The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-09-09
4 TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKE.
Charleston Shaken. from. Centre to Cir
;. t.cumference.;


Charleston Shaken. from. Centre to Cir
5. tscumference.;
From the Neius and Courier, September /.
An earthquake, such as has never
before been known in the history Of this
city, swept over Charleston last night,
shortly after 10 O'Clock, causing more
loss and injury to property and far more
loss Of life than the cyclone of q year
before.
The city is wrecked. The loss is not
as great as it seems to be. But the streets
are encumbered with masses of fallen
bricks and tangled telegraph and tele-
phone wires, and up to an early hour
it was almost impossible to pass from one
part of the city to another.
The first shock was, by far, the most
severe. It's effect can be. judged by the
experiences of. Capt Dawson, of the
Ne,cs and Courier, who lives in massive
brick residence in Bull street, near Rut.
lege street. Z. -;
Capt. Dawson was in his room, on the
second story, when, the first shock occur
red. The house seemed literally to turn
on its axis. The first shock was followed
bv- a second and third, less severe than
the first. The air was filled with the
cries and shrieks of women and children.
From every side in that quiet neighbor.
hood came the cry, "God help US" ""God
save us I" sob, my God !' 1t was worse
than the worst battle of the war.
When the first agony was over it was
found that the ceiling Of every room in
the. house was. cracked, the big cistern
was broken apart, the huge tank in the
attic was pouring its flood OF water into
the bedrooms. In the parlors the statues
had been wrenched from their bases and
thrown on to the floor. In the hall the
massive lamp had actually been TUNED
around. In front of the house was q
large porch, with heavy pillars and solid
marble steps; all this was swept away as
though it had been shaved off with a
razor. The beautiful house was wreck.
And what was Capt. Dawson's experience
was that of hundreds of others in Char
lesion.
There were in all FIVE shocks, diminish.
ing in violence from the first. What q
scene was there! The sidewalks in the
streets were dotted with mothers, wives
and daughters, with their protectors,
awaiting in anxious expectation still
another agony. The air vas THICK with
horrid rumors, and the lurid glare Of the
fires but heightened The general ruin.
The Meos and Courier buildings are
injured with the rest, and naturally the
employees, finding themselves safe, has.
tened TO their homes to learn the fate of
the members of their families: These
were, of course, in some fear, and it has
been difficult in the extreme to bring
.together printers enough to make up the
Ne,us and Courier to-day, together with
the pressmen to print it. All praise to
those who were so true in such an emer.
.gencyl -.
We cannotIpretend to give more than
q rough sketch of the consequences OF
the disaster. II must be serappy, and, in
q sense, less OF, more then the truth.
The Experienuces Of the News Editor OF the
News and Courier.
z Eten minutes past 40 o'clock the men
q who we're at work in the Office Of the
Ne,us and Courier were startled at hearing
a arumbling sound.
AT first it was thought to be very
rapid street car coming down Broad street.
The sound grew in intensity, and was
accompanied by a rumbliDg, crashing
and shaking of the. building. The men
Jumped from their seats aud rushed to
the DOORS looking for some way to escape
from the building. The building was
swaying to such an extent that the men
could only with. the greatest difficulty
hold their footing sthey rushed down
the back stairs they were enyeloped in
clouds of dust, and the whizzing Of flying
bricks was in their ears. The air was
filled with cries and shrieks and the rum
bling, crushing sounds of falling build
ings. =,
Broad street was instantly filled with
men,. women and children, in all condi.
tions ofdress. Men in their shirt.sleeves,
women and children in their night cloth.
ing, Just as they rushed from their beds
to escape impending destruction. There
was.g scene of the widest confu.
sion for few minutes, but tsg exertions
of few cool.headed men soon brought
affairs to state of order, and had the
people stationed in the safest possible
condition.
The people had not been out of the
buildings hut few minutes before there
was another violent commotion and a
quiYering of the earth. though not 80
strong and violent as. the frat one. This
again threw the people into great fright
and their screams and shrieks were again
heard on all sides. Many fell upon their
knees and prayed aloud for mercy. Small
groups collected at the street corners for
safety, and in different ways awaited the
result of the earth's quaking. Deyout
Catholics reverently knelt and repeated
appropriate prayers, while Protestants
likewise prayed aloud for mercy. The
colored people were frantic in their
behavior. They rushed about the street
shrieking at the top of their voices and
crying "Save up, Lord!" "Have mercy
on poor sinner, Lord n "What have
we done to bring this on us?"
As the dust, which for several minutes
enveloped everything as with heavy
and thick cloud began to clear of, the
amount of damage to the buildings was
seen. The real force of the shock and
the severity of its destruction just began
to dawn upon the people. Broad street,
as far as could be seen, was filled with
bricks and the walls of houses. Reports
were heard of great damage to buildings
in all parts of the city, and as red lights
were seen in widely different parts of the
city, there was general apprehension of
confagration. Fortunately there was
no panic among the people on account of
the fires.
In many dwellings the carpets and
bedding was set on fire, by lamps being
overturned. In most cases these fires
were soon extinguished, and a general
conAagration was fortunately ayertod.
AS if by some special Providence there
was not breath of wind stirring, and
the fires were easily kept under control
and extinguished. :.
The Main Station was crushed in, as if
some mighty weight had fallen upon it.
The City Hall, st. Mitchaels and the
Courthouse show no evidence yet of the
shocks. The roof was torn from parts Of
the Confederate Home and some build