Evening star., 1886-09-01
WASHINGTON IN A TRENOR.
Last Nights Earthquake Distinctly
Felt Here.

A PANIC IN THEATER-wHAT THE sCIEN.
lists SAY ABOUT 1.-THE SIGNAL OFFICE
RECORDS AMUSING INCIDENTS OF THE
'SHoCK."
The absorbing topic on the streets this morn
ing was the earthquake and the common salu-
tation when neighbOrs met this morning was
did you feel it?" An earthquake shock of
considerable violence was experienced in this
city last evening, the firsD tremor occurring a
few minutes before ten o'clock, was followed
by another about ten minutes later. The
quaktng was SD alarming that many persons
ID panlcky condition made their way from
buildings TO the street. The shocks made
themselves manifest everywhere by the vibra-
tlon of chandeliers, the rafting OF loose windows
In The Corcoran buIdinr on I5th sieeef chs
Evans building, on New York avenue: the
noteis i'll the vicinity; the Post building, on
!Oth street; the Grand Army hail, on 9th street;
Masonic Temple, on street, aud other tall
buildings and in the department buildings the
occupants ieit the shock and hurried from the
buildings. There was great deal of alarm
manifested at this unusual occurrence. and
some people in their freight reported the fact to
the ponce. The central portions of the city
seemed TO nave experienced the shock more
generally, although reports from all sections of
the city Indicate that it was not confined TO a
Il few minutes before this had notified the
Washington Western Union operators that the
shake was coming and to look out tor it, but
no attention was paid TO the warming as it was
regarded as joke.
THEATER PARTLY EMPTIED.
AtAlbaugh's Opera House, where the summer
opera company WAS singing the "Mascot,"
when the first shock occurred it was felt dis
tinctiy Dy the persons in the gallery, many of
whom being alarmed started hastily to leave
Those sitting in the lower part of the house cid
not at once discover the cause for the move.
ment, but supposed there was a fight. A
Danlcky feeling nratai1p6 and
Gentlemen In different parts OF the house rose
and shouted TO people TO "sit down." Oruer
was soon restored though not until many of
those In the gallery nau made their exit. A
lew minutes later a second shock occurred and
MANY OF those remaining in the gallery con-
Guided il was time to 60 and went Thus,
When the third act opened, about half Of the
audience was gone.
COM AIRING NOTES
Everyone to-day had something to tell about
the earthquake, and in the departments the
government lost much of the time Of the clerks
taken up in comparing notes In some parts of
the city bells We're rung in the houses In some
houses this disturbance was attributed to rats
or to spirits. Many amusing incidents occurred
in different parts OF the city. The members OF
one a1rghted family on Capitol Hill deserted
their house and cainped for time in their
time before they recovered courage enough 10
venture back into the house.
AT THE NAVAL OBSERVATORY
At the naval observatory. last evening, the
observers felt u slight movement similar to that
which was experienced in other parts of the
city. AT first it was though TO be an explosion
some distance away. but the conclusion was
soon reached that it was an earthquake The
movement, however, did not have the violence
that was experienced by those occupying high
buildings III oliler parts OF the city Prot
Asapn Hall had just reached his home In West
Washington, When the first shock came. The
movement was not very great. but it Was quite
perceptibie. He thought at first 1t was caused
by tie blasting operations in the aqueduct tun-
nent OF the earth. He did not detect the sec
ond movement. but his vile said that she felt
It. Ine professor said that no record was made
at the observatory, as there were no means OF
recoruing such phenomena. Earthquake suocks
are SO lnrequent in tins locality, iIe said. that
observations would he o, little value. The pro-
lessor did not seem TO be Of the opiDiOn That
earthquakes could be predicted, but he said
that wnen reports came in from ditferent locali-
to the extent and direction of the movement,
ana. perhaps, OIL its origin, whether caused by
volcanic disturbances Or not.
MR.. GOODFELLOw OBSERVATIONS
MIR. Edward Goodfellow, OF the U. s. coast
and geodetic survey, has sent 10 The STAR the
following record Of his observations: Last
night, Tuesday, August 81, while reading in
my room at Normanstone, the residence OF
Miss Kate Barnard, on the heights OF George
Observatory, noticed q tremor OF an unusual
sort, the cause OF which did not feel sure OF
for some fifteen seconds. The tremor Then con-
mouse tfom west 10 east, aud sound as of
heavy wagons being driven over the
effect OF AN earthquake, and on looking
AZ my watch (Which was On Time OF the 75o
merida mer1dianl In ! noted ;s, eh 5sm, SOS, and CON
gave sure evidence OF their origiu, noted the
time when they ceased-9n., 55m. The room
was then In is second-story room. Assuming
The Time OF beginning OF the shock as ID SEQ
onds befure consulting my watch, the duration
OF TINS shock Was min, Is secs.-a period OF
fnro tho. Ixn
locality. On going down stairs found that
several ladies' OF the family had observed the
shock with Its steady vibration from west to
east. Five minutes later the lower windows in
the house began u rattle and lighter shock
began. Time: 1Oh, ON. TO lOh., Om.. 3Os.
PROF. NkWCoMBs VIEWS.
STAR reporter visited Prof. Simon New.
comb. at the Navy department, and inquired If
the earthquake of last night could be explained
upon any astronomical basis. He said it could
not That SO far no astronomical explanation
can be made; that 1t was apparently produced
by something going on in the interior OF the
earth; so,netning ntireiy geological
The reporter called his attention to the fact
that tue remarkabie weather Of tnis season had
Ny some oeen ascrlbed to planetary changes
taking place. "rhat Is all nonsense" ;" replied
the professor. There are no planetary Changes
Changes we have had during the season do not
affect the earth a foot beneath its surface, the
ADsurdity oI The theory is apparent"
AN EARTHQUAKE COMMISSION.
After the He'll Gate explosion several years
ago., commission was appointed by Major
Powell, Of the geological survey, to investigate
earthquake effects. The menabers are as fol-
lows Capt. DuttDn, Of the survey; Prof. Davis,
OF Harvard college; Prof. Mendennsii. OF the
signal service; Prof. Hail, OF the observatory,
anu frof. Clarke, vi the geological survey. TINS
commission issued, in February last, circular
giving " observers stationed In various rarls
should answer In regard to lne occurrence Of an
earlhqaake. The Information sought 70 be OBJ