Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-03

tire village. The smell lasted throughout
the night. twas distinct in those locali-
ties where the cavities in the earth were
most numerous.
IMPREGNATED WITH SULPHUR.
Some say that portion of the mud
thrown up by the waterspouts Is strong
ly impregnated with sulphur and that
small portions OF sulphur can be found In
the mud.
Not far from Charleston, on the road to
Summervllle, extensive mounds OF clay
are thrown up and hIllOcks of sand, in
most cases in the shape of inverted cones,
the hollow part of which had evidently
been formed by the action of the water re-
turning into the depths from which 1t had
been raised. In many cases the erupted
matter had steamed away from the breaks
in the surface of the earth to dis
tance of 20 10 80 feet. In other places
there were tissures almost invariably ex-
| tending from north to south.
These cracks were not wide and ex-
tended downwards, always in slanting
direction. The matter that was thrown
up WAS OF a dark, slaty color and was
mixed with gravel. There was also lit
tie slate, and in general the mud resem-
| bled that which is thrown from the bottom
of the phosphate pits along the river.
| The water in some places had the taste of
al tSsldu WALGl. Dut ia AZ
was just as clear as from mountain
spring. These evidences of great convul-
SION are not sporadic. They extend far
and near IN every direction from the city
| limits to Summervllie, and at the latter
place it was found from trustworthy in
formation that cracks and assures are
everywhere visible for miles around,
IN ACTIVE OPERATION.
Strangely enough, some of these were
In active operation, and constant shocks
that were felt at Summerville sent water
out of these assures in jets to height of
twenty feet. This was evidently the re-
suit of cracks being filled with water and
then the sides opening and closing by
| each succeeding shock. These ap-
pearances were of course suggestive
of still more violent eruptions and
there was constant dread everywhere
that there would be general lnundation,
caused by some extraordinary force. Not
only was water emitted in low places, but
on the tops Of the highest elevations mud
could be seen. This latter fact indicated
that the force was being eXerted at rather
| more than the depth at first thought to
be the limit. Near Ten-mile Hill fatal
accident occurred on Tuesday night.
JUMPING THE TRACK.
The down Columbia train jumped the
|
Arnold, colored, were badly injured by
the tremendous leap which the train took
| in the dark under the influence of the
shock. 1t is SAID that the earth suddenly
gave way and the engine first plunged
down temporary declivity. 1t was then
raised on the top of a succeeding terres.
| trial undulatiOn, and having reached the
| top OF the wave sudden swerving Of the
force to the right and left hurled the Ill
/ fatn frn. Il hna y los
1t was done was plainly indicated. In
many places along the track of the South
Carolina and Northeastern railroad, and
for spaces of several hundred yards in
width, the dreadful energy of the earth
quake was extended In two particular
ways.
APPEARANCE OF THE TRACK.
First there were intervals OF a hundred
yards and more In which the track had
the appearance of having been alterD ately
raised and depressed, like line OF waves
frozen in their last position. The
force also oscillated from east
to west, bending the rails
in reverse curves in the shape of letter
S. These latter accidents occurred al
most invariably at trestles. There were
no less than i've of them between Seven
mile junction and Jedburg. In other places
the truck had the appearance of being
knked for miles, but always in these
cases in the direction of the rails. The
train at the time Of the earthquake was
running at the usual speed, and when
about mile south Of Jedburg it en-
countered terrible experience. 1t was
freighted with hundreds of excurslonists
returning from the mountains.
LIFTED INTO THE AIR.
They were all gay and happy, when all
Of in, tha la, nf ~ 81,
excursionlsts, the train appeared to have
left the track and was going up, up, up
into the air. This was the rising wave.
Suddenly il descended, and as 1t rapidly
fell it was flung nrst violently over TO the
east, the side OF the car apparently lean
ing over at less than an angle of 40 de-
grees. Then there was reflex action,
and the train righted and was hurled with
roar as of the discharge of artillery over
to the west, and finally subsidized ON the
track, and took a plunge downward, EVIL
dently descending wave. The engineer
put down brakes tight, but so great was
tho original and added momentum that
the TT ain kept right ahead.
TRAIN ON THE GALLOP.
1t is said on trustworthy authority that
the train actually gallOped along the
track, the front and rear trucks OF the
coaches rising and falling alternately.
The utmost confusion prevailed. Women
and children shrieked and the bravest
heart quailed in momentary expectation
of a more terrible catastrophe. Rev. Ell
lsOn Capers chanced to be on board, and
be lost no time IN conveying, as best he
could in the agony OF the moment, the
best advice and counsel. The train was
then taken back in the direction OF Jed
burg, and on the way back the work OF
the earthquake was terribly patent, The
train had actually passed over one OF
those serpentine curves already described,
and II is simple truth TO state that every
soul on board was saved solely through
the interposition Of divine providence.
sUMMERvILLE's MYSTERIES.
The horror OF the situation in Summer
Vile on Wednesday was much intensified
by certain manifestations that were not
observed in Charleston. All during the
day there was a constant series or de-
tonation, now east. now west ana from
all possible directions. IL resembled the
discharge Of heavy guns at intervals of
about ten minutes and was like the sound
OF q bombardment. All Of the explosions
were not accompanied by tremOrs OF the
earth, as it was only occasionally that
the earth would quake. A remarkable
fact was noted In Summerviile In respect
to the bulging OF water from the interior
OF the earth. Nearly all Of the wells had
been at low water. There was a sudden
rise and he additional water was pure
Looking down into one OF these wolls an
ohaeryer could on the eve OF any OF