Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-09-02
THE RUINED SOUTHERN CITY.
Fresh Shocks Last Night Destroy More
Buildings in Charleston.

Buildings in Charleston.
TENDING THE EARTHoUAKE-rHE Loss OF
LIFE STILL UNCERTArN-rHE PROPERTY
Loss BETWEEN $4,000. 900 AND $1O 600 600.
me detailed description of the scenes at
tendlhg the earthquake in Charleston present a
picture of the most distressing character The
later reports indicate that while the early dis
patches may have Overestimated the number
OF Killed and wounded, the damage to property
Will oe fuliy as great as at first stated. The shocks
continued through yesterday, aud at 11:55 last
night severe shock knocked down several
more buildings, and spread fresh CONSERVATION
among the afflicted people. In consequence OF
these
FREQUENTLY RECURRING SHOCKS
the horrors OF the situation were greatly inten-
sihed, and the panic-strcken people did not
venture to return to their houses, remaining
encamped In the open spaces of the city through
mace yesterday ior the railroad depots,
Uut no trains could run, owing TO
the fact that the. railroad tracks had
suHereu IN Inc general wreck. The only place
Oh business open In the city yesterday was one
urug store, where the prescriptions for the
wounded were being prepared. In the general
alarin ahd delnoraiIZation yesterday it Was
found impossible To give anything like cor
rect estimate OF the numbers of
KILLED AND WOUNDED.
Bodies are constantly being removed from the
debris OF wrecked houses. It was thought last
night that the number of casualties would
reach thirty or forty killed and over one hum
dred injured. The property ioss will be between
eign and ten million. One undertaken stated
that he had furnished eight collins up 10 noon
yesterday. Many OF the dead are lyingunbusied,
principally the poorer classes of colored people,
wno VIII be bn led by the county. There are
not naiI Dozen tents in the city, and the
women and children are experiencins great pri.
Vations In consequence. 1t is calcualel that
at least three-fourtns OF the city will have to be
feD0iit IL the houses are to be Inhabited. There
are three or four steamers in port, including
the buoy tenders, aud many of the inhabitants
were last night provided with berths Oh these
ooats. Fortunaiely the weather has been good,
ana the harusnips are not severe as they
might have been. The disturbances did not
Affect tue water i'll the harbor.
VIVID DESCRIPTION OF THE SCENES.
The compositors of the Netos and Courier last
night declined to work, and no paper could be
issued to-day. One OF the writer's OH the Neus
and Courier gives the following description of
his experiences. "While engaged III the second
story OF the NeWs anu COurter Office ~ the time
Oh Inc nfst SHOCK, the writer's attention was
attracted oy a sound which was supposed tor a
moment to be caused by the rapid roiling Of u
heavy body over the floor. Accom- panyIng the
sound there Was perce JtlDie tremor OF the
building. Then the sound deepeneI ln volume
tile treinOr became more decided, the ear
Caught the rattle of window sashes, gas fixtures
glanced nurriedy at each other, and sprang 10
their ieet wi h startled questions aud answers: !:
Nv nat Is tnat? An earthquake ke'-and then all
was DeWllderment and Confusion. Then the
long roll deepened an spread into an awful
roar The tremor was now rude, rapid quiver,
tnat agl.ated the wnoie Lofty, strou.-watei
building as though it We're being shaken
by the hand OF immeasurtbte power
There was NO intermission in the vibration Of
tie mighty Subterfanean engine. From the
frst to the last it Was u conf inuous Jar only
adding force AT every moment and as il reached
the cliInax oil its Manifestation, 1t seemed that
no work Of human hands could possibly survive
the SHOCKS. Tue f1OOrS were heaving under iOot
the surrounding walls and lions visiuiy
swayed to and fro, the crash OF laliing masses
OF stone and orlck anu mortar was heard over
head, and without the terrible roar filled the
ears. the group of men VINO shared tue exper-
fence above Ialntly described will carry
win them the recollection Oh that supreme
moment To their dying day. None expected 10
escape. A sauden rush was simultaneously
made to endeavOr to attain tue opeu air aud
flee to place o. safety, but be,ore the door was
reached all reeied together to the totteriny wall
ana stopped, feeling that hope was vain; tha. it
Was oniy question OF deALn within Tue build.
Ing or witnout-tO be buried 10y the sinking root
or crushed by the topping walls.
