The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1890-12-06
WHEN HOUSES REELED.
An Expsrlsaes In the Awfal Charissteu

In Exporlenco In the Awful ChsrIeston
Esrthquske.
After . few hours Of pleasant conver-
,ation. one OF my guests said IL was
lime TO leave writes Ewing Iibson in
St Nichola. Taking ont his watch. he
continued six minutes after 10. and
what Is thatp" A low. deep rum.
cling noise as OF thunder only be-
neath instead OF above VA coming
from aiar and approaching as nearer
and nearer muttering and .Rroaning.
aud ever increasing in volume--it
was upon us in an instant
The massive brick house we were
In began TO sway from side TO side.
gently at first with n rythm!cal mo-
ton. then gradually increasing in
force until springing TO our feet we
seized one another by the hand and
gazed with blanched and ave- struck
faces at the lettering walls around US.
Wo felt the floor beneath our feet
heaving like the deck 0f storm.
tossed vessel. and heard the crashing
Of fallen masonry and ruins on every
side With almost stilled hearts We
realized that we were In the power o;
AN earthquake. The motion OF the
house never ceasing. became now
vertical. UP aud down II went rs
though some monstrous giant had
taken It in his hands "a q plaything.
and were tossing It like a ball for his
amusement Recalling our dazed
senses and staggering 10 our feet as
best we could. with one accord We
rushed down the steps leading TO the
front door, and grasping the handle.
turned it In vain--the door was
jammed. and we were compelled to
wait like rats In q trap until the shock
had passed!
Concentrating its energies Into ono
final. convulsive effort the huge
earth wave passed. and left the earth
palpitating and heaving like q tired
animal There came crashing down
into our garden-plot the chimneys
from the house In front OF ours. For
tunateiy the falling bricks injured
none Of us. Making another trial.
we succeeded in opening the door and
rushed into the street
Now there came upou as an
overpowering. sutfocating odor OF
sulphur and birthstone which filed
the whole atmosphere We wer
surrounded by crowd OF neighbors
men. women and childrea -who
had rushed out OF their houses, as we
had done and who stood with u, in
the middle OF tho street. awaiting
they know not what
suddenly there came again to our
ears the now dreaded rum bling sound.
Like some fierce animal growing, and
seeking its Victim. 1t approached and
we all prepared ourselves for the
worst Tho shock came. and for q
moment tho crowd was awed into
silence. Fortunately this shock was
not nearly 80 severe as the first The
earth became still onoe more and the
roaring died away in the distance.
How the people shuuned their
houses and spent that and succeeding
nights In tho streets private gardens
and on pablo squares 10 we'll known
from the many accounts given In the
daily aad illustrated papers at the
time.
So perfectly still and calm was the
air during the night that a lamp which
was taken out into the open air burn,
as steadily rs though protected In q
room and no hickering revealed the
preseuce OF breath OF wind.
Again. some strong and powerful
buildings In certain portions OF the
city were wrecked completely while
others older and undou btedly weaker
passed through tho shock unframed.
A house on the corner was perfectly
shattered. whise just few hundred
feet away tho house on the opposite
corner was not damaged IN the slight
est except thai q little plastering wal
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