West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-09-10
'he List of the Killed and Injured In
creasing Hourly and Running
Into the Hundreds.
Several More Buildings Fall
From the Shock.
Tho Parks and Open Spaces the Camping
Ground Of Thousands of Dis
couraged People.
Fire Breaks out and Twenty Houses
Burncd-The Damage Done at beau
fort, =. e.. Atlanta aud Savannah,
Ga, and other Places.
FUIL PARTICULARS.

CHARLESroN, Sept Shortly after ten
'cock Tuesday night an earthquake, of
such violence as has never before been ex.
perienced in this city, occurred. The whole
city was shaken violently, causing a heavy
loss OF life, and doing Immense damage to
property The city is one mass OF
wreck. The streets are completely
blockadcd with the debris Of ruined
houses, telegraph poles, trees, wires, etc
Vehicles can not be driven Though the
streets, while pedeStrianism is both danger
GUS and dinicult The people have been in
the streets since the occurrence OF the first
shock, wTingng their hands and crying
aloud TO God TO save them. Whole FAM
lies passed the night huddled together in
open space some of them continuously inn.
plOring divine aid.
Opinions differ as TO the number of shocks
W~ch occurred. Some assert that there
we're only two, while others are positive
That there were three. great many insist
that there were even more. However this
may be, the first was the most severe and
Il the most damage. There are many
buildings wrecked, but il is impossible to
ascertain, In the present state OF affairs,
how many.
\ few of the names OF those who have
either lost their lives or received fatal in
jur rs through the destruction Of their
dwellings have been aSccrianed and among
them are the following: NJ. j. Lynch. Dr.
X Alexander Hammond and Ainsley Robe
son, all white. 4 majority Of the victims
are colored people II is impossible To give
DH estimate of tile loss TO property ut pies-
cnt. but II Is believed it will reach far up i'm
the millions. The city is completely so
lated and at present there is no means of
either entering OF leaving 1t.
The principal business portion Of the city
was destroyed and hundreds are rendered
homeless, The main station house the
CITY Hall, Hibernian hall and many other
public buildings, including the Never Dying
~. Michael Church were lrreparabv dam
aged Broad street presented a spectacle Of
the utmost horror. Even women armed
with hatchets, worked vaiantly To rescue
Imprisoned unfOrtunatcs. Meeting street.
from Broad to llagle, is a wreck and lined
with homeless people.
To add 10 the honor OF the night. many
ires broke out aud were Intellectually
fought by the fire department The night
Was maze hideOus with the howls Of the
dying grOans of the wounded and PRAYERS
Of tine uniniured 10 is impossible yet to
state the loss of life or damage 10 property.
Up to ten o'clock in themOming ten distinct
AZ 500 Wednesday morning another wave
swept over tie city, coming. as the others
did. from the southeast BY that time the
people who had been out in the public parks
and open places all night had veutuTed into
their houses to get clothing and something
To eat The approach Of the quake was
heralded by the usual rimbling sound, re.
scmblng distant thunder Then II gradually
approached, the earth quivered and heaved.
..t.. 4 la. i. Ia
sound dying ont in the distance. It was not
destructive, all the destruction having been
done AZ 9:55 Tuesday night
The city is a completemin st. Michaers
church and st. Philips two Of the most
historical institutions in the city. are I'm
ruins. as are also the llbernian hall, the
pbliSo stations and many other public build.
ings. Fully twO-thifds Of the residences In
the city are inhabitably wrecked, either
totally or partially II is impossible. at this
time 10 give a correct estimate Of the casu-
aliie, II is expected that between fifty
end one hundred persons baYe be1n killed,
and eyeral hundred wounded.
At lyboe Island, at the mouth Of the
savannah river. the lenses In the light
houses were destroyed. The people on the
Island telephOned to the city that they were
in state of terror There can be no COM
mun.catiOn with the main land for some
time and all The inhabitants are assembled
in the high land. The highland was swept
by tidal wave i'm August, 1881. and the
people fear e similar disaster now.
~ the time OF the first shock fire burst
ont loo five different places IN the city. About
twenty houses were destroyed by fire All
tine ores are closed and a scarcity Of pro-
Wis ou- .eared not from the want Of PRO
visions. but because no one can be gOt 10 the
stores 10 sell them. The people arc all en-.
camDed ON the open plains, fearing 10 remain
in the city,
CoLrumrs, S. G.. Sept q. At $3.50 Tues.
day night the city wa. visited by terrible
earthquake Tho frst shocks were fearful
Buildings swayed and the earth rose and fell
IKE fine waves of the ocean. People rushed
madly from houses into the streets. some
sprang from windows and were Injured
Many of tbe most substantial buildings were
shaken ~ their foundations The walls
cracked and sprung yem.nutos after the
first shock second came I'm fen minutes
p ihird Other shocks followed until I.O5
a. n.. when the eighth shock was felt
ht four O'Clock Tuesday morning mo
ninth shock came and al $3.50 and 1920 a.
u the city was again made 10 iremble
Very little sleep WIS had b. amy of the I'M
hah tauts Of Columbia lhe negroes
thought the end of the world had come and
they held prayer meetings ON the street
cnTler~.
~umervilIe twenty two miles from Charles.
ton. was nearly destroyed by the earthquakes
The passenger train from Columbia 90
Charleston wa thrown from the track near
>mrworpll DE and the engineer and fireman
KILLED The passengers on the wrecked
tu have not yet reached Charleston.
rHE VERY LATEST
ruAufrsroN, IS g., Sent 1.-Two
ripHf earthquake sboeSs vsfr frlt dnHng