Tine uprodr slowly died away In seeming
distance. As We dashed down the stairway
ami out into the street, already on every siue
arose the ShriekS. the cries pain anu lear the
prayers and waiiings OF terrlned women anu
children, coLnmluSied with the noarse shouts
oi excited men. Odt il tue street the air Was
filled TO the height OF the houses with a wnitisn
mortar and shattered masonry which, falling
upon the pavement anu stone roadway haI
been reduced to powder. Through tnis cloud,
dense us a log, tue gdslight tilckered dim "
shedding buL little light, 81 that you STUN ulei
at every step over the plies OF brick or uec..tne
entanS.ed In tue lines Oh telegraph WIRE tnat
uepehueo In every direction from their broken
supports.
''On every side were hurryipg forms of men
and women, bareheaded, pal tIaliy dressed,
some almost nude, and many oI whom were
craZed with fear or excitement. Here woman
Is supported, nalf aintiug, in the arms OF ner
husband, VINO Valniy tries " sooLhe ner while ne
carries her into the open space at til. street cor
ner. wnefe present s;l.ety seems assured; there
woman lies on TIE pavement with upturned
lace anu oulstretcneu limos, and the crowd
passes her oy ior the time, not pausiux to see
whether she be alive or dead.
"a sudden iiSnt flares through window
overlooking the street. 1t becom IS nome tar
lily briSnte ana t.ie cry of nre resouauS from
the multliuue. A rush is made for the spot. A
man is seen doubled up and helpless against
tue wall. But at LlIS moment some here ON
at sea-Overnead-deep in the ground, is heard
again the low, olninous roii wnicn is already
too well known TO be mistaken. 1t grows
LOUDER ana nearer, like the growl of wild
beast, swiftly approaching his prey; and all Is
forgotten again III the irenZIed ruSn for the
open space, where alone there Is hope Of secur-
iLy, faint though IL be. The tall buildings un
eItuer hand Uiot out the skies aud the stars,
and seem TO Overhang every loot of ground be.
tween them; their shattered cornices and cop
lnSS, tne tops OF their irOwuiug walls, seemed
pied from both sides to the center OF the street
1t seems That ii touch would now send the snat-
tered masses lett standing down upon the peo-
pie below, VITO look up 10 them and shrink to-
getler as the treInOr OF The earthquake again
passes under tneIn, and the mysterious rever-
DeratlOns swell anu roll along like some in
ternai drulnbeat Summoning them To de- aud
IL passes away, aud again Is experienced the
blessed feeling Of deliverance from impending
Calamity, wni:n IL i,ay well De believed evokes
u NIUE DuL earnest Offering OF mingled PRAYER
ana thanksgiving from every heart ia the
thrOng.
"rnere were no distinctions of place or power.
prioe Or Caste. In the assenDlAges that were
gathered together in Charleston ON tuesday
nIgnt. 1t Was u curious spectacle to Look back
upon. 1t Is y good one 10 remember for white
and BLACK alike. There were instances OF un-
selnsh devotion, Of Kind and loving regard be-
tween master aud servant, mistress anu maid,
In The presence OF common i'll and OF threat
ened ruin, tnat showed, as nothing else could
people and our black people together; aud this
lesson OF the dread visitor we may hope, too.
will never be forgotten.
'lnvaiids were brought out on mattresses and
deposited Oh the roadway No Thought WAS
given " treasures lett behind in the effort to
save the peculiar treasure OF life ttseif suddenly
oecome ~ precious In the eyes OF ali, the invs-
lld woman ana the ROBUST man alike. Until
long aiter midnight the streets were flied with
iuEitlVes Ia signt OF their homes. Through tue
long hours tnat followed lew were tue eyes
even OF chlldnOod tnat were closed in sleep.
Charleston Was full OF those VINO watched Tor
the morning, and never in any city in any laud
did tue nrst gray shades that marx the approach
0t dawn appear SO beautiful and welcome
10 eyes rs they appeared TO the thousands OF
people who halied them this morning from the
midst OF Inc countless wrecked homes in our
tnrlce scourged, but still patient, stiii brave,
stlu hopeiul, still beautiful city by the sea-"
LAST NIGHTS sHoCKA
Dispatches from many southern points last
night snow that The fresh shocks of last night
were generally ielt throughout the Atlantic
Coast An Augusta dispatcn says: "ADotner