Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-09-02

Accompanying tno sound there was q
perceptible tremor Of the building, not
more marked, however, than would be
caused by the passage of q street car or
dray along the street. For perhaps
two or three seconds the occurrence ex-
cited no surprise or comment. Then by |
swift degrees, or perhaps all ut once, II |
is difficult to say which, the sound deep |
ened In volume, the tremor became |
more decided, the car caught the rattle |
Of window sashes, gas fixtures and other |
looee objects. The men in the Office, |
with perhaps q Simultaneous fash Of
recollections of the disturbance of the
Friday before, glanced hurriedly atl
each other, sprang to their feet with
startled questions and answers. What
is that? Earthquake? And then all
| was bewilderment and confusion. Then
the long roll deepened and spread into
an awful roar that seemed to pervade at
once the tronbled earth and the still air
above and around. The tremor was
now rude, rapid culver that agitated
the whole lofty, strong walled building
as though 1t we're being shaken by the
hand OF an inmeAsurabls power with
intent to tear Its joints asunder ard
tree casts Its over. ripened fruit before
the breath of the gale.
There WAS no intermission in the vi
bration Of the mighty subterranean
IeDgine. From the frat to the last IL
wa, q continuous jar, only adding force
at every moment, and as 1t approach ed
and reached the climax of its manifes-
tation 1t seemed for q few terrible
seconds that no work Of human hands
cou Id possibly survive the sho ocks. The
floors were heaving under foot, the sur
rounding walls and partitions visibly
Isway ed 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 I'LL the mind and heart, dAzing per-
Iception, bewildering thought, and for a
few painting breaths, or while you held
! your breath In dreadful anticipation of
immediate and cruel death, you felt
that life WAS already past, and waited
: for the end as the victim, with his head
on the block, awaits for 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 1t is little to cay that the group OF
3 strong men who shared the expsrie ence
! above family described will carry with
+ them the recollection of that supreme
, moment to their dying day. None Ok
I. pected TO e.oape. A sudden rush was
6 simultaneously made to endeavor to at
tain the open air and fee to q place oi
2 safety; but before the door was reached
q all reeled together to the tottering wal
= and stopped, fesling that hope was
/ vain, that 1t was only question o
!. death within the building or without
e to be buried by the sinking roof ol
y crushed by the toppling walls. TIL,
y yluproar slowly died away In the seem
u Ing distance.
n blessed relief OF that stiffness; but hoy
II rudely that silence was broken. AS WI
9 dash ed down the stairW and out int
!. the street, already on every side aros,
ss the ehrieks, the cries of pain and fear
i'd the prayers, wailings of terrified womel
l. and children, mingled with the hoars
n shouts os excited men. Ont in tn
O tstreet the cir WAS filled 10 the heiRh
Iof houses with o whitish cloud of dry
u sitting dus, from the lime and morta
bt and shattered masonry, which, fallin
upon the pavement and stone roadway
at had been reduced to powder. Through
We this clond, dense as a fog, the Raslight
Id fickered dimly, shedding but littl
Hight, 80 that you stumbled ut ever
We step over piles of brick or became en-
nd tangled in the lines of telegraph wire
IN that depended in every direction fror
as their broken supports.
to On every side were hurrying form
Die OF men and women, arehesded, pa
lie italy dressed-some almost Lude-an
III, many of whom were crazed with fe'
he or excitement. Here a woman Ia su
cb ported, half fainting, In the arms of b
es hus SD and, who vainly tries to Bootl
he her, while he carries her into the OPP
re space at the street corner, where prese
the safety seems assured; there woms
10y | lies on the pavement with upturn
nd face and outstretched limbs, and I
crowd paeses her by for the time, 1
lis pausing to gee whether she be alive
xed dead.
IL A sudden light flares through a wi
heo dow overlooking the street; 1t becon
MY momentarily brighter, and the cry
lci l"Fire |" resounds from the multitut
'eo- A rush IL made towards the spot
ny man liz seen doubled up and helpl,
the against the wall, but at this nome
are somewhere out at sea, overhead, de
ass In the ground, Is heard again the l.
,ost ominous roll, which is already too W
ing known to be mistaken. 1t grows louo
'ets and nearer, like the growl of "
ria beast swiftly approaching his prey; q
all is forgotten In the frenzied rush
rec the open space where alone there
en- hope Of security, faint though IL
In The tall buildings on either hand
ont the skies and the stars, and seen
ing overhang every foot of ground betw'
IDLY them.
a The shattered cornlce and copipgs
eis' the tops of their frowninR walls Sc
lpp plo piled from both sides to the centre
~ the street. 1t seems that touch wo
sso now send the shattered masses
Ivy standing down upon the people bell
io~ who look up to them and shrink
oi gether as the tremor of the earthqu
!. again passes under them, and the n
WIZ tsrious reverberations swell and
ina along like some internal drum
, UNI summoning them to die, and 1t pat
.s .se away, and again is experienced
the blessed feeling OF deliverance from
pending calamity, which it may
:. be believed will provoke a mute
earnest Offering OF mingled prayer
mas thanksgiving from every heart In
was wa" throng.
oHs Again, far along the street and
from the alleys that lead into 1t on el
IS side Is heard that chorus OF wailing
IRIL- lameptation which, though IL mad
ceased, was scarcely noticed mon
and before. 1t is dreadful SOUND,
!, ex- sound of helpless, horror stricken
J, and manity, old and young, the strong
ssued the feeble alike, where all are go Ice
was calling for help from their fellow
News lures and raising their anguisheo VI
m ost In petition to Heaven for mercy, W
no human aid could avail. IL is .
It can scene to be described by any mi