Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-09-10
A DEMOLISHED CITY.
Great Loss of Life ana Property
by Earthquake.
The Shock Very General.

About 10 o'clock on the night of August
81 an earthquake such as has never before
been known in the history OF that city
swept under Charleston, ~ c., causing
more loss and injury To property and far
more loss OF life than the cyclone OF year
before. The city is wrecked, the streets
are incumbered with masses OF fallen
bricks and tangled telegraph and telephone
wires, and up to an early hour il was al
most impossible to pass from one part of
the city to another.
The first shock was by far the most So
we're Most Of the people, panic stricken,
with their families passed the night in the
streets, which even in the morning wero
crowded with people afraid To re-enter
their homes. More than 60 persons were
killed or wounded. Among the whites
killed and fatally injured are VI j. Lynch
DR.. X. Alexander Hammond, Ainsley
Robinson.
The principal business portion of the
city was destroyed and hundreds OF per
sons were rendered homeless. Men were
frantic, women were bcseeching mercy,
and children were in tears The main
station house the city hall Hibernian hall,
and many other well known public build
ings, including St Michael's church, were
irreparably damaged. Broad-st. presented
spectacle OF the utmost horror Even
women armed with hatchets, fought
valiantly 10 rescue the imprisoned unfor
tunates Meeting-st,, from Broad to
Hasel, is "A wreck, and is lined with un-
fortunates To add TO this horror Of the
scene many fires broke out and were in
/ effectually fought by the fire department.
/ The night was hideous with the groans of
fhe dying, the screams Of the wounded,
and the prayers Of the uninjured. 1t is
impossible to estimate the losses OF person
or property at present.
At s:25 a. m, precisely, on the morning
OF Sept. l. another wave swept over the
city. BY that time the people who had
been out on the public parks and open
places all night, had ventured into their
houses 10 get their clothing and to eat.
The approach of the quake was heralded
by the usual rumbling sound resembling
distant thunder. Then as il gradually APP
preached the earth quivered and heaved,
and in three seconds it had passed, the
sound dying away out in the distance. 1t
was destructive.
The city was complete wreck. St
Michael'S church and st. Philips church.
two Of the most historic churches III the
. city are in ruins, as IL also the Hibernian
hall The police station and many other
public buildings and fully two thirds Of
the residences in the city are unhabitable
wrecked either totally or partially. II
is impossible at this time 10 give correct
estimate OF the casualties II Is
expected that between 30 and 100 persons
have been b.!ed and several hundred
wounded
At the time Of the first shock fires broke
out in five different places IN the city.
About 20 houses were destroyed by fire.
Scarcely 100 houses in the city are occu-
pied at this time, the people being en-
camped in the open places. All the stores
are closed. and scarcity Of provisions is
feared, not from want OF provisions, but
because no one can he got 10 reach the
stores 10 sell them.
The city is wrapped in gloom and bust
ness l. entirely suspended. ~.
Michael's church is shattered and the
steeplc will come down, likewise the sree-
pie of st Philips. The steeple of the
Unitarian church has fallen. The porticos
OF Hihcrnian hall and the main station
house are demolished. There is much in
jury TO mansions on the east and south
battery. The pOrticO Of the Ravcnal man
sion is down.
Hardly house in the city escaped in
Jury, and many are so shaken and cracked
that hard blow would bring them 10 the
ground Fissures in the earth are noticed
from which fine sand eXudes. \ sulphur
Gus smell is very noticeable.
The loss by fire and earthquake cannot
he accurately estimated, but can be placed
safely at $j,OOO0OO. As far a. could be as
Certained during the night fifteen or
twenty were killed and "A much greater
number wounded in all sorts OF ways The
loss of human life will be large and IL viii
take days TO get at the accurate number.
Shocks equally severe were felt at "a dis
lance of thirty-five miles and have done
inestimabe damage 70 railroad and tcle-
graph property. CharlestOwn Is now en-
tlrely isolated from the outside world
In Other Places.
The same night in Cleveland Washing
ton, Terra Haute Cincinnati, Chicago,
Louisville, Raleigh, Savannah, Memphis,
Atlanta. Pittsburg. st. Louis, Milwaukee
and several other cities there were harm
less paniCs, people fleeing from their
houses or from theatres and halls situated
in upper stories. In some places the in
habitantS sat up through the night fear
ing "A recurrence of the quakings. At
Richmond, Va, to increase the excite
ment, 800 prisoners in the penitentiary
became panic stricken and began a ham
mering on the doors of their cells. Guards
endeavOred TO quiet them without effect,
whereupon IA call for the military was
sounded by the fire bells. In n few min
utes the soldiers were Fastening To the
scene. Company after company reported
for duty in rapid succession, one colored
company being the first on the ground.
While this was going on, the streets lead
ing 10 the penitentiary were crowded
with people excited to an intense degree
by exaggerated reports that one OF the
walls of the penitentiary had fallen and
killed n number of convcts. In II half
hours time from 5000 TO 10000 people
were in the vicinity of the penitentary.
At 1890 everything had become quiet, the
military being on duty and the prisoners
in their cells
In Cincinnati probably the worst scare
OF the night was in the composing room
of the Commercial Gazette office. There
the swayiug terrified the printers and
dozen or so jumped out of the windows to
the roof of the adjoining building, dis
lance of six feet
panic was created at the public library
reading room. Chicogo. The floor Of the
apartment is suspended from the roof of
the court house and forms n sort OF gallery
or half story. About 10 people were in the
room. and the swayng OF the floor caused
them TO rush terror stricken down the
narrow stairways, which were choked in
an instant with struggling masses OF hui
manity. The crush was only mOmentary
and the crowd scampered quickly through
the broad Railways and into the street.
Dewitt c. Billsby OF Media, Pa, a guest
"a