The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-02
NIGHT OF DEATH,
Devastation Of the Earthquake at
Charleston.
Over Sixty People Killed and a
Number Injured.
Men made Frantic by the GrOans
Of the Dying
And the PItiful Appeals of the
Wounded for Help.
Over TwO-thirds Of the City Unin-
habitable.

habitable.
CHARLESTON, S, O., Sept, Ian earth
quake such sa never before been known
In tho history OF this city swept over
Charleston last night shortly after
ten o'clock causing more loss and
injury to property and far more loss
Of life than the cyclone oil a year before.
The city Is wrecked, the streets are
encountered with masses of fallen
brick and tangled telegraph and telephone
wires. Upto an early hour 1t was almost
Impossible to pass from one part OF the
city to another, The first shock was
by far the most severe, Most Of the peo'
pie with their families passed the
night In the streets, which even
this morning are crowded with
people afraid TO re.enter their
homes. More than sixty persons were
Alled and wounded, chiefly colored.
Among the whites who were killed are NJ.
!. Lynch, DR., K, Alexander Hammond,
Ainsley Robertson. Fires broke out
N different parts OF the city
Immediately after the occurrence and
,ome are still burning, but no danger Of
,preadinG. There Is no way OF leaving
ha city at present,
The principal business portion
Il the city was destroyed and hundreds
II persons rendered homeless. Men
we're frantic, women werG beseeChing
mercy from the Almighty and
children were In tears. The
nain station house, the city hall, Hibsr-
Iian hall and many other well
snown public buildings, including st.
MlChaeEs church are irreparably dam
,gsd. Many people are seriously
t not fatally injured. Broad
'treet presented spectacle Of the utmost
horror. Even women armed with hatch
It's fought Yaliautly to rescue the i'm.
lrisoned uniOrtunates. Meeting street
rom Broad to Hazel Ia a wreck and Ia lined
With unfottunRtes. To add to the horror
Il the scene many fires broke out and
we're Intellectually fought by the fire de-
,artment. The night was hideous with
he groans Of the dying, the screams Of the
Vounded aud prayers Of the uninjured.
It is Impossible to estimate the losses Of
persons or property at present.
In 10 noon to-day therO had been ten
distinct shocks.
a sECoND WAVE,
At 1925 A. NJ. precisely this morning,
another wave swept over the city
coming as the other did from the south.
,ast going In the northwest direction. By
hat time the people who had been out In
no public parks and open places all
hight had ventured into their honses to
ret their clothing and something to
,at. The approach Of the quake
gaa preceded by the usual rumbling
.ound resembling distant thunder, then
W 1t gradually approached the earth quiv'
red, aud In three seconds II had passed
he sound dying out In the distance
This is tho only wave felt since
his morning. 1t was not destruc
live. Altthe destruction had been done
1t 0:55 last night. The city L
! complete wreck. st. Michael.
church and st. Philips church, two OF the
most historic churches in the city, aro In
-uins, as Is also tho Hlberniau Hall. The
Police stationAnd many other public build
ings, fully two.thlrds OF tho residences
10 The city are uninha6itable, either total
} y or partially wrecked. 1t Is impossible
It this time to give q correct estimate o
The casualties. 1t is expected that be
tween 81 and 100 persons have been killed
md several hundred wounded.
At the time Of the first shock fire broke
nut In Ave different places In tho city
, About twenty houses were destroyed By
lre. Scarcely one hundred houses In thI
, !ity are occupied at this time. People are
campsd In the open places, stores ar
closed and a scarcity Of provisions Il
feared, not from want OF provisions bu
because no one can be got to reach tht
stores to sell them.
Two slight ahocks OF earthquake have
been felt since, the first at 1925 this morn
) ing and one at about 8 o'clock y. NJ.
neither doing further destruction.
WORSE THAN A DoApARDMRNT.
Not even during General Gilmore'l
bombardment Of the city has there eve
been such deplorable state OF affair
here. Tho city Is literally in ruins ant
the people arc living in oben squares ant
public parks.
There Is a great rush to the railroat
depots 10 get away, but owing to the earth
uuakes no trains have been able 10 be dis
patched from the city. Telegraphic com
muniCation is also cut of save one wire o
the Southern Telegraph Company, which
is crowded with anxious private messages
Il is impossible to state the ruin aud
deeolation that prevail here. Nota singlt
place Of business in the city Ia open save I
drug store, which is busy preparing pre-
scriptions for tho wounded. II Is impos
sible also 10 give any correct estimate o
the killed aud wounded, as bodies arI
constantly being disinterred from thI
debris OF wrecked houses. One under
taker who was interviewed stated he hat
furnished eight Cotlins up to noon to-day
Many OF the dead are lying unburied
these being Of the poorer classes Of coloreC
people, who await burial by the county.
There are not q half dozen tents In tht
/. city, and the women and children are ex
, perienCinR great priyations In conSe
quenCe. As night approaches, most o
tho heads oil families are trying To con
BtruCt tents out Of bed sheets, spare avn
inRs and any other material that comes Il
their hands. The sun 10 about 10 90
upon another night Of horror for poo
. Charleston. Heaven only knows what |
j may bring forth. without any other vio
lent shocks Of earthquake II Is calculated
that Of least thfee.ionrths Of the city vii
j, have TO be rebuilt entirely, II the house
Z are 10 be inhabited.
THE WHOLE STORY
y OF the Disaster at ChNtiHSton-A suCClnC
Account OF the Horror.
CnARLEsroS, y. O., Sept. 1.-The com
I positors Of tie Ncp' and Courier deClln