitions
visibly swayed to and fro, the crash of falling
masses of stone and brick and mortar was
heard overhead, and without the terrible roar
filled the ears and seemed to fill the mind and
heart, dazzling perception, bewiidering
thought, and for a few painting breaths, or
| while you held yonr breath in dreadful an
ticipation of immediate and cruel death, you
felt that life was already past, and waited for
the en- as the victim with his head ON the
block awaits the fall of the uplifted axe.
1t is not given to many men to look in the
face of the destroyer and yet live, but it is
little to say that the group of strong men
who shared the experience above family de-
| scribed will carry with them the recollection
of that supreme moment to their dying day.
None expected to escape. A sudden rush was
simultaneously made to endeavor to attain
the open air and flee to place OF safety, but
before the door was reached all reeled togeth-
er to the tottering wall and stopped, feeling
that hope was vain; and it was only ques-
ton OF death within the building or without.
to be buried bv the sinking roof or crushed
bv the topping walls. The uproar slowly
died away in seeming distance. The earth
was i'll, and oh, the blessed relief of that
stiffness. But how rudely the silence was
broken. As we dashed down the stairway
and out into the street, already on every side
arose the shrieks, the cries of pain and fear,
and If farp pd
and children. commingled with the hoarse
shouts of excited men.
Out in the street the air vas filled to the
height of the houses with q whitish cloud Of
dry. sitting dust from the lime and mortar
and shattered masonry. which, falling upon
the pavement and stone roadway, had beer
reduced to powder. Through this cloud,
dense as fog. the gas lights fiskered dimly,
shedding but little light, 80 that You stumbled
at every step over the piles Of brick or be-
came entanRled in the lines of telegraph wires
that depended in every direction from their
broken supports. On every side were hurry
ing forms of men and women bareheaded,
partially dressed, some almost nude, and
many of whom were crazed with fear or ex-
element. Here a woman is supported, half
fainting, in the arms of her husband, who
vainly tries to soothe her, while he carries
her into the open space at the street corner,
where present safety seems assured there a
woman lies on the pavement with upturned
lace ana ou'stre'ched imos' ana riie crown
passes her oy ior the tme' NOT pahslng 70 see
"hether she De alive or oead.
A sudden light flares through a window
overlooking the street. 1t becomes mOmen-
'arhy prien'er' ana tne cry OF rire' re-
SCUM, rom 'he hu'lituoe: rush Is u,aue
"Sa,u .ne sPot' man Is seen uou"ieu up
anu neip'ess against the wall Out at TINS
i mum soihe"nele out d. sea-overheau-
uetP III 'ht grounds hea1u again tne row.
oIiihous roll ~hlch Is aiready 100 wei known
TO De mistaken. IL grows louder ana nearer
IKE Tue gro"i OF ~liu oeast swiftly approach
ing MS prey ana Is 1orso'teh again ID the
lrehzieo rush LOT the open space, where alone
ny MR. Is nope Vi security la,"' 'n'ush II oe'
me tai ou,'dihgs on ei'ner mana oio' out the
skies ann the STARS ana seem 10 oVerhang
every 1907 OF grouhd between tnem; their
shat'ered corhices ana copings, the tops OF