The record-union., 1892-04-25
THE EARTHQUAKE BOOZE.
Effects of the Sensational Reports OF
the Disturbance.


[San Francisco Call, April 23dl
Newspapers which are filling their col
umns with exaggerated accounts of the
recent earthquake are engaged in poor
business. They could scarcely have
said more or done more in the way
of illustration ii the earthquake had
been as destructive as that of Charleston
in 1886 or that of Spain in 1884; and yet
up to date the public have to learn of the
first life that has been lost or the first ex-
tenslve destruction OF property. A few
frame buildings in two or three small
towns have been partially damaged.
Here and there wall and chimney has
been tumbled down; but the total dam
age has not been greater than that which
might have been done by a strong gale.
The catalogue of the catastrophes as
given in an enterprising contemporary,
partakeS OF the ludicrouS rather than the
appalling, though all the resources of the
reporters genius were called into play to
describe the lurid scene. There was "a
report as of a monster cannon" then
down crashed blocks of brick and
stone," "a mighty noise" preceded "a
fearful shock" cement cellar was
crushed" "a chimney fell with man on
1t. the man being luckily on top" walls
collapsed" "a man who was washing
dishes had to run for dear life into the
yard" milliner was knocked down by
powders which fell on her head" but as
the latter was uninjured it was prob
ably the bowlder which suffered, car
penter ''sprained his ankle in running
away, drunk and disorderly begged
to be let out of the calaboose for fear of
accident, and Immediately made himself
scarce" a safe was moved two feet"
some fruit jars were spilled, ""hats and
shirt boxes were crushed out of shape"
$500 worth of buggies were broken"
the windows of the bank were smashed -
Such desolation as this is not calculated
to start the tear of compassion on it's
downward flow. An earthquake so mild
in its fury might have escaped the VEN
geance OF the pictorial artist. 1t was not
worth while narrowing our feelings with
heartrending headlines for such an in
initeSimal disaster.
The simple truth is that the temblors of
Wednesday and Thursday were no worse
than the gentle earth waves of which
hundreds or more are recorded by seis-
mometers every year. lis very thought
less to describe it in the language which
was lifting to paint the Japan earthuuake e
of last October. Such accounts do the
State no good in the East and create an
uneasy feeling at home. Winters and
Vacaville owe no thanks to the newspa-
pers which represent them as scenes of
desolation and ruin, when, in fact, q few
carpenters and GLACIERS will etface all
traces of the catastrophe in a couple of
weeks.
Nor is it as wholesome for news
paper to place itself on the same plane as
the Oakland crank who lately predicted
the end of the world, and frightened a lot
of timid people out of their senses. Some
earthquakes are terrible things. They
are appalling because they cannot be fore
seen, their cause is unknown, and no one
can predict the extent of their ravaee.
Earthquakes have ground cities to
powder III five minutes, and have hurried
thousands of people to sudden grave.
1t is natural that they should be objects of
terror even among persons of ordinarily
resolute minds. No one can tell certain.
when the solid earth begins to move.
where the motion will stop, or what will
remain of the work of man when it has
stopped. But as such catastrophes can
neither be foreseen nor entirely guarded
against, it is not wise to fix the mind on
their contemplation. nor is it considerate
to display before the weak and the timid
exaggerated pictures of their violence.
when, in fact, they have not been violent.
and are not likely to become violent. We
are all of us in the hands of Providence.
and may die at any moment. But he
who feeds the fancy of the timorous with
visions of sudden death and approaching
cataclysm cannot be said to be iudicious
or right-minded.