Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-09-10

AN~>> OOAAOSeONf
the wide spaces embraced in it could not
be reached by the nearest building in the
event of their fall. From this crowd, COM
posed of men, women and children of both
races, arose incessant calls and cries and
lamentations, while over the motley, half
dressed throng was shed the lurid light of
the confederation, which had broken out
just beyond the square Immediately after
the first shock, and had now enveloped
several buildings in flames, In three other
quarters of the town at the same time 81
milar large fires were observed under full
Roadway, and the awful significance of the
earthquake may be most fully appreciated
perhaps when it is said that with these
tremendous fires blazing up all at once
around them and threatening the city with
total destruction, the people whom you
met on the streets or saw gathered to-
eether in groups IN open places evidently
did not give them thought. No one
watched the rudy flames or the pillars of
cloud rising high into the night air All
were too intent on listening with strained
horrible growl Or groan of the power under
the seas and under the land to give a
thought to the new terror, though it bad
threatened his own home and many homes
in the doomed city.
CROWDS POURED IN FROM EVERY
DIRECTION
RI the cauoro ;,ct daeor;hod oe 4bo,,rh -
had been indeed charmed circle and life
depended on passing within its grassy
bounds. street cars, carriages and other
vehicles were ranged in lines on the streets
surrounding the square, while the horses
stood stock still with turned heads as
though shifting the ground in anxious in !.
quiry. Colored people every where were
loud and increasing in their manifestations
Of alarm in singing of hymns and in
fervent appeals for God 3 mercy. in which
appeals God knows many proud heart.
who heard them arising in the night, de-
voutly aud humblY and sincerely joined.
Danger brings all of us to level of the
lowest. There were no distinctions of
plnCO VI POW0l, vi lQC VI CdSto, Ill uu0 do.
semblages that were gathered together in
Charleston on Tuesday night. It was a
curious spectacle to look back upon. 1t is
| good one to remember, for the white and
black alike. There we're instances of
unselfish devotion. of kind and loving re-
gard between master and servant, mistress
and maid in the presence Of common ill
and of the threatened ruin that showed,
as nothing else could show, how strong is
the tie that binds our white people and
our black people together, and this lesson
of the dread visitor we may hope, too, will
never be forgotten. Arrived at his home
the writer found the same5scene of dis
traction and wreck which marked nearly
houses in the neighborhood had SUITE red
seriously, and the streets, yards and gar
dens were filled with fallen chimneYs and
fragments of walls, while the walls that
were left standing we're rent asunder, in
many cases from top to bottom. and were
badly shattered in every direction. Women
and children, aroused from sleep or inter-
rapted in their evening pursuits by the
sound of the ruin being effected above
and around them. rushed out into the
streets and huddled together, awaiting the
end, whatever it might be.
INvALIDs WERE BROUGHT OUT ON
MATTRESSES
and deposited on the roadway. Nc
thought was given to treasures left behind
In the effort to save the pearly treasure
Of life itself. suddenly become 50 precious
in the eyes of all invalid women and robust
men alike. Until long after midnight the
streets we're filled with fugitives in sight
of their homes. Through the long hours
that followed few were the eyes, even of
children, that were closed in Sleep
! Charleston was full of those who watched
for morning. and never in any city in any
land did the first grey shades that mark
! the approach of dawn appear so beautiful
and so welcome to the eye as they ap.
peared to thousands of people who hailed
them this morning from the midst of the
countless wrecked homes in our thrice
scourged, but still patient, still brave,
! still hopeful. still beautiful city by the
sea.'
Stripping Fodder from Corn.