Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1886-10-09
EARTHQUAKES.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE NOTED UP
HEAvALs IN AMERICA.
Famous Quakings in the Mississippi
ValIey-The Severest Earth
quake in the East-Visita-
lions in South America.

+ in 1902 One OF the most notable was
1 that which occurred in 1911 near New
/ Madrid, in Missouri, in the valley of the
Mississippi River. That famous earth
quake, according to Humboldt, pre-
scnted one of the few examples of the
incessant quaking Of the ground forsev-
eral successive months far from any vol
| cano. Over an extent of country stretch
! ing for 800 miles southwark from the
mouth of the Ohio River the ground rose
and sank in great undulations, and lakes
were formed and were again drained.
The surface burst open in assures that
generally trended northeast and south
west and were sometimes more than half
mile long; from these assures mud and
water were thrown, often as high as the
tops of the trees. The disturbances con-
tinued over what has since been called
''the sunk country" until March 26, 1912,
when they ceased coincidentally with the
great earthquake of Caracas.
The most severe earthquake that has
been recorded in the Middle and Eastern
States was that of November IS, 1856.
The shock then felt in New England was
o wave moving from either the same CEN
ter whence emanated the tremendous
disturbance that had destroyed Lisbon
the first day of the month. or from a
center whose activity had been stinu-
lated by the continual qualxings that then
prevailed from Iceland to the Mediterra-
mean. This earthquake began in Massa-
chusetts with roaring noise like that of
thunder: after minutes continuance of
this there came the first severe shock
with swell like that of long, rolling
sea--a swell SO great that men in the
open fields ran to seize something by
which to hold on lest they should be
thrown down. After two or three lesser
shocks there came the most violent of
all, producing quick, horizontal tremor
with sudden jerks and wrenches; this
continued two minutes, and after a slight
revival died away. Numerous other
shocks followed in the course of month.
In Boston the main shock threw down
many chimneys, wind vanes ard brick
buildings, and throughout the country it
threw down the rude stone walls bound
ing fhe farms; new springs of water
were opened, the vessels in the harbor
felt the shock; large numbers of fish
were killed and fioated to the surface of
the water. Nine hours afterward, at 2
o'clock P. NJ, sea wave, twenty feet
high, arrived at the harbor of St. Mar
tins in the West Indies.
On October 10, 1870, occurred the
most considerable shock that has been
observed in the Middle and Eastern
States in Che present century. From near
Quebec the shock spread to St. John, N.
B., and thence westward to Chicago
and southwark to New York. The ve-
locity of the wave of shock was about
1000 fret per second. The occurrence
of the shock felt at Quebec was tele-
graphed to Montreal by the operators of
the Montreal Telegraph Company in time
to call the attention of those at the latter
city to the phenomena about thirty sec
onds before the shock reached them.
In California the earthquake of 1852
destroyed one of the Southern Missions.
That of March 9S, 1872. was the most
severe that has occurred there during
many years. Special damage was done
in San Francisco by the cracking of the
walls of fine public buildings.
In Nevada the mining regions suffered
in 1871 by the destruction Of Lone Pine
and other settlements.
A shock OF earthquake was felt in this
part of the country on August 10, 1894,
at 2:07 P. N. There were two distinct
shocks, occurring within an interval Of
a few seconds, and lasting about
quarter of minute. At the Signal
Office tire men in charge felt the shock
at 2:14 p NJ, and the advices which
they received from Signal Stations in
various parts Of the country gave reason
to believe that the current was an erratlc
and irregular one. 1t was felt through
belt of territory extending from Wash
ington to Portland, Me-, and from the
Atlantic coast as far west as Toledo.
Atmidnight on June II, 1886. a strange
tremor was felt at Sandy Hook and Coney
Island. No shock was felt elsewhere in
the United States, but in the West In
dies pronounced shock was felt on the
Island Of Antigua the day before, at
which time earthquakes occurred in
Poictiers, France, and terribly destruc-
tive volcanic outbreak was experienced
in New Zealand.
On January 20, 1882, severe shock
of earthquake was experienced at Centre
vile, Cal, preceded by heavy shower
Of rain.
On February IA, 1882, shock Of five
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