Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-19
ISLAND EARTHQUAKES
A Graphic Description of Disturb
ances Similar to That Which
HAS JUST COST $4,000 LIVES.
How Manifestations of This Nature Are
Received in the Philippines.
AN EXPERIENCE NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN

In view of the destruction of Pacific
island with 1900 people, reported by cable
yesterday, an article BY Rufus Allen Lane
upon the Philippine Islands, with particu.
lar attention to earthquakes and eruptions,
in the August Cosmopolitan is of particular
interest just now. In it he says:
During residence of IS years in these
islands, my experience covered almost ev.
erything in the way of natural and civil
disturbances properly belonging to them
per Sc, such as earthquakes, typhoons,
thunder storms, epidemics of cholera and
fever, attempts at insurrection against
Spanish rule or the Catholic clergy, recep-
tions of foreign and native princes, etc.
Of them all, perhaps nv recollections OF
the earthquake year. 1880, are the most
vivid. These islands have suffered very
severely at different times from earthquakes,
the most notable in Manila being in 1645,
in 1868 and in 1880, when there was i'm
mense destruction to property and very
considerable loss of life
Nothing to Foreten an Earthquake.
There is absolutely nothing that foretells
the approach of an earthquake, its dura-
tion or severity; nor can it be looked for
more at one season than another, daytime
than night, unpleasant or sunshiny weather;
there is no certainty that one shock may
not be followed by others, lighter or worse;
or, on the other hand, that the shock may
not be the only one for months and per-
laps years.
During the II years of my residence
in Manila, up to July, 1880, We had at in
tervals had shocks innumerable, but none
of sufficient Importance to do any serious
damage to property or person, although
some lasted 20 and 80 seconds-quite long
enough to make it seem wise to run out
from under a roof or from near walls into
the open squares, without waiting to ar
range your costume or to care for what you
were leaving in the house behind you.
You are always conscious that you
do not know what may be coming
for while the shock may cause nothing
but a harmless fright, it may just
as likely be terrible destruction and re-
suit in leveling every building in the vi
cinity.
In 1880 we had been remarkably free
from earthquakes for some time; but
about the 18th of July there was slight
shock of short duration, followed by none
until three days later. The 18th tell on
a
large house on the banks of the river Pasig;
it was built of stone and timber, with a
heavy roof of tiles, and had a large open
veranda the whole length of the house on
the river side.
Hhile Sitting at Table.
This Sunday noon We were at table; We
had finished our tifin, or midday meal, and
were chatting over our coffee and cigars;
in nhor II har
right, two Englishmen and five Americans
The day was beautiful and cioudless, the
heat being tempered by a cooling sea-
breeze, and by the punka swung lazily over
our heads. Our conversation was sharply
broken in upon BY the ominous rattle OF the
glass pendants to the chandeliers.
''Earthquake"' said one quietly. An
other began to rise from the table, and all
looked attentive. 'It won't amount to
anything" said the first
well, guess won't take any chances"
said he who was already on his feet; and he
vanished toward the stairs. The servants
natives-on the first intimation had bolted
1or the open air in a body. By this time the
whole house was shaking like cage in the
hands of strong man, and we had all left
the table and started for the stairway. L
being seated at the foot of the table farthest
from the way to the stairs was the last to
get out OF the room, and in the corridor /
met some of my friends coming back, who
shouted to me, through the din and the
DUST "You can't get down; the walls of the
stairway are falling in.'' Bv this time
part of the roof was in, and a timber
had fallen and broken the back off the
chair that 1 had few seconds before va
Gated. The noise was terrific; the whole
house was groaning; furniture, lamps, plas-
far atNH hria lie 4o1l Il
breaking, tiles and timbers were coming
through from the roof, and the dust was
very dense. We turned into the first open
door in flock, and found ourselves in a
bedroom-the movement of the earthquake
shut the door through which we had come
and Jammed it RATS in trapI' someone
said. We pushed on as well as we could to
the other door, but it was like walking on
the deck Of vessel in a very heavy seaway.
This door opened on the veranda over the
river, but it was closed fast and not to be
started. A sudden lurch, caused by the
earthquake, swung the door out and we
stood in the open passage for second,
holding to the sides and to one another to
keep our footing.
Incidents of the e ,rthquake
We were four together at this time: the
other three had scattered. one getting safely |
downstairs and out into the garden. and two |
seekirg refuge in another part of the |
house upstairs. These were in quite |
as bad plight as ourselves, as We found |
out upon comparing notes later The floor |
upon which we four stood was of tiles and |
was working open beneath our feet. show |
ing the ground and the stables at least Is |
feet below US Meanwhile the fearful din |
was kept up all around, above and below us.
and it was hardly possible to maintain an
upright position. Across the river on the
island opposite we saw the tiled roof of the
fall off, not in, but as snow
slides off; then the roof timbers dropped in
side the stone walls, which stood up only
long enough to receive them; they in their
turn collapsed and fell upon these timbers.
'God"' groaned somebody, breaking our
own silence, and at the same instant one of |
our number rushed out upon the veranda
to jump into the river 80 feet
below, but portion of our own roof fell
Rnd knocked him down. A seconds pause
in the earthquake let us rush to his rescue.
but before he could be brought
in another, shock loosened the roof
timbers, some OF which fell and pinned
the unfortunate man down, breaking his
arm and badly cutting his head. Another
cessation allowed us to get our friend out,
and this time we all got safely downstairs
and into the open ground in front of the
house, when another and final shock, that
seemed to finish what was left to DESTROY,
came and terminated the earthquake.
My own sensations during this time were
chiefly OF mpatience-impatience for the
earthquake to stop and let me out of nv
perfectly helpless position, or else TO bring
he threatened annihilation upon us with
put further suspense. For days the earth
was in con nstant state ofmovement, though
generally SO slight as to be unnoticeable,
out every now and then decided shock
would send people hyinp into the street Mt |