The Press., 1886-09-09
Issued Every Thursday Evening.
THE EARTHoUAKE.
ANOTHER SHOCK.

Another shock of earthquakesswas felt along the South Atlantic coast at one min ute before II o'clock Friday night. It was unusually severe at Charleston and caused consternation over the city. Peo- pie camping in the public squares began singing and praying. Two buildings fell. A white woman was killed by falling wall. It was not attended by any other damage 30 far as can be learned, but it was strong enough to cause a stampede from their instruments of the telegraph operators in Charleston, Augusta and Col- umbia, and other places The shake was felt from Jacksonville to Washington. It was plainly perceptible in Washington, but not 30 strongly as on Tuesday night
 A summary of the damage done at Charleston onTuesday night Hundreds of houses are unsafe without extensive re- pairs, and the aggregate losses are esti- mated at S, ,000, 600. Nearly 40 lives are lost and about 100 people wounded more or less seriously. Many outside offers of assistance have been received and will be gladly availed of. Not only is the loss now far greater than that by last year's s cyclone, but it falls largely on those least able to bear it. The earthquake has large scientific interest on account of the pecu- liar character of the motion and the irreg- ular exudations of water and @and from holes and .fssures in the earth. A govern ment geologist is now on the way to inves- tigate. Every part of South Carolina was affected by the earthquake, but there was no loss of life or serious injury to property outside of Charleston and Summeryille.
 N. s. Shaler, professor of geology at Harvard college, says in regard to the or igin of the earthquake: a.".
 "All indications, especially the Over- throw of the bridge of the Charleston and Columbia railroad, show that the scene of the first subterranean trouble was near Charleston. If it had been under the floor of the Atlantic there would have been tidal waves. These being absent, the cause must have been inland. It would take only e slight movement of the earth s crust to cause an earthquake more violent than the cue Tuesday night. A settling or displacement of the lower strata one- tenth of an inch would effect trembling of the ground that would be felt over an area much larger than that of the United States.
 "The immediate cause of this shock, like that of any other similar shock, ex- cept that attending volcanic eruption, is uncertain. During the volcanic eruptions the explosion of gas forcing its way thro' the crater from the interior easily accounts for the shocks, but these, like the results of any local explosion, would affect only a limited district around the disturbed center.
 "This earthquake" Professor Shaler said, ttseems to have been due to slight settlement of the lower rocks along the inle of displacement, having its beginning and most violent shocks near Charleston. This settling of the ground was the result most likely of 8 continuous irregular contraction Hud expansion of the. crust in winter and summer, finally resulting in slight give away along the entire crack. Such shocks are of daily occurrence, many being so deep underground as not to he felt on the surface, and they, need not be a source of alarm to any person residing on the east ern portion of the United States, especial ly New England. This part of the United States has long ceased to be possessed of volcanic energy" II