Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1886-08-31

CHARLOTTE N. c., SEPTEMBER ist. 1856.
Last night wos enc that will long
1e remembered in Charlotte. 1t was
"a night 0f trar and quakipg and ter,
ror, fec Vdr city was shaken by a
ver't0t.e earthquake. The shock
care at 1910 o'clock. and five min~
VOes thereafter the streets were filled
with frightened, trembling people.
Ii was scene such as was never be-.
fore known in this city.
The shock wes Of sufficient force
and severity 10 not only shoke The
strongest buildings in the city, but to
mhake down chimncys, shattcr win
dew glass, etrcw floors with plaster,
Aog, ard bring crowds of, frightened
people from their houses into the
open air.
Tho shock was felt all over the
city, and the soundest sleeper was
shaken from bed and sent from the
house in alright.
Previous to tLe shake-up. the
night had been remarkably STILL the
SKIES were tlear, but there was q
hazy mist Suggestive of an evening
III early Spring. Many OF our people
had re'.ircd for the night while 9th
era we're at church end at the opera
3 Pouse. In front Of the Centrl Hotel
the usual quota of people were sitting
idly in the big red chairs under the
electric light; 6 string of hacks was
drawn up ia front Of the hotel, and
the hackrcn were doing i'll their
eeatsi in The OBSERVER office, the
iiigbt force were busiiy clicking the
ty.es into the composing eticks.
while the busy editors were
engaged in the labors OF driving the
pencil across the paper, when, with
out moments warning, there was
an oTnirous shake Of the building
Tho lights fiickered, plaster came
down in sprinkling sheets, and beN
fore one could raise his eyes from
the paper, there was another shake,
and single shrill and piercing
shrek tang cut on the streets from
somo frightened person:
The earthquake!'
BY this time, a wild scene was be>
ing enacted on tho streets. From
every doorway people rushed out and
gathered in thesmiddle OF the streets.
The doing hackdrivers alarmed
from their sleep, whipped up their
thorses, and the rafting carriage
wheels seemed to add confusion to
the Scene.
Snock followed shock in quick suc-
cession, lasting about &C seconds,
when quiet epsued The earth be-
came quiet, but the people did not.
Mingled with the excited groups on
Independence square were half a
dozsn figures in night attire. Peo>
pie wero wringing their hands, and
moving about in "a wild, excited way,
and every face was blanched
as soon as the shocks ceased, an
OBSERVER reporter struck out for a
tour of the city. and never one house
did he pass but that lights were
burning ard The residents were
grouped in the doorways or out in
the yards. !. was after ten O'Clock
at night, yet there was, possibly, not
a sleeping soul in Charlotte save
babes in the cradle. II was iBlpoesi-
be at iirst, owing to tho excitement,
to gather any tangible reports az
to the rcsul: OF the earthquake in the
city, but after time, when the peo'
pie were in a measure Gained, newf
of its effects in different parts o.
Charlotte was heard
Tie frst and mos. serious damagt
reported was at the residence of Gen
Il Barringer, on Tryon street. where
the tumbling Of brick and the crash
ing Of glaes created a racket that wai
heard for blocks around. The chin
neys TO Gen. Barringer's elegant resi-
dencc were shaken down, and large
quantity Of gass was shattered. The
General ard his family were
asleep md they were fearfulIy
alerped by tho guddenn,ss Of then
aw4krnng The slate on his rool
was also damaged, but 10 what ex'
tent could not beslsarned last night.
The plaster in DR.. J. II. McAden's