The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-09-09
CHARLESTON IN RUINS.
The Commercial Pride of the Palmetto
State an Awful Scene of Wreck
and Death.
Three -FOurths of Charleston Destroyed
by Earthquake and Upwards OF
One Hundred Lives Lost.

ing more loss and injury to property ana far
more loss of life than the cyclone OF n year
before. The city is wrecked, the streets are
encountered with masses of fallen bricks
and tangled telegraph and telephone wires,
and up TO an early hour it was almost i'm
possible TO pass from one part OF the city to
another. The first shock was by far the
most severe. Most of the people. with
their families, passed the night In the
streets, which this morning were crowded
with people afraid to re-enter their homes
To add to the horror of the scene
- MANY FIRES BROKE OUT
and were Intellectually fought by the fire de-
partment The night was hideous with the
groans of the wounded and the prayers of
the uninjured. Fully two-thirds OF the resi-
dences in the city are uninhabited and
wrecked either totally or partially.
The loss by fire and earthquakes can be
placed safely
AT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS
As far as could be ascertained during the
night fifteen to twenty were killed and
much greater number wounded in all Sorts
of ways The loss of human life will be
large, and it will take days to get at the ac-
curate number.
AN EDITORS IMPRESSIONS.
III
decline to work tonight, expecting fresh
shocks of earthquake. and the paper cannot,
therefore, issue tomorrow. The following
article was prepared for publication IN the
News and Courier:
Necessarily the description that can be given
of the disaster which had befallen our city con-
sists of the narration of experiences and oDSef-
yations of individuals. and the subject being
the same and the experiences OF all being nearly
alike. the story told by one careful observer
may well stand for hundred Others, with sllgnt
variations Probably tine best idea that can be hau
the character of the disturbance, therefore. may
bo obtained from 4 narl alton of the events ana
scenes of Tuesday night as they were presented
to a single person. While engaged IN his usnai
ss,s' NEVIS an and 'nG COURIER aGt9no oes at the time
of the first shock the writer's atten,
ton was vaguely attracted BY sound
which seemed to come from the once below, anu
which was supposed fer moment to be caused
by the rapid rolling of heavy body, as an IRON
safe or heavily laden truck over the noor.
Accompanying the sound, there was percept-
ible tremor OF the building, not more marked,
however, than would be caused by the
passage of a street car or dray along the street:
For two or three seconds the occurrence excltea
no surprise or comment Then the sound
deepened in volume, the tremor became more
decided. the ear caught the rattle OF WINDOW
sashes, gas fixtures and other loose OBJ
jects. The men in the office, with per
maps simultaneous fash OF recollect1ons.
OF the disturbance of the Friday before glanced
hurriedly st each other sprang to their Ieet Wild
startled questions and answers. nat Is tnatl
"Earthouake?" And then all was bewilderment
and confusion Then the long roar deepened
and spread into an awful roar that seemed
TO pervade at once the troubled earth
and the still air above and around
The tremor was now a rude, a rapid qulver that
agitated the whole lofty. strong walled building
as though it were being shaken by the hand CT
an immeasureable power with intent to tear It's
Joints asunder and scatter its stone and bricks
abroad az a tree casts its over-ripened fruit be-
fore the breath of the gale. There was no inter-
mission in the vibration OF the mighty SUB.
thn frat tn
1t was continuous jar, only adding force at
every moment. and as it approached and reached
and reached the climax OF its manifestation. M K
of human hands could possibly survive the
shocks. The floors were heaving under foot, tho
surrounding walls and partitions visibly swayed
to and fro,
THE CRASH OF FALLING STONE
and brick and mortar was heard overhead and
without the terrible roar filled the ears. and
seemed to fill the mind and heart. dazing percep-
tion, bewildering thought, and for few painting
breaths, or while you held your breath in dread
full anticipation Of immediate death, you
felt that life was already past and waited for the
end as the victim with his head on the block
awaits the fall of the uplifted ak 1t Ia not given
and vet live, but 1t s little to say that the group
of strong who shared the experience
above family described will carry with them
the recollection Of that supreme moment to
their dying day None expected to escape. A
sudden rush was simultaneously made to en-
deavor to attain the open air and flee to to
the tottering wall and stopped, feeling
that hope was vain, that It was only question
buried by the sinking roof, or crushed by the
toppling walls. The uproar slowly died away
in seeming distance. The earth was still, and oh,
the blessed relief Of that stiffness but how
rudely the silence was broken. As we
dashed down the stairway and out into tho
street, already on every side arose the shrieks.
