Smyrna times., 1886-09-08
The Great Earthquake.
DEATH AND DEsOLATIoN IN THE CITY
OF CHARLESTON.

DEATH AND DEsOLATIoN IN THE CITY
OF CHARLESTON.
Number Of Fatalities in CharIestOwl
About FOrty Loss Estimated at
Three Millions Of Dollars.
The terrible earthquake of Tuesday
night that was felt in half Il continen
was the one absorbing topic last week
throughout the whole world. TIL,
shocks were experienced from the Gul
northward to the Upper Lakes and
from points near the Mississippi east
ward to the Atlantic coast The wave
is reported generally as passing from
north to south and the time of success
sive shocks is given varying from a few
minutes after nine o'clock to tel
o'clock, according to the variations il
standard time. The shocks appear tC
have been particularly severe in South
Carolina and Georgia, the city oil
Charleston becoming the chief centre
Of interest, because immediately after
the convulsion, all telegraphic commu-
nication with the outside world wa.
cut off. At Savannah and Augusta
Ga, also, the visitation was particu-
larly severe. Ten distinct shocks were
felt at Augusta, between 9.51 and 1916
P. NJ, and the streets were filed with
terrified people. At Savannah five
shocks were felt and several chimneys
were thrown down, while buildings
were otherwise damaged and in the
neighboring island Of Tybee, at the
mouth of the Savannah river, consider
able damage was inaicsed. At Mont
gomery and Selma, Ala; Raleigh, n.
c.; Lyuchburg and Richmond. Va;
Challestown, w. Va; Memphis, Tenn;
and other points in the South, as well
as at Washington, D. c., the shocks
were also severe, and the people panic
stricken.
AT Columbia, S. c., there were six
teen distinct shocks from the Garth
quake Tuesday night and up to 5
o'clock next morning The first was
fearful and houses were shaken as
though made of pasteboard. 1t seem
ed as ifeVerything must tOpple. The
rumbling of the earth was loud and
hOrrifying in the extreme. Clocks
stopped, bells were rung and damage
done to some buildings, principally by
tOppling Chimneys. Two rooms in the
governors mansion were wrecked.
There were numbers of cases of ner-
vous prostration and doctors were in
demand to compose the frighted peo
pie. One lady was prematurely de
livered by the shock. Two shocks
were felt next morning, one at half
past eight and another about an hour
later. The tremOr of the earth made
one feel while walking like a man Just
OFT sea voyage, imparting a stagger-
ing gait.
A TERRIBLE CALAMITY IN THE CITY
OF CHARLESTON.
Wednesday morning of last week
dawned upon Il city swept and Scared
by the earthquake worse than it had
been by the fierce storm of war that
had beaten upon it four years. Scores
of its citizens were known to be killed.
but no one could even approximate the
number The whole population had
passed night of agony, the pangs of
which may never be told. They had
spent it in the streets, among the ruins
of fallen buildings, with the noise of
crashing walls and the roar of the
swollen waters filling their ears when
they were free from the calls for help
that came from the manned victims
and the cries of distressed women and
children vainly seeking their protec-
tors. To add to the horror of those
awful hours fire broke out and some
20 houses were consumed.
The following article was prepared
for publication in the Charleston NesUs
and Courier and is telegraphed in the
writer's own words. The paper could
not be issued, as the printers refused to
work as they expected fresh shocks.
The author says
While engaged in his usual duties
In the second-stOry room of the Nelcs
and Courier Office at the time of the
shock the writer's attention was
vaguely attracted by sound which
was supposed for a moment to be
caused by the rapid rolling of a heavy
body, as an iron safe or n heavliy-laden
truck, over the floor. Accompanying
the sound there was a perceptible
tremOr of the building, not more
marked, however, than would be caused
by the passage of a street-car or draw
along the street. For perhaps two or
three seconds the occurrence excited
no surprise or comment. Then by
swift degrees, or perhaps all at once, it
is difficult to say which, the sound
deepened i'll volume, the tremor be-
came more decided, the ear caught the
rattle of windOw-sashes, gas fixtures
and other loose objects. The men in
the office, with perhaps n simultaneous
flash of recollection of the disturbance
of the Friday before, glanced hurriedlv
at each other and sprang to their feet
with startled questions and answers.
" What is that?" Earthquake And
then all was bewilderment and confu-
sion.
Then the long roll deepened and
spread into an awful roar that seemed
to pervade at once the troubled earth
and still air above and around. The
tremOr was now rude, rapid culver
that agitated the whole lofty, strong
walled building as though it were be-
ing shaken by the hand of an immeas-
urable power, with intent to tear its
joints assunder and scatter its stones
and brick around, as a tree casts its
over-ripened fruit before the breath of
the gale. There was no intermission
in the vibration of the mighty subter-
ranean engine. From the first to the
last 1t was continuous jar, only adj
ding force at every moment, and as it
and reached the climax of
its manifestation it seemed for a few
terrible seconds that no work of hu-
man hands could possibly survive the
shock. A sudden rush was simulta-
made to endeavor to attain
the open air and flee to a place of safety
but before the door was reached all
reeled together to the tottering wall
and stopped, feeling that hope was
vain, that it was only a question of
death within the building or without.
to be buried by the sinking roof or
crushed by the topping walls. The
uproar slowly died away in seeming
distance.
AS we dashed down in the stairway
and out into the street already on
every side arose the shrieks, the cries
of pain and fear, the prayers, wailings
Of terrified women and children.
mingled with the hoarse shouts of ex-