The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-13
EARTH'S GENTLE SHAKE.
SAVANNAH IN THE TRACK OF
ANOTHER SEISMIC WAVE.

A Distinct Earthquake Felt through
the City at $50 O'Clock Yesterday
Windows Rattle and Walls
Tremble, but no Damage Done-How
the Shock Was Felt.
EARTHQUAKES are seemingly 'the go"
again, 1t is not at all likely though that
thew will be as fashionable this season as
they were two years ago, for Savannah soon
tires of anything chestnutty, and earth
ouakes have got to be very much on that
order
A very distinct shock was felt through
the city at 9:33 O'Clock Yesterday morning.
II was of very short duration-not more
than five seconds at the longest-but there
was no mist aking what it was Windows and
doors ratified. buildings swayed pcrceptibly,
ornaments and pictures were shaken, and
in an instant there was stampede of tinid
people into the streets.
1T CAME AND WENT.
The shock was over though before most
of them got ont of dOors-though there were
some whom it would take a very lively
earthquake TO get the start of since their
experience of two years ago.
At the Telephone Exchange and in the
telegraph offices the movement was very
distinct. The operators dropped their keys
and III an instant there was break in
every wire.
They kept their desks. though, and the in
corruption was so short that it was hardly
noticed Up in the Telephone Exchange
the operators as soon as they felt the build
ing sway, dropped their plugs and sub
scribers were cut out" without word. In
the MORNING News building the tremor
was hardly noticed because of the constant
Earring of the presses and heavy machinery.
In some of the schools it was felt, but there
was no scare
ONLY A TREMoR THEN.
What is now called shock would, fifteen
months ago, have been called only "A slight
tremOr. The movement came without any
warning and it was over almost before its
direction could be told. Careful observers
generally agree though that it moved from
west to east. 1t was more generally observed
in the northern part Of the city than it was
elsewhere, because most of the buildings
there are of brick In frame buildings the
shock was scarcely felt
At the signal station it was not
noticed at all. The building is
tall and is constantly Jared by
the passing of heavy loaded wagons and
drays, so that unless the shock is very Sc
we're it would not be felt. The observers
examined their instruments carefully, and
when they came to the thermometer, the in
strument used for measuring the velocity Of
the wind, the registering pencil was found
slightly detected, as though it had been
Jared out OF position.
THE TINE or THE SHOCK.
The detection occurred at 952l5 Wash
ington time. Observer Salisbury said that
1t was evidently caused 10y the tremor
That fixes the time of the shock here at
9:321s city time.
There was no rumbling sound like that
which accompanied the earthquakes of 1886,
although at other points where the shock
was felt the rumbling was heard
Reports from the country state that the
shock was felt all along the Savannah river
and through the adjoining counties, at the
wharVeS along the river. and on board of a
number of vessels the shock was very per
ceptble, but it was in the city that it was
most felt.
There was a good deal of inquiry about
Charleston and Summervile as there al
ways is whenever an earthquake is reported.
If they are all right Savannah is counted
all right. The fresh disturbance has started
anew the discussion of seismic theories.
and they are about as many,
and as vagul as they ever were
Everybody though. old earth had got
pretty well settled from the shake up of two
years ago, hut yesterdays quake makes
them think that there are still some big
holes to be filled in before everything is
solid again