The morning call., 1892-04-20
AMONG THE RUINS.

Graphic Account Of the Situation at
Dixon.
DIXON, April 19.-"Marius sitting amid
the ruins of Carthage at night" If the
noble Romans shade were permitted to re-
visit these ''glimpses of the moon" it would
feel like old times in Dixon tonight. Your
correspondent is writing these lines in an
apartment of which the bulk of the wall
plaster lies on the floor, while the rest is
hanging like half-hearted politician ttwixt
hopes and fears and is expected to come
down at any moment. II is comforting TO
be told that the shock expected tonight Is
to be heavier than that of the early morn
ing and that nobody is going to bed. As
rule. the first shock OF an earthquake is the
greatest, and ligl ter shocks follow at inter-
walls growing gradually longer. That is the
rule in earthquake countries and was the
ease in the Napa Valley last year We
have not arrived at the dignity OF an earth
quake country like Nicaragua, Salvador and
Guatemala, but the people who have driven
into town tonight from Vacaville and
Winters are satisfied with what they have
seen without travelling. l have just re-
turned from a tour of the town and my
shoes are cut with the broken glass. which
flashes all over the street like unset dia-
monds. l have crawled over heaps of
brick and lumber and gazed at the
stars through the yawniDg and roof
Iess walls Of buildings that were COM
pact cosy homes and proud public structure
"A hours ago.
In the shadow Of the Baptist church
stood. not half an hour ago. looking
n the walls falling inward and the
sptre Leaning outward, wondering il,
when the structure fell. as 1t seemed it
must every instant, it would fall my way.
am surprised to bs told that Contractor
murray OF Sacramento, who was down to-
easily be rebuilt under $4,000. The north
ana south walls have already fallen. /
nave been looking through the roofs of the
stru lures adjoining the Masonic Hall.
Itself scanned and cracked in every direc.
ton and sc0rched WITT the FIRE which
broke out in Dugan's store Alongside OF
u, close by, is a heap of glass and crockery
In the streets, wherein acids and alkalies are
fixing and neutraliZing each other. They
aTe part OF the wreck of the stock In trade
OF drug store that was the picture Of bust
ness enterprise and Ieatness just one day
ago. The shock has done almost Gs much
damage In the surrounding country as in
Dixon. Nearly all the dwellings are wrecked,
and wherever substantial building
has stood the shock 1t has been twisted or
wrenched from its foundations. la the
cemetery some of the finest monuments are
either displaced or broken down. Like
death. an earthquake Is a great leveler.
The school houses are badly wrecked:
one. costing $1,000. Is twisted off the
foundation, and the roof has cayed 10. The
csntracto have been making estimates all
the afternoon. and 1t is safe to say that it
will cost SIS. 900 to make repairs-S50,0 900 In
town and $25, 900 in the vicinity. People are
walking about with a baggard and dazed
aspect. arising partly from want OF sleep.
partly from shock and partly from expecta-
lions of another shake-ip. The stoppage OF
eIocks confirms the general impression that
Inc main shock o CURED - 2 80 A. NJ. There
las distant rumbling and detonation, and
: nasty, vicious twist 1T the wind-up. IL