Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-01

as severe AS 1t was here. At Guyton a
hop was in progress at the hall.
When the first shock came the
people left the ball and rushed out into
the street. The hotel and resIdenoes
were quickly emptied, and people spent
the night as best lhey could, waiting i'm
patiently for daylight to come. No
damage was reported from any of the
near by stations. Throngs OF people were
at the depote anxious 70 hear the result
Of the earthquake in the country.
AROUND THE BULLETINS.
This morning large proportion OF the
people of Savannah appeared to have
lost interest in local affairs in their
anxiety to hear from Charleston. The
bulletin boards were visited by hundreds
and everywhere solemn and anxious
faced groups Of people could he seen, the
universal inquiry being 'Heve you heard
anything from Chsrlestonp
At l0:45 o'clock Manager Dillon, OF the
Western Union aud Savannah Telephone
Exchange, received by the Southern line
the following message from Superinten-
dent Easterlin OF the Charleston Tele-
phone Exchanges: "Did earthquake hurt
you? Ask Jacksonville. Ii not, send
all good men here you can get.O
Manager Dilloh's little son was in
Charleston visiting ut the home of Mr..
Easterlin. and the dispatch was CRATE
fully received as an assurance that the
loved one was safe from harm up 10 that
hour.
Manager Gustln OF the Savannah Tele-
graph Company received the following
bulletin from hemanager of his company
at Charleston:
s'Terrible earthquake last night at $3.50.
Principal business portion of the city de-
stroyed. Hundreds rendered homeless.
Men are frantic. women are beseeching
mercy from the Almighty, children are
in tears. The main station house, the
City Hall, Hibernian Hall and many other
we'll known public buildings
sa%SSSS ssr""sl1 if Maoy aoy atsy PiGple ,nureG stH
Broad street presented a spectacle of the
utmost horror. Even women armed with
hatchets fought valiantly to rescue the
imprisoned unfortunates. Meeting street
from Broad to Hazell is a total wreck and
is lined with homeless unfOr tunates. To
add to the horror of the scene fires, broke
out and were Intellectually fought by the
brave flremen. The night was bideOus
with howls OF the dying, groans of the
wounded and prayers OF the uninjured.
1t is impossible to estimate the loss or per-
sons or property destroyed at present.
SCENE OF RUIN.
At 1850 O'Clock the following bulletin
was received at the Southern Telegraph
office:
"At S:25 precisely mis- morning another
wave swept over the city, coming as the
other did, from the southeast and going
in a northwest direction. BY that time
the people who had been out on the pub
lie parks and open places all night had,
many of them, Veutured into their houses
to get clothing and something to eat. The
approach of ofthe'quake was heralded by the
usual rumbling SOUND, resembling distant
thunder. Then it gradually approached,
the earth quivered, and in thirty seconds
1t had passed, the sound dying out In the
distance. This is the only wave felt since
2:30 this morning. 1t was not destruct-
i've, all the destruction having been done
at :55 last night. The city is complete
wreck. st. MichaePs church and St.
Philips, two ofthe most historic churches
in the city, are in ruins; so is the Hiber-
MANS Hall, the police station and
many other public buildings. Fully
two-thirds OF the residences In the
city are habitable-wrecked totally
or partially. 1t is impossible at this time
to give correct estimate of the casual
ties. 1t is expected that between 80 and
100 persons have peen killed and several
hundred wounded. At the time OF the
first shock fires broke out In five different
places in the city. About twenty differ
ent persons were destroyed by fire.
Scarcely one hundred houses In the city
are occupied at this time, the people be-
ing all encamped in the open places. All
the stores are closed and q scarcity ofpro-
visions is feared because no one can be
got to reach the stores to sell them"
AT THE SUBURBAN RESORTS.
At Isle of Hope, Montgomery and ThUn-
derbolt no serious damage has been re-
ported. People coming into the city on
the Coast Line and City and Suburban
roads report that the shocks were severe
at all OF these points. Houses were
shaken and swayed to and fro. Chimneys
tOpDled over and the people rushed out
into the fields and open places and spent
the night. A lady and gentleman were on
the river in a rowboaE at Isle OF Hope,
wnen the first shock came. The water
WAS calm for moment and then the boat
was thrown on one side, nearly upsetting.
Tie wave was so sudden, that neither OF
the occupants Of tue boat had time to seize
hold of the sides and both were nearly
thrown out. The boat rocked and then
bounded up and down as IL tossed by
something under the water.
At Montgomery there was the same ex-
perience among the residents as nj Isle OF
Hope. No serious damage, however, was
reported.
At Tybee no further damage has occur.
red than was reported in the NEWS this
morning. The people, many OF them,
have left the island tor the city.
OUTSIDE THE CITY.
On the plantations around the city there
was great excitement among the negroes,
who left their houses and gathered in the
fields and on the roads. Some were
crazed and ran wildly about, not knowing
what to do. Nearly all who could pray
did.
An old blind negro who was in the
NEWS office this morning tells a story
which recalls the graphic picture OF Ma
dia's experience in "The Last Days OF
Pompeil." Like the blind girl the old
darky was terribly frightened, but he
knew how 10 get out in the street With
out assistance, and had 1t been pitch
dark he would have been better able 10
find his way about than persons who have
good vision. The old man said that he had
no idea what was happening. lie could
hear aud feel, but could not see. First he
felt the upheaval Of the floor, and then he
heard the rumbling and the people rush
ing out Of the house. The OLD man knew
that the others were getting out and be
followed as quickly as ne could. On
reaching the middle of the PARK all cried
out for help as they dropped them down
in a state OF wild alarm.
"Wus speuDce eber hab, boss, TO- Lord
il was. Please gimme nikkel fur get
summer TO eat" was the pathetic ter.
minatton OF his story.