The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-09-30
THE CENTRE OF THE SHAKE.
Some Spcculations us to the Direction OF
the Earth Waves.

Some Speculations us to the Direction of
the Earth Waves.
There is very wide divergence OF
opinion in Summerv;llc at the present
time as to the direction from which the
muttermgs OF the earthquake thunder
have come for the past Twenty-Five days.
The subject is very much discussed.
now that they arc no LONGER dreaded as
intinations of shocks to come. and is
ONLY next in importance to the question
as to who shall BIZ tile next member OF
the House of Representatives from Sum
merville. There is very general belief
in the town that Summervlllc is very
near the centre Of the disturbance. This
uriuiou is the result Of the fact that the
first shocl; was felt at Summervillc at
half-past q lock on the Friday morn
ing preceding the 3lst of August and
also from the fact that numerous shocks
and detonatlons felt and heard in Sum
merviIle are not felt III Charleston aud
elsewhere. a day or two ago Repor-
ter for The News and Courier got the
opinion OF a number Of gentlemen IL
Summerville as to the direction of the
shocks. aud nearly all OF them who had
paid intelligent attention to the matter
declared that the sounds. which were ac-
companicd by shocks. and those not so
followed, were from the northeast. DR..
II. &. Gucrin said that all the shocks.
except the first one on FRIDAY morning,
were from that direction. The preliml-
nary shock, he was positive. came from
q point a little to the west of north. lie
paid particular attention to this first
shock. and is positive thatit was accom-
panied by :'whizziny sound" high up
in the air. which pretty we'll marked
out the line of The subtcr:anean motion.
DR.. Gucrln noticed immediately after
this shock that his fence on Main street.
which runs n. 80 T., had been pushed
forward and had reco:lcl. leaving crc-
vice to ind; tie the direction and extent
to which 1t had been thrust out. This
perhaps, was the only effect Of the first
shock noticed in Summerville.
On the following morning DR.. Guerln
was up at 3 O'Clock. and was in position
to notice intclligently the next shock.
which occurred on that morning at 4.+j
o'cluck. and which was also felt in Char
lesion at the same hour. The point
from which the Saturday shock emana-
ted was from the northeast. and from
that direction, with slight variations.
the sounds have come over since. There
are. OF coure, plenty Of observers who
locate the sounds at nearly every point
of the compass. There IS, however. one
thing very strange about the northeast
point as the origin Of the shocks. There
have come to Summcrvillc hundreds OF
people from st. Paul's Parish, south and
west of Summcrvillc, and they in great
proportion say that tllesss ss,oeuds .ca,ase to
them at home from point still more
soulherly and westwardly, or from the
direction of the coast. There is no doubt
about one thing. and that is if the effects
of the earthquake may be taken to indl-
cate the location Of the centre OF dis
turbance. that this centre should be at
a point west Of the South Corolina Rail
way track and between Summervillc and
the Tcn-mllc Hill. The country along
this line. and especially near Ladson's
Road, is literally torn up with assures,
and ONE of them Of remarkable length.
The conclusion is not a good one that
the centre of disturbance must be in that
ncighborhood. The nature Of the soil
there and It's sandy, yielding nature al
lowed q force to crop out, which would
have been represscI, as il was at other
places, by tirmcr and bette: packed
Strata Of earth. News and Courier.