New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-28
MONTREAL BADLY SHAAEN.
THE CITY PANIC STRICKEN BY AN EARTH
QUAKE.
ZIG BUILDINGS VIOLENTLY AGIrNTED-ThE
STREETS QUICKLY FILLED WITH TEi'hi-
FLED PEOPLE-TIIE SHOCK LASTED
FIFTY SECONDS.
fry TELEGRAPH TO The TEiBUxE.]

rBy TELEGRAPH TIE THiBrxF)
Montreal. Nov 27-An earthquake the most
severe in the history of Canada. visited Noh-
treaI this morning. Houses. churches ana s'ea'
public and mercantile buildings shook vio'eh'S.
Never before have such scenes been witnessed
in the city. although there were no ia,a'''.''
Tho whole population seemed to realize the
awful danger and almost instantly the s'ee''
were thronged WITH terrified people fleeing
from buildings which momentarily threa,cnci
10 crumble and fall Stores Offices, the city
Hall. the courts. the great Board OF Iraoe
building. Police Headquarters-all were aoan-
doned. The weak were trodden on. clothes were
torn and a prisoner on trial for a serious Oh
fence abandoned by his custodians, gained the
streets and liberty unhindered. People remem-
bered the prophecy made by Sister Bourgeois
nearly two centuries ago, that Montreal wouid
be destroyed by earthquake. Hardly puiiu-
ing has escaped without some marks oi the
earth's upheaval. while thousands OF mousse
wives on the island mourn the loss of china ana
glassware
According to Professor Mcleod OF McGil
University the shock first felt at ll:4' a. H.
and lasted without intermission for hfty secohus'
running from the northeast to southwest ana
being most severely felt in the business centre
and In the vicinity of the Lachine Canal. Inc
shaking of the earth was accompanied WIFI 4"
terrifying crushing. crumbling noise endihs
with a distinct crash. which led the majority
at first to think that some great explosion had
taken place.
The largest buildings were plainly seen to
rock In the upper part Of the city the plaster
cracked and fell in nearly every dwelling. while
window glass was smashed in all directions In
Morgans big dry-goods store In st Cathar'ne-
CT the counters laden with goods were over
turned Women fled screaming into the streets,
while the nre-escapes attached to the big fac-
tories downtown were crowded with employees
madlv fleeing from structures they expected u
tumble In ruins.
Perhaps the widest scenes were witnessed
at the court house in Notre Dame-st hfth
story Is being added, and for months there have
been rimors that the foundations were not
strong enough To bear the additional weight.
When the building swayed with the shock IL
WAS crowded In every part Inc puiidihs II
faIling,' shouted workmcn and clerks and a
stampede ensucd. In the Queens Bench James
Greet was In the dock. on trial Tor robDery'
When the quakinS