Middletown transcript., 1886-09-09


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cts, a heavy rainfall meant sickness, disease
and death. People were aroused, and anx-
ious fathers began to look around for means
Of sheltering their wives and children. Very
little could be done in this direction, how
ever. The colored people at daybreak began
to hunt through the streets, and speedily took
possession Of all the old tin they could hnd.
In some of the vacant lots there we're sections
Of tin blown from the roofs BY the cyclone in
August 1885. and. which bad besn left lying
on the ground. In other PLACES there were
pieces Of tin from houses which had been un-
rooted by the earthquake. These were speed
lily taken possession of and utilized for cover
ing the frail tents that had been erected
Old boards from the debris around the streets
were also used for the same purpose. The
occupants of Washington Square made Q
raid upon the ruins of Hibernian Hall, and
were carrying off the old tin, planks, &C.,
when policeman came up. he explained to
them that be could not allow them to remove
the things without first obtaining permission
to do so, and the crowd very readily acquies-
ced in his orders and replaced the material
which they had started to carry cff. 1t
was a well-behaved, orderly crowd, and
showed no disposition to violate the law.
There have been shocks of earthquake all
day at intervals of two or three hours, but
very slight ones-enough, however, to Gre
ate panicky feeling. The parks and squares
are crowded with women and children as
usual, and the air is filled with the shouts
and prayers Of colored people. The night is
squally and cloudy and threatens to rain,
which would increase the suffering OF the
people. There was slight quivering OF the
earth tonight shortly before eleven O'Clock,
but no damage was done.
Mayor Courtney is expected to arrive ON
the first train on the Coast Line tomorrow,
and will hold special meeting of the city
council, when decisive steps will be taken
to afford protection from falling
buildings and clear the streets of some OF
the debris which now impedes the progress
of pedestrians and vehicles everywhere. Dis
patches continue to pour in offering aid.
About $96, 900 have already reached here.
From indications at hand It is believed that
the contributions will finally aggregate $780,
900, and that $500, 900 will have arrived BY
tomorrow night. Money sent by registered
letter or by express to Mayor Courtney or
the relief committee comes in the most desira-
bic shape although many contributions ar
rive in the form Of post-ofice orders, drafts,
etc.
Shortly after ten o'clock the scenes of des-
pair and fright at the City Hall were again
renewed by the falling buildings in that Vi
cinity.s The great crowd near st. Philips
Church, where the tall spire is being torn
down, fed precipitately. The steeple Of st.
Michaers Church, the landmark OF the city,
which was supposed to have been completely
wrecked, appears to be about the only tall
structure which can be permitted to stand
Considerable feeling was aroused in the
city to-day by the statement of Prof Simon
Newcomb that tidal wave might be looked
for, or was within the probabilities. This
opinion is secuted by Prof. MCGEE and Men
denhall, who are now here, and who say that
| if Prof. Newcomb had been familiar with the
facts he would not have hastily expressed
any such opinion. The scientists in question
| say that there cannot be q tidal wave in con-
sequence, or az an accompaniment of the re-
cent earthquakes, and that there is no reason
to expect tidal wave under any circum-
stances at Charleston, on account of the pe-
| culiar formation of the seacoast. A tidal
wave, even if it approached Charleston, would
expand aud dissipate itself in shallow water
| long before it reached our shores. Profs.
MCGEE and Mendenhall are confident that the
earthquakes are substantially over, although
there may be occasional tremblings or detoua-
tions. One of their reasons for saying this
is that all the spouting wells which have
been formed in the neighboroood Of Charles
by the earthquake ceased to flow yesterday,
which fact is taken as proof that the abnor-
NAL stress and pressure which induced the
spouting has passed away, and that the nor
NAL conditions have been resumed.
Two more shocks ofearthquake were felt at
Charleston Tuesday, one of them quite severe
shaking down cornice piece on to scaffold
and seriously and perhaps fatally lnJuring
workman. Four more deaths, traceable tc
the earthquake, are reporteL. The people
are still leaving the city, taking advantage o
the special rates and free tickets issued by th'
railroads. A heavy rain set in Tuesday
afternoon and increased the discomfort of th'
people, Mayor Courtenay has issued pro
clamation and assumed the direction o
affairs. fEBff
The situation Tuesday evening is described
as more appalling than on any night sine
the first fatal shock. The repeated earth
quake shocks during the day have demoral
lied the people, but this ID nothing in com
parison to the! weather. A heavy drenchini
shower set in about $50 P. N. A stead.
rainfall of two or three hours means to tn
thousands of helpless women and children ou
| in the streets, discomfort, disease and death
The city is doing all it can with the relic
fund TO erect temporary shelter in the parks
and up to tonight has been able to provid
quarters for more than $500 people, all col
ored. The 80 tents sent here by the govern
ment are the only ones that have been re
ceived thus far Ii is useless to endeaVor t
persuade women and children to return t
their houses although they might thus oh
tain shelter from the rain. No woman VIII
was in house during the quake of Tuesda
night could be persuaded to sleep in it again
at least while the shocks continue as the
have With the September rains, there
absolutely no hope. Over 1000 application
had been fled with the relief committee fc
tents Tuesday. 1t will take at least 1000
: supply the wants of homeless people.
THE LATEST NEWS.
1 The latest dispatch dated yesterday tells {
| another shock The latest particulars as