The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-09-10
CHARLESTON'S WOE.
The City Rent Asunder by the
Ea-th's Oonvulsions.


City Scene Of Death Maim-
Ing and Desolation.
CHARLESTON, 8. c., Sept. l.-Shortly
after ten o'clock last night an earthquake
Of such violence ~ 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 IL one
mass of wreck. The streets are 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
are as positive that there we're three. A
more. However, this may be, the first
was the most severe, and did the most
damage.
There are large numbers of buildings
wrecked, but 1t 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 1t Is feared that when
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 DIVE llings have been ascertained.
and among them are the following: NJ.
j. Lynch, ID. II. Alexander, Hammond
and Ainsley SobesOn-all white.
The majority of the victims are colored
people.
1t is impossible to give any estimate of
the loss of property ut present, but it Is
believed 1t will reach far up in the mill.
ions. The city is completely isolated
and at present there is no means Of eth
or entering or leaving it.
LATER.
The earthquake last night DESTROYED
the principal business portion of the
city, aud 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.
rcparably damaged. Broad street this
morning presented a 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
a 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 made hideous with the
bowls OF the dying, the groans of the
wounded and the prayers of the unin.
jured. 1t is impossible vet TO state the
loss of life or damage to property. Up
TO ten O'Clock this morning ten distinct
shocks were felt here.
CHAILEsToN, S. c., Sept. AT twenty
after eight o'clock this morning
another wave swept over the city, COM
Ing, Us the others did, from the South.
cast and going in Northwest direction.
BY that time people who had been out OH
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
lcralded bv the usual rumblin. sound,
resembling distant thunder. Then 1t
gradually approached, earth quaked and
heavcd, and in three seconds it had pass.
ed, the sound dying out in the distance.
This is the onl. wave felt since $3.50 Il. III.
1t was not destructive, all the destruc.
ton have been done last night. Fully
of the residences i'm the city
are uninhabitable, 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, ut 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 encampcd IN
open places. All the stores are closed
and 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, r. NJ
Two slight earthquake shocks have been
|elt here to-day. besides the one which
occurred in the morning. They were |
but slight quakes, and neither did any
further destruction. Not even durin. |
General GilmOre's bomhardmcnt of the |
city has there ever been such a dcplora-
bic state of affairs here. The city Is |
literally in ruins, and people are liv-
ng In the open squares and parks.
There is 4 great rash to the railroad de-
pots to get away, but owing to damage to
he railways no trains have been able to
De dispatched from the city. Te.egraphic
is also cut of save one
wire Of the Southern Company, which is
with anxious private messages.
Il is impossible to depict the ruin and
iesola;ion that prevails here. Nota single
'lace of business in the city is open,
ave the drug stores, which are busy
preparing prescriptions for the wounded.
t is still impossible to give any correct
of the killed and wounded, as
'odies are being constantly disinterred
rom the debris of wrecked houses. One
who was interviewed this
fternoon, states that lie had furnished
light collins up to noon. Many of the
cad of the poorer classes of colored
eopic lie unburied, awaiting inter-
lcEt by the county. There are not half
dozen tents in :he CITY, and
.omen and children are experiencing
reat privations in consequence. and as.
light approaches most of the heads of