The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-09-11

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carry with them the recollectiOns of
that supreme moment to their dying
day. None expected to escape. A
sudden rush was simultaneously
made to endeavor to attain the open
air and flee to place of safety, but
before the door was reached all reeled
: together to the tottering wall and
then stopped, feeling that hope was
vain that it was only question of
death within the building, or with
out, to be buried by the sinking roof,
or crushed by the topping walls. The
uproar slowly died away in seeming
distance. The earth was still, and
oh, the blessed relief of that stiffness.
But how rudely was the silence
broken as we dashed down the stair
way and out into the street. Already
on every side arose shrieks, the cries
of pain and fear, and the prayers of
the terrified women and children
mingled with the hoarse shouts Of
excited men. Out in the streets the
air was filled to the height of houses
with the cloud of dry, sitting dust
from lime and mortar and shattered
masonry, which falling on the pave
ment and some roadway had been re
duced to powder. Through the cloud
as dense as fog the gas lights pierced
dimly shedding but little light so
that you stumbled at every step over
the piles of brick or became entan-
gled in the lines of telegraph wire
that depended in every direction from
their broken supports.
On every side were hurrying forms
of men and women. bareheaded, par
TALLY dressed, some almost nude and
many of whom were craZed with
fear or excitement. Here woman
is supported half falnting in the arms
of her husband who vainly tries to
soOth her while he carries her into an
open space at the street corner where
present safety seems assured. There
a woman lies on the pavement with
upturned face and outstretched limbs
and the crowds pass her by, for the
time, not pausing to see whether she
be alive or dead.
A sudden light flares through a
window overlooking the street. 1t
becomes brighter. and the cry of fire
resounds from the multitude. A rush
is made toward the spot. A man is
seen doubled up and helpless against
the wall, but this moment the low
roll which is already too well known
to be mistaken, is heard again.
1t grows nearer and nearer like the
groWl of wild beast, swiftly APP.
preaching his prey, and is frgotten
again in the frenzied rush for the
open space where alone there is hope
of security, faint thorgh it be. The
tall buildings on either hand blot out
the skies and the stars and seem to
overhang every foot of ground be-
tween them and their shattered cor
nices and cOpings. The tops of their
froWning walls seemed to pile from
both sides to the centre of the street.
1t seems that touch would now send
the shattered masses left standing
! down upon the people below who
looked up to them and shrek as the
tremor of the earthquake again passes
under them, and the mysterious vi
brations swell and roll along like
some Internal drum beat on sum-
moning them to die, and it passes
away, and again is experienced the
blessed feeling from impending ca
lamity, which it may well be beIiev-
ed eyokes a mute but earnest offering
of mingled prayer and thanksgiving
from eyeary heart in the throng.
Again far along the street and up
from the alley ways that lead into i;
on either side is heard that chorus of
wailing and lamentation which
though it had not ceased was scarcely
noticed moment before. 1t is a
a dreadful sound. the sound of help
less, horror-stricken humanity, old
and young, the strong and the feeble
alike, where all are so feeble and call
ing for help from their fellow crea.
lures and rising their anguised voices
in petition to heaven for mercy
where no human aid could avail, it is
not scene to be described by any
mortal tongue or pen. 1t is not a
scene to be forgotten when it has
been witnessed, and when the witness
has shared all danger and feels all its
agony.
The first shock occurred seven
minutes of 10, as was indicated this
morning by the public clocks, the
hands on all of which had stopped at
that fatal hour as though to mark the
end of time for so many who had
heard the preceding hour pealed by
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