Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-04

THE SHOCK ALMOST AS SEVERE
AS THE FIRST.


Clocks Stop and Telegraph Instru-
ments Stop working - housands
Leave Their homes and spend the
Night in the Streets and squares
women Faint and Men Wild with
Alar,n~-Sccnss Through the city at
Midnight.
AT 1886 o'clock last night Savannah
was VISITED hy another sharp shock. FOR
three days the whole city had been on tue
Qui vive, and the least motion created an
alarm. Some had begun to regain conn
dence, but the majority were still nail
expecting more vibrations. suddenly the
well known premonitory rumble was
heard somewhere down below. In an In
slant it broke from a low dull groan, deep
down in the earth's bowels, to distinct
ominous roar. A second later and the
first vibratory notion was felt. The
earth's frame quivered like leaf IN
gale, or a ship when she plunges through
the breakers and strikes on rock.
Vivid pictures OF Charle6ton's horrible
experience flashed through every ones
mind. Hatlass, coatess, almost clothes
less many, and breathless all, the city's
population rushed out into the streets.
When they started windows were rat
ting, walls were swaying and creaking,
and The thoroughly frightened people
were monentarily IN a state Of intense
terror. By the time they reached the
streets, though. all danger was past.
LENGTH OF THE SHOCK.
The shock mad come and gone in the
drawing of breath. 1t was a short,
quick spasm, in violence second only to
the first one OF Tuesday night; in time
one OF the briefest of the ec0re That have
shaken up the city. Fortunately it came
and went so quickly that no damage was
done TO property. The people were none
the less excited, however. Their nerves
bad been on strain for seyenty-three
hours, like the string OF a bow drawn tall
back. Women and children were in
pitiable state. Fathers and husbands
we're scarcely less excited. Ali were
worn out from loss of sleep
and had hoped that the last
shake WAS past, but there was no restor-
INK confidence. Even those who attempt
ed it did not believe what they spoke
that the danger was over. Their lips
belied their own quaking hearts.
Five minutes after the wave had swept
by the NEWS reporters were hurrylng
through the city to see II there had been
any casualties. None were reported, but
the streets were as crowded as at midday.
MANY streets were thrOnged with tamt-
lies-Old and young, black and white,
father, mother and child-aIl hustling to
the squares or commons.
SCENES IN TIE STREETS,
In the central section ftbe city, where
the weallhcst citizens live, the scenes
were no different from those in the east
Urn and western sections. Two-thirds of
the people gathered in the squares aud
threw themselves down on mattresses,
blankets and pillows. or sat out on the
stoops, ready to spring up at the first vi
bration. Along Bryan and Congress
streets, through and across Mil, Farm,
Williams, Walnut, Harrison and others
of those little narrow, dark streets re-
porter went for the purpose Of
seeing what effect the shock had.
A more weird sight is seldom
seen. The cOlored people, supersttious
almost beyond imagination, seemed to
truly believe that the last day was at
hand. They prayed ferventIy and as rev.
ereniIy as they could md words to ex-
press their feelings They did not drop
down on their knees, but they muttered
their supplicdtions as they hurried to
some place not Oyerhung by menaciug
walls.
Groups OF white and black were on
every corner. Down West Broad street
sparty OF young men were walking and
singing tie sens BILE refrain: keep in
The Middle oC the Road"
On Liberty and Tattnall, Jones and
Barnard, Bull and CASTOR, every where
the citizens we're out in front. of their
hOuses. Falling walls, yawning assures,
fres and other such horrors were the
main things discussed.
BEFORE THE SHOCK.
81 don't like the leadeu, hazy look of
the sky" said Mr.. Graham, Chief Observ-
tr at the signal office, just after sunset
last night. Clouds we're banking up the
west and southwest, while around the
rest OF the horizon hung a leadeu hued
curtain OF haze. The thermometer was
falling, the barometer was stationary
above normal and the humidity was nor
nal. Both observers stated that they had
tel; Slight wavy motions OF the earth all
day.
Tue last three words OF the above sem
tenae were written thirty minutes after
the iirst part. just as the writer had
written the word 1.-The" q rumbing noise
was heard. In the twinkliug of an eye
the NE~G building was trembling from
basement TO cupola. Half a dozen men
In the cd brial rooms exclaimed, There's
another" or some similar warning, and
was scattered from the third fllghS OF
steps TO the north side Of the Bay. The
cnmpOsitOrs dashed down the six flights
ut rate That broke Tuesday nights
record, but in a few minutes all were
back at their cases again.
CONDITION OF THE ATMOSPHERIC.
What the writer was about to say be.
fore the earthquake came, was that Mr.
Graham had predicted shock for the
night. The atmospheric conditions and
general appearance Of things were much
the same as on Tuesday evening, be said,
and on that principally ne based his pre-.
diction. On Tuesday night it seemed
close and hot, although the thermometer
really indicated pleasant temperature
The atmosphere, however, was dense and
there was no breeze. Last night inst be-
fore the shock came similar condition
was observed. MIR. Graham and Mr.
David say, nevertheless, that IL is highly
improbable that there is any connection
'betweeR The atmospheric condition anC
The shocks.
AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS.
Chief of Police Anderson was IN the
guard room at the barracks making ur
bis report when he felt the shock. He
stepped into the hall leading out on the
porch, but the men Il ON the second floor
were there before him. At the first vibra.
ton they sprang from their beds and