Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-09-02
The EARTHQUAKE.
The City Of Charleston Completely
Wrecked by the Shock.
More than Sixty People
Killed or Wounded.
The Shock was Quite Severe for Miles
Around Doing Much Damage.
RICHMOND. Va. Sept. |,

RICHMOND. Va. Sept. /.
dispatch just received here say. The
streets of Charleston are blockaded With fall
en- buildings, telegraph poles and tangled
wires. Over 60 persons were killed or wound
ed. After the earthquake fires broke out in
different parts of the city, but they are not
now spreading. The population spent the
night In the streets and vacant lots. There
is so much confusion that it is hard to get at
the facts.
WAsHISGToN, Sept. |.
The Western Union manager at Whining
ton, DEL, sends the following The train
dispatcher of the Atlantic Coast line has lust
| oeen In, and says their section master, sta
uoned II miles from Charleston, reports that
the earthquake shock wrecked bridge near
there, and says darkey from four miles north
of Charleston reported that the water tank
was down and the ground upheaved, mis-
placing the tracks, that in several places the
ground was cracked and boiling water COM
| ing from il.
This report, coming from the source it
does, must be taken with grains of allowance
Augusta can get no one on to the Charleston
circuits. The nearest point is St. Stephens
A special engine has been started to bring
any reports available.
| CINCINNATI, Sept. |.
| singular effect of last night's earthquake
was very general feeling of dizziness that
II caused. Nine people out of ten imagined
| they were sick and many did not know till
this morning that the disturbance was in the
earth.
| The largest building in the city and one of
the strongest, the government building, ro ck ed
violently with three distinct vibrations
Large clocks were stopped and mirrors
broken. In large six and seven story flats
vibrations were severe. Dishes were thrown
from cupboards and articles fell from mantles
while chandeliers were agitated as if by a
| strong wind. Probably 20 or 80 meetings of
lodges and societies were broken up without
motion to adjourn. At the old armory build
ing on Court street, the plastering on cell
ings was broken. A most decided shock
was felt in Cumminsville, in certain parts of
the city. Here lights were put out and bot
ties broken In druggists shops.
Throughout the State dispatches indicate
that the shock was general and that it oc.
CURED almost at the same period. At Ham
llton, boarders in the hotel ran from their
rooms in fright and walls were said to sway
two inches. At Canton, O., four shocks
were observed, the motion being from north
to south. Half the populace was in the
streets talking of the strange experience for
long time after the event. At New Corners
town glass ware ratified distinctly. At Deni-
son meeting broke up in panic. Coshocton
felt two shocks. The same story comes from
nearly every town in Ohio. The people were
frightened but no actual damage was done
At Cattlesburg. Ashland, Kentucky, and at
Huntington, w. Va, the shock was very se-
we're. People rushed out of the houses with
children screaming.
LANGLEY. s c. Sent
shock of earthquake burst the mill dam
here and some thousand feet of railroad track
are destroyed. 1t also destroyed the tele-
graph wires.
CHARLESTON, S. c., Sept. l.
Many people are seriously if not fatally
injured. Broad street presents a spectacle of
utmost horror. Even women armed with
hatchets fought violently to rescue the i'm
prisoned unfortunates.
Meeting street from Broad and Hazel is
wreck and lined with unfortunates. To add
to the horror of the scene, many fires broke
out and were Intellectually fought by the fire
department. The night was hideous with the
howls of the dying, the groans of the wound.
ed and the prayers of the injured. 1t is inn
possible to estimate the loss of persons or
property at present. Up to 10 A. M, today,
there were ten distinct shocks.
An earthquake such as has never before
been known in the history of this city shook
Charleston Tuesday night, shortly after ten
O'Clock, causing more loss and injury to
property and far more loss of life than the
cyclone of the year before. The city is
wrecked, streets are encumbered with masses
of fallen brick and tangled telegraph and tel
ephone wires, and, up to an early hour it
was almost impossible to pass from one part
of the city to another. The first shock was
by far the most severe. The most of the
people with their families passed the night in
the streets which even this morning are
crowded with people, afraid to re-enter their
homes. More than sixty persons were killed
and wounded, chiefly colored. Fires broke
out in different parts of the city Immediately
after the earthquake and some are still burn
ing, but there is no danger of their spreading
There is no way of leaving the city at present
At precisely 1926 this morning another
shock shook the city, coming, as did the
other, from the southeast, and going in a
northwesterly direction. By that time many
of the people who had been out on the public
parks and open places all night had ventured
into their houses to get clothing and some
| thing to eat. The approach of the shock was
heralded by the usual rumblng sound, like
distant thunder, then, as it gradually ap-
preached. the earth quivered and heaved, and
in three seconds it had passed, the sound
dying out in the distance. This is the only
shock felt since 2.30 A. NJ. 1t was not de-
structive, all the destruction having been
done at 55 last night.
The city is complete wreck. St. Michael
and St. Phillips churches are in ruins, the
police station and many other public build
iDgs, and fully two-thirds of the residences
in the city are unnbabitable, being wrecked
either totally or partially. 1t is impossible
at this time to give correct estimate of the
casualties except that between so and 100
persons have been killed and several hundred
wounded
About 20 houses were destroyed by FIRE
Scarcely 100 houses in the city are occupied
at this time, the people being all encamped
in open places. All the stores are closed and
scarcity of provisions is feared, not from
want of provisions, but because no one can
be got to reach the stores to sell them.
230-The city is wrapped in gloom and
business is entirely suspended. The people
generally remain in the streets in tents and
under improvised shelters, and will camp cut
| tonight, fearing another shock. The gas
works are injured and probably the city will
be without light There is much injury to
mansions on East and South Battery. Hardly
house in the city escaped injury and many
were 90 shaken and cracked that hard blow
! would bring them 70 the ground. The shock