the cries of pain and fear, the prayers and vail
ing of terrified women and children. co-mingled
with the hoarse shouts Of excited men, Out IN
the street the air was filled TO the height Of tho
houses with whitish. dry, sitting dust from
the lime and mortar and shattered masonry
which. falling upon the pavement and stone
roadway, had been reduced to powder Through
this cloud, dense as fog the gas lights flick
cred dimly. shedding but little light, SO that
stumble at every step over the .b pes o.
in every direction from their broken
supports. On every side were hurrying forms
dressed some almost nude and many OF whom
were crazed with fear or excitement. Here
the ~0mnn arms Of ser huspand. % who VsinlS
tries to soothe her while he carries her
into the open space at the street corner.
where present safety seems assured There a
woman lies on the pavement with up-turned
face and out-stretched limbs, and the crowds
pass her by. not pausing to see whether she is
alive or dead. sudden light flashes through a
window overlooking the street. it becomes mo-
mentarily brighter and
A CRY OF FIRE
resounds from the multitude. rush is made
toward the spot. man is seen doubled up and
helpless against the wall: but this moment out
at sea, overhead, deep in the ground is heard
again the low ominous roll which is already toe
well known to be mistaken. 1t grows louder
and nearer. like the growl of wild beast swiftly
approaching his prey, and is forgotten again In
the frenzed wish for the open space where alone
is the hope of security. The tall buildings on
either hand blot out the skies and the stars.
Ground 9na seem between o''th them. Il shattered ed
cornices and capings, the tops of their frowninR
walls seem piled from both sides to the center
of the street 1t seems that a touch would send
=. the shattered masses down upon the people be-
low, who look up and shrink together as the
tremor Of the earthquake passed ove1 m
them and mysterious reverberations swell and
roll along like some Internal drum beat sum-
moning them to die. 1t passes away. and again
is experienced the blessed feeling Of release
from impending calamity. Again far along the
street and up from the alley ways thai
lead into it on either side. is heard that chorus
had not ceased. was scarcely noticed mo-
e1' the sound Of the helpless horror q
and feeble alike, where all are so feeble. callins
for help from their fellow creatures and raising
their anguished voices in petition for mercy. Il
tongue or pen. It is not scene
to be forgotten when once witnessed
and where the witness has shared all danger and
feels safe. The first shock occurred at seven
minutes Of 10. This was indicated this morn
ing by public clocks, the hands Of al Of which
had stopped at that fateful hour The second
shock, which was but q faint and crisI
echo of the first,. was felt eight minutes
later. AS II passed away the writer started
homeward to find the scenes enacted on Broad
street sss=nd the News and Courier Office re.
peated at every step of the way. The station.
house. a massive brick building: across thl
street, had apparently lost It's roof, which bad
fsilensaround it. "A little further on the roof d
the portico OF Hibanian hail. alhandsome bufl6'
ihg.bad. !. yH IN S.s
- CRASHED TO THE GROUND,
carrying down part OF the massive Rrsnite pil.
lars with 1t. All the way up Meeting street
which, in respect Of its general direction and
Importance. may be called tho Broadway d
Charleston. the roadway was filed with debris
from the tops Of the wallis. In the Charles.
ton hotel whick the third shock was
felt about ten minutes after the second and q
course caused the greatest alarm in that neigh.
borhood, as elsewhere. At Marion square
O great crowd b 4 collected, as thu
edges Of the wide A.,aces embraced In II
could not be reached by even the tallest build
jngs in the event Of their fall From this crowd