Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-09-09
CHARLESTON'S WOE.
The City Rent Asunder by the
Earth's Commissions.
The Recent Earthquake Finds its Center
at Charleston, s. c., and Leaves the
City Scene of Death Maim-
Ing and Desolation.

CHARLESTON, S. c., Sept. Shorty
after ten O'Clock last night an earthquake
of such violence as has never before been
experienced in this city occurred. The
whole city was shaken violently, causing
heavy loss of life and doing immense
damage to property. The city is one
mass of wreck. The streets aye COM
pletely blockaded with debris of ruined
houses. telegraph poles, wires. Vehicles
of any kind can not be driven through
the streets, while pedestrianism is both
dangerous and difficult. People have
been in the streets since the occurrence
OF the first shock wringing their hands
and crying aloud to God to save them.
Whole families passed the night cuddled
together in open spaces, some of them
praying continuously, imploring Divine
intercession.
Opinions differ as to the number of
shocks which occurred. Some assert
that there were only two, while others
are as positive that there were three. A
great many insist that there were even
more. However, this may be, the first
was the most severe, and did the most
damage.
There are large numbers of buildings
wrecked, but it is impossible to
ascertain in the present excite
ment how many. Several of the
wrecked houses caught fire, and are still
burning in various parts of the city;
but no fears are entertained of the fires
spreading. So far as learned, from sixty
to seventy persons have been killed and
wounded, and it is feared that when a
canvass of the wrecked districts is made
this number will be materially augment
ed. A few of the names of those who
have either lost their lives or received
fatal injuries through the destruction of
their dWe llings have been ascertained.
and among them are the following: M.
j. Lynch, d. r. Alexander, Hammond
and AlnSley Sobeson-all white.
The majority of the victims are colored
people.
1t is impossible to give any estimate of
the loss of property at present, but it is
believed it will reach far up in the mill
Ions. The city is completely isolated
and at present there is no means of eth
er entering or leaving it.
LATER.
The earthquake last night DESTROYED
the principal business portion of the
city, and hundreds are rendered home
less. The main station-house, the City
hall, Hibernian hall, and many other we'll
known public buildings, including the
Never dying St. Michael's Church, are ir-
reparably damaged. Broad street this
morning presented Il spectacle of the ut
most horror. Even women, armed with
hatchets, worked valiantly to rescue the
imprisoned unfortunates.
Meeting street, from Broad to Hazel, is
wreck lined with homeless people, To
add to the horror of the night, many fires
broke out and were Intellectually fought
by the brave fire department..
The night was maue hideous with the
bowls of the dying, the groans of the
wounded and the prayers of the unin-
jured. 1t is impossible yet to state the
loss of life or damage to property. Up
to ten O'Clock this morning ten distinct
shocks were felt here.
CHARLESTON, S. c., Sept. AT twenty
minutes after eight O'Clock this morning
another wave swept over the city, COM
ing, as the others did, from the South
east and going in North west direction.
By that time people who had been out on
the public parks and open places all night
had, many of them, ventured into their
houses to get clothing and something to
eat. The approach of the quake was
heralded by the usual rumblng sound,
resembling distant thunder. Then it
gradually approached, earth quaked and
heaved, and in three seconds it had pass
ed, the sound dying out in the distance.
This is the only wave felt since 2:30 a. m.
1t was not destructive, all the destruc-
how net irIf IS,,1l vv
two-thirds of the residences in the city
are uninhabtable, wrecked either totally
or partially.
1t is impossible to give a correct esti-
mate of the casualties. 1t is thought
that between fifty and one hundred per-
sons have been killed and several hun
dred wounded, at the time of the first
shock. About twenty houses were de-
stroyed by fire. Scarcely one hundred
houses in the city are occupied at this
time, the people being all encamped in
open places. All the stores are closed
and a scarcity of provisions is feared, not
from want of provisions, but because no
one can be got into the stores to sell
them.
CHARLESTON, S. c., Sept. l, 3 P. NJ
Two slight earthquake shocks have been
felt here to day, besides the one which
occurred in the morning. They were
but slight quakes, and neither did any
further destruction. Not even during
General Gilmore's bombardment of the
city has there ever been such deplora-
Bile state of affairs here. The city is
literally in ruins, and people are liv-
ing in the open squares and parks.
There is a great rush to the railroad de-
pots to get away, but owing to damage to
the railways no trains have been able to
be dispatched from the city. Telegraphic
communication is also cut off save one
wire of the Southern Company, which is
crowded with anxious private messages.
1t is impossible to depict the ruin and
dcsolation that prevails here. Nota single
place OF business in the city is open,
save the drug stores, which are busy
preparing prescriptions for the wounded.
1t is still impossible to give any correct
estimate of the killed and wounded, rs
bodies are being constantly disinterred
from the debris OF wrecked houses. One
undertaken, who was intervie wed this
afternoon, states that he had furnished
eight collins up to noon. Many of the
dead of the poorer classes of colored
people lie unburied, awaiting inter-
ment by the county. There are not half
a dozen tents in the city, and
women and children are experiencing
great privations ia consequence, and as
night approaches most of the heads of
families are trying to construct tents out
of bed sheets, spare awnings and other
material that comes to their hands. The
sun is about to set on another night of
horror for poor Charleston. Heaven
only knows what it may bring forth, even
without further violent shocks, appre-
hensions of which are present iii the
minds of most people here.
CHARLESTON, S. c., Sept. 2.-The alarm
and apprehension among the citizens con-