Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-11
TWO MONTHS GETTING NEWS.
How the Earthquake of 1911 Was Re-
corded in the Daily Press.

NOW Cne EartIlQhuhc Oi AoAA w as Az
corded in the Daily Press.
From the Washingtoa Post.
The rapidity with which the minute
"details OF the recent earthquake we're
telated IN the daily papers within few
lours after its occurrence, and the whole
world made acquainted with Charleston's
disaster, is in very striking contrast to
Ibe manner in which the early journals
II this country treated similar matter.
Probably the most extensive and distinct
earthquake that has been felt and re-
corded in this country was that which
devastated the Mississippi Valley in the
month of December, 1911. 1t was dis
tinctly felt throughout the entire South,
while along the Mississippi it destroyed
villages, rent the earth into chasms and,
in many instances. changed the topogra-
ply of the country.
An examination of the files for the
year 1911, of the New York Herald, IN the
Congressional Library, by a Post re-
porter yesterday, showed that it was ten
days after the occurrence before any
mention OF it was published. The Her.
aid, even then one of the leading papers,
contained December IS, letter from
Charleston, dated the 10Th of that month,
stating that at O'Clock in the morning
OF the preceding day, a severe shock of
earthquake was felt in Charleston, which
shook the houses, rang the bells in the
churches and caused general consterna-
t ion among the people. The Herald's
correspondent did not send any account
of the damage for the reason that he did
not believe it safe to go out of the house. In
the same issue Ofthe paper Is brief letter
dated the 18th, from Georgetown, stating
that the shook of an earthquake was
felt there on the 18th, so severe that the
parade ground at the tort was lowered
from one to two inches below it's usual
level. These two brief paragraphs were
all that was said on the matter at that
time.
1t was two months afterward before the
| public learned any details of the great
earthquake. On February II, 1872, the
Herald published a letter from Big
Prairie on the Mississippi, dated De-
cember %. The correspondent described
the earthquake with some detail, and
dwelt particularly on the alarm it caused.
The correspondent says:
| 1t was now light and We had an oppOr-
tunIty Of beholdlng in full extent he
! horrors Of the scene. During the first
tour shocks tremendous and uninter-
rupted explosions, resembling a discharge
| OF artillery, were heard, which were ex-
! planned by The fifth shock. Wherever the
|
| volcanic discharge of cOmbustible mat
ter to great heights. An incessant rum
bling was heard below, and the bed Of the
river was.excessiVely agitated, while the
water assumed a turbid and boiling
appearance. Near our boat spout of
| confined air, forcing its wav through the
waters, burst forth, and, with a loud
report, discharged mud and sticks from
the bed OF the river distance of thirty
feet above the surface. Large trees that
had lain at the bottom Of the river for
centuries were thrown UP in the same
manner. Here the earth and
river, torn with furious commissions,
opened In huge trenches, whose deep
| jaws instantaneously closed. There,
through a thousand vents. sulphurOus
streams gushed from the very bowels of
the earth, leaving vast and almost uDfat-
| homable caVerns. Everywhere nature
Itself seemed lettering on the verge of
| dissolution.