The morning call., 1892-07-10
IN THIS CITY.
The Explosion Causes General Alarm and
Bees Damage.
Houses shaken and Windows Broken-sinOr Gas
ualties Reported Scenes and
Incidents.

10 say that the city and its inhabitants
were considerably disturbed yesterday
morning by the effects of the explosion
would De putting it a great deal more
mildly IMAM the facts would warrant. If
asked about II nine out of ten of the people
o. the city would say that they were CON-
pletely paralyZed. There was decided
novelty, dlSagreeable though it were, about
the shocks as felt here. There was deton-
alton about the shocks remindful of the dis
charge OF cannon sufficiently heavy to
rack The nerves. and al the same time a
trembling after effect remndful of an earth
quake which was able to cause the strongest
to feel cold shivers OF fear for moment or
two.
Even ii the buildings of the city were able
to vent their opinion CT the event which
caused their walls and joints to groan and
quake. they would unQuestionably admit
that they felt decidedly queer under the
effect is CT the strange atmospheric disturb
anees.
The first intimation that anv one on this
side Of the bay had of the occurrence of
anything out of the ordinary run OF
mundane affairs was at 900 o'clock, when
a loud report was heard followed by a
slight trembling Of the earth. Another re-
port similar TO the first was felt a few
moments afterward
While speculation was rife as to what
was the cause of the strange reports and
the accompanying eartbquaky sensations
there came another defamation that sounded
like the discharge OF a broadside from a
modern man-of-war. 1t was followed by
another and yet another. the latter being
not quite so heavy.
lie reports were followed by a shaking
OF the earth SO violent that buildings
rocked. and in the downtown portion Of
the city the reports and tremblngs of the
earth were accompanied by the crash of
failing broken glass from large show-win-
do"s. and the shreks of frightened women
| and children mingled with the hoarse cries
OF men as they rushed from the sidewalks
to the streets and glanced around in a
frightened manner, as If they knew not
what to expect next.
downtown the occupants of the stores
rushed ont and joined the pedestrians who
had He'd from the sidewalks 10 the streets.
| Eyes looked askance at each other from
Their framework of blancbed features. and
| by their expressions mutely queried as TO
what was the cause OF the strange aud sud-
| den events. For moment lips were dumb
with excitement and fear.
But IN the residence districts the eommo-
| ton was none the less great In fact, beiu z
| principally confined to women and children,
1t was Of hysterical character. In the
| Mission. Western Addition, North Beach
and other sections houses were rocked,
| windows were ratified and in many cases
broken. doors were shaken with more
| violence than If a strong man was endeavOr-
| ing 10 enter by exercising all his physical
| force, and household utensils were knocked
| about 10 manner that was decidedly
! alarming. 1t was no wonder that frightened
women and more frightened children ran
about the streets as If they were erszed and
| knew not wnat 10 do with themselves The
| excitement among them soon subsidized,
! though, with the cessation of the reports
| and il was followed by an OyeTweeping
curiosity to know what the cause OF the &C.
curTence was. Many fastened TO get down
| town for the purpose OF learning particu-
| lars. Already news of what had actually
| happened had arrived and excitement was
| allayed. Attention was turned to repairing
the extensive damage in the shape OF broken
windows that had been done. Taken alto
gether. the scare, while it lasted, was about
| as genuine one as the people of this city
have had for many years past. The dam
age, too. taken collectively. will amount to
| several thousand dollars.