The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-12
SHAKEN FOR NEARLY A YEAR.
Seismic Disturbances Drive Many Mexi-
cans From their Homes.

The people are moving out of the
dangerous localities by hundreds. Ever
since the first severe shock, on May
3, 1887, the noises and tremblings have
continued with increasing violence.
The indications of the coming of a
serious earthquake or of the bursting
forth Of volcano are shown by the
peculiar moisture of the earth and the
appearance of hot springs which usually
precede such disturbances. Wide seams
and cracks are numerous in the noun
tains, and several streams have been
turned from their courses into these
chasms. The violence of the most re-
cent shocks has been such that sev-
eral land-slideS ha-e occurred, and here
and there the Whole side Of mountain
has come down. Between Batapeto
and Fronteras the ground has opened
and then settled and the confguration
of the country has been entirely
changed. In one spot the ground rolls
like the waves of the sea and steam and
boiling water are thrown up. The
crust of the earth is very thin and an
eruption Of volcanic matter is expected
at any moment.
The Mexican scientific expedition,
which made careful examination of
the scene of the old earthquakes, has
returned and reported eXhaustively on
its discoveries. The belief is that the
earthquakes will continue with increas-
ing force until a volcano breaks out. 1t
was found that the region of distur-
bance had been almost deserted There
are few persons still living in the
once populous town of Bavispe, but
they are in extreme destitution from
lack of food and clothes. The State
Government of Sonora has sent COM
missary to the Old town, and private
subscriptions for clothing have been
received.
The terrors of the earthquakes of last
May are vividly remembered. One of
the severest shocks was felt in the City
of Mexico. The oscillation was from
north to south, and the duration thir-
ty-five seconds. At 3:05 in the morning
another shock was felt, the movement
that time being from east to west. 1t
was accompanied by an oscillatory mo-
ton which lasted five seconds. The
first shock caused panic in some
neighborhoods. Men, women and chill
dren rushed into the streets. The
shock tangled the bells in the church
towers, threw articles from shelves and
damaged many buildings. The walls
of the old convent of st. Augustine,
which was used as a warehouse, one of
the most massive buildings in the city,
were cracked and crumbled. The first
shock was much more severe than the
second, and many persons were nau-
seated by the unusual movement. It's
said that if the shock had continued
two minutes the whole city would have
been in ruins.
The seismic convulsions were gen.
orally felt throught the States of Hidal-
go, Mexico, Morelos, Puebla, FlaScala,
Vera Cruz and Oajaca. In the city of
Puebla the shock was very severe, the
earth oscillating from north to south.
In Theuacan, State of Puebla, it was
oscillatory and trepidatory, and several
shocks We're felt. In Tezcuco, fourteen
, miles from the City Of Mexico, the
Xtrembling of the earth was very strcng.
y Jalapa there was a shock lasting
~. nsy seconds, and twelve miles south
w. th;Ss town five distinct quakes were
ss1t fo,I,E.E E.Eing ing each other in rapid sue
.- wv IVY sd buildings were knocked
down ~ no.. sss-a those towns, and
many persons " -
aqueduct was destrcsr ~ N1 .asos
plies were cut off ist>eS - ;r,,,.;nds
With the earthquake cslr ~ a,,5 i,,,''
which tore trees from ~ ~ Dnr ~
the air became insufferab, f;htSs.e.
ing the shocks houses swayeG - 80 fSs: s:.:
at sea, and persons arising ffR1ar5 ff1r5
beds were unable to keep the}. ,%s;-bt
Many doors Were thrown open, i,
in the windows was shattered, st
dogs howled loudly, while horse ,
neighed and stamped. Clocks wsrto o
stopped in nearly every instance.
The earthquake Of last year was NJ,
the first one in the history of Yin
City of Mexico. The heaviest shoe
this century was experienced i'll ,,,d !,
Like that Of last year, it happ' ~. 49,,
the mig: =. a.. r,,x- ny all
equally severe disturbance next day.
For several days people sought refuge in
the streets, fearing to enter any build
ing. Prior to that there was heavy
shock in lS47. In 1864 and again in
1882 there were severe shocks in the
City OF Mexico and the surrounding
country, cracking the front walls of the
parish church and the Sagario and the
heavy foundations of the London bank
building.
Some time after the earthquake of
last May it was discovered that a small
volcano had burst forth in the noun
tains in the interior Of Arizona terri
tory. Fortunately the eruption was in
All uninhabited section, and no dam
age was done to life or property. The
brilliant illumination at night and the
clouds of smoke and ashes which were
blown for miles at first gave rise to the
belief that widespread forest fires were
burning. Investigation showed that
not one but several small volcanoes had
.>,3o +la;r oDnao-,Dca simultaneous