The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-09-08

pavement, with uvtUrned face and out
stretched limbs, and the crowd passe'
he, by for the time, not pauslng to SCI
whether she be alive or dead.
i sudden light flames through WIN
dow overlooking the street; it becomes
uoulentarilv brighter. ana the cry o'
ti:e rcsounGS from the multitude. 4 Tust
is made towards t;1e spot. 4 man L
seen, doubled up and helpless, against
w;i!!;; but 81 this moment, somewhere
out 1T sea, overhead, deep IN the ground,
Is hca1ti again tic low, oIninous roll,
which is already 100 well known to be
mistaken. It grows louder and nearer,
like the growls of & wild beast swiftly
approaching his prey, and all IS forgot
ten again in the frenzicd rush for oper
space. where alone there is hope o!
security, faint though it be.
The tall buildings or either hand Blot
out the skies and stars, and seem tc
overhang every foot CT ground between
them; the shattered cornices and copings,
the tops of their frowning walls, seemed
piled from both sides to the centre OF
the street. 1t seems that 8 touch would
now send the shattered masses left stand
ing down upon the people below, who
look up to them and shrink together as
the tremor OF the earthquake again
passed under them, and the mysterious
reverberations swell and roll along like
some internal drum-beat summonlne
them to die. And it passed away, and
again is experienced the blessed feeling
OF deiverance from the impending
calamity, which, it may well be believed,
evokes a mute but earnest offering OF
mingled prayer and thanksgiving from
every heart in the throng.
Again. far along the street, and up
from alleys that lead into it from either
side, is heard that chorus of wailing and
lamentation, which, though it had not
closed, was scarcely noticed moment
before. It is q dreadful sound-the
sound of helpless, horror-stricken human
ity, old and young, strong and feeble
alike, when all are so feeble, calling for
help from their fellow creatures and
raising their anguished voices in petition
to Heaven for mercy, where no human
aid could avail.
It IS not scene to be described by
any mortal tongue or pen. 1t IS not q
scene to be forgotten when it has been
witnessed, and when the witness has
shared all its danger and felt all its
agony.
The first shock occurred at seven
minutes of 10, as was indicated this
morning by the public clocks hands, all
Of which had stopped at that fateful
hour, as though to make an end of the
time for so many who heard the preced-
ing hour pealed forth by St. Michaels
chimes without thought but of long and
happy life.
The second shock, which was but a
faint and crisp echo of the first, was felt
eight minutes later, As it passed away
the writer started homeward, to find the
scenes enacted on Broad street around
the News and Courier Office repeated at
every step Of the way. St. Michaels
steeple lowered high and white above
the gloom, seemingly uninjured. The
station house, a massive brick building
across the street, had apparently lost its
roof, which had fallen around it. a
little further on, the roof of the portlco
of Eibernian Hall, handsome building
in the Grecian style, had crashed to the
ground, carrying down part of the mas
sive granite pillars with it. AL the way
up Meeting street, (Which, in respect OF
its general direction and Importance,
may be called the Broadway OF Charles
ton, the roadway was piled with debris
from tops of walls.
In passing the Charleston Hotel,
which, to carry out the comparison above
indicated, occupies tie position OF
Stewards up town store IN New York,
the lh;rd Shock was felt, about ten
minutes atiee The second, and of course
caused the greatest alarIs. n that neigh
borhood, as elsewhere.
Al Marion Square, corresponding ex-
actly with Unicn Square, New York, q
great crowd had collected, as even the
edges of the wide spaces embraced in ii
could not be reached by the nearest
building in the event Of their fali. From
this crowd, composed of men, women
and children of both races, arose inces-
SAINT calls and cries and lamentations,
While over the motley, half-dressed
throne was sled the lurid light of a con.
fsgration which had broken out Just be,
yoad the square Immediately after the
first shock, snd had now wholly envel,
oped several buildings in flames.
liz three quarters of the tcWp at the
same time similar large fires were oh,
served under full headway; and the
awful significance of the earthquake may
be most fully appreciated, perhaps, whel
it is said that, with these tremendous
fires blazing up all at once around them
and threatening the city with total de-
struction, the people whom you met or
the streets OF saw gathered together II
groups in open places evidently did not
give them thought. No one Nat4hel
the ruddy flame or pillar OF cloud rising
! i1;gh into the still night all. 3ll were
too intert on listening with strained
sense for the dreaded recurrence Of thai
horrible groTl or groan Of the power IN
der the seas and under the lanu &c gave
thought to the new tesror, though it hat
threatened his own home and GenJ
homes in the doomed city.
Crowds poured in from every direction
10 the square just described, as though
it had uean, indeed, a charmed circle
ard life depended on passing within it:
grassy bounds. Street cars, carriage:
and other vehicles were ranged IL i2es
on the streets surrounding the square
while horses stood stock still with turned
heads, as though shifting the ground il
anxious inquiry.
The cnia-ed neonla erervHhera We're