Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-02

or may not have been related. On tina
point the signal men preferred no
60 express positive opinion
Their theory about the sulphurou'
smell which was observed by many aftel
the first shocks was that the gases es
osped through the earth's crust. The
most generally accepted theory about the
causes OF earthquakes is that they are the
result of violent disturbances of gases
which generate from the liquid molten
mass ia the interior Of the globe. The ex-
pansfye force Of these gases rend the
bowels Of the earth and permeate the
crust.
NOT FELT ON THE RAILROADS.
Passengers on the incoming trains say
that the shock was not felt at ali, owing
probably to the rapid motion OF the cars.
frhe early local train on the Central rail-
road Yesterday morning brought in the
people from stations as far as forty
miles west OF the city. At Eden,
NARROW, Guyton, Oliver and other
points the shock was, from all accounts,
as severe as 1t was here. At Guyton
hop was in progress at the hall.
when the fret shock came the
people left the ball and rushed out into
the street. The hotel and residences
were quickly emptied. and people spent
the night az best they could, waiting i'm
patiently tor daylight TO come. No
manage was reported from any of the
near by stations. Throngs OF people were
at the depots anxious 10 hear the result
of the earthquake in the country.
A NEWS reporter met the incoming
train from Atlanta, which arrived at 4:07.
A gentleman from Atlanta said the SHAKE
was ouite severe there, though no serious
damage was done. Everybody was badly
frightened.
A young man from Ivanhoe, small
place ABOUT twelve miles from Eden, says
The people there were all badly scared,
hut nobody was hurt. The negroes were
all under the impression that judgment
day had come.
psrlen felt the shock severely. A gen.
tleman who was there and experienced 1t
from beginning to end says that the
shaking up was terrible. Buildings
1wayed and shook as though they would
Eotter from their foundations. Fortu-
nately, though, no serious damage was
done beyond the falling in OF frame
dwelling.
AT THE SUBURBAN RESORTS.
At Isle of Hope, Montgomery and Thun-
serbolt 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
ut 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 rowboat at Isle of Hope,
wnen the first shock came. The water
was calm for a moment and then the boat
was thrown on one side, nearly upsetting.
The wave was so sudden, that neither of
the occupants of the 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 If tossed by
something under the water.
Al Montgomery there was the same ex-
perience among the residents as at Isle OF
Hope. No serious damage, however, was
reported.
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 10 do. Nearly all who could pray
did.
An old blind negro who was in the
NEWS office told a story which re-
calls the graphic picture of Nadia's
experience in 1.-The Last Days or
Pompeii." Like the blind girl the old
darky was terribly frightened, but he
knew how TO get out in the street with
out assistance, and had it been pitch
dark he would have been better able to
find his way about than persons who have
good vision. The old man said that ne had
no idea what was happening. He could
hear and 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 he
followed as quickly as ne could. On
reaching the middle of the Park all cried
out for help as they dropped them down
in state Of wild alarm.
"Wus speunce cher hab, boss, fo' Lord
it was. Please gimme nikkel fur get
summer to eat" was the pathetic ter
mination OF his story.
ACROSS TIE RIVER.
The people coming from Hutchinson's
Island and the plantations in South Caro-
lima say that the shocks were very severe
on that side OF the river. Most of the
country people are too excited TO tell what
has taken place and what damage has
been done. Their first thought was to get
to a place OF safety, and they left their
homes and everything behind.
Some fears were expressed for the wa
ter works, but as yet no damage has been
reported. None of the connections are
biOhOh anu tbo NebSl supply 10 HOJ HI
any way affected. The machinery and
building are uninjured. The water in the
river backed into the canals above the
city and rose in some places two and
three feet, but no breaks occurred. SO
far as can be learned there is little or no
damage on the plantations about the city.
STOPPING OF CLOCKS.
There are many speculatiops as to the
direction from which the earthquake
came. The clocks in tae city seemed to
play an important part in deciding this
question. A visit 10 a majority of the
jewelry stores brings forth the following
facts: In every store except that of Mr..
S. p. Hamilton all clocks and regulators
facing east or west stopped within a few
seconds of 1928 O'Clock, the time
OF the first great shock, while
those facing north on south continued to
run. This seems to indicate that the
earthquake must have come from an east
erly direction.
Mr.. A. F. Flint related an experiment
which he made. After the first severe
shock he tied bis knife to string and
fastened the other end OF the string to a
stationary object. During subsequent
shocks, he says, the knife vibrated with
quick, spasmodlc motions in an east TO
west direction. This may possibly be
due to the giving way OF the timbers OF
the house more in one direction than
another, but IL seems TO be pretty strong
proof that the shock came from the east.
AT THE CUSTOM HOUSE,.