Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-04

the city lsmp-posts, store-ff0ntas anu
engines was highly msguetizsd. 1. =
also said that several engines running
on roads in this Stats were highly mas-
netized, though in no case does sns
earthquake shock appear 10 have Desn
felt by people on the trains.
A report received to-day from one OF
the keepers who was on duty in tne
tower at Cape Lookout lighthouse says
she shocks were terrible and that the
lighthouse rocked to and fro. TIE
keepers were badly frightened. :,
A report from Wadesboro' received
o.day is that the walls Of the Central
Hotel were cracked and that pIsstering
was thrown down. The shock was
severer there, perhaps, than at other
points in the State. Many people from
that section and from Wilmington have
gone to Charleston and Summerville.
From many points in the State news
comes of sickness caused by fright and
exposure on Tuesday night. Az WI
mipgton o great number OF children are
sick from exposure. There was one
death of child here tracesble to the
same cause.
At Troutman's station several work
men were roofing st. Michael's church,
when. the scaffold gave way and A. ID.
Troutman and Luther Kimball fell to
the ground. Troutman's injuries are
severe.
The Earthquake I'm virgfnia.
The earthquake Of Tuesday night
was very sensibly felt throug bout Vir-
ginia. We have published reports
from every section Of the State. Let
ters continue to pour in from all quar-
ters of Virginia telling the same story.
We should be glad to publish them
did they not repeat over and over
again what has been already told. We
thank our yigilant correspondents who
tell of the shock at Trevillian's, Louisa
county, Va. Clarke, Cumberland coun-
ty, Va; New Eggbornsville, Cul.
pepper county, Va; wytheville. Va;
Littleton, Sussex county, Va; /; Clifton
Forge, Allegheny county, Va; West
vile, Matthews county, Va. Middle
sex county, Va. and Hampton, Va.
African Fear and Superstition.
HOW THE CHARLESTON QUAKE AF-
FECTED THE CoLORED PEOPLE.
IBy telegraph to the Dispatch.l
CHARLESTON, September 3.-lt
would be simply impossible to exagge-
rate or depict in sufficiently descriptive
language the effect of the visitation Of
Tuesday night on the colored people of
Charleston. A great deal has been
written about these people and their
actions under strong feeling Of sorrow
or despair, but there never was until
within the past few days an oppor-
tunity Of noticing public exhibition
of superstitious fear to the degree that
has existed among all classes Of the
colored people since the tremendous
shock of Tuesday night. Only q
few minutes after the warning voice
Of the earthquake had passed away the
effect on the mind and Imagination Of
every colored man, woman, and child
in the city was complete. They fled
from their houses, they knew not where,
and as they ran hither and thither
through the binding storm Of pulver-
lied mortar which was shaken from the
houses and arose again from the streets
they filled the air with dismal groans of
despair and lamentation Of terrifyD ing
distress. AS usual with them, in their
formal prayers the name of Jesus
was most frequently used, and,
as if supplicating God face to
face, they shrieked out in very
helpIessness and despair, such sentences
as "Do, my Master Jesus, have
mercy on me |" "Sweet Jesus, save
me, save me -" Let me live through
this night, dear God, my Saviour !"
"Hold me up once more, Thou blessed
Christ, my Master!" and other fearful
supplications. which intensified the
horror Of the situation and went far to-
wards demoralizing the white people,
who were also rushing blindly hither
and thither in the fitful glare of the
flickeripg lights, almost eclIpsed by the
shower of descending and ascending
dust.
As usual, the face of a white man
and white woman in times Of danger
was a sight of sudden joy in the
gloom to many poor wandering
colOred boy or girl who endes-
vored to stop their white friends
as they ran by in confusion to
supplicate that they would remain with
them until Judgment was done" In
many instances trembling colored girls
sank down on their knees and seized
with frantic energy the folds Of some
white lady's dress, aud, failing to ex-
press their terror in words, with
scarcely moving lips betokened
that they wanted only the moral sup
port of friends in the hour Of distress
and agony. But white faces were
bleached paler. There could be no
stay in the mad race away from totter
ing bouse-tops and toppling parapets.
The trembling suppliants were hastily
thrust aside by those whom events have
proved we're powerless to save them
selves. There was death in the air.
Nay, more it was below and around,
and was expected, none knew whence.
Only the feeling was ever present that
everybody stood face to face with the
menace Of instant death.
Origin Of the Quakes.
SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION OF THE
RECENT SHOCKS.
[By telegraph to the Dispstch.l
CHARLESTON, S. O., September g.
The Ners and Courier will publish to-
morrow the following explanation of
the recent earthquake
There can be no doubt that the va
rious earthquake shocks had their orr
gin in the islands Of the Mediterranean
and in Greece and Italy. On August
Goth was reported the occurrence of
destructive earthquake throughout
Greece and Italy; that there had
been two eruptions Of Vesu-
vius, and that the volcano was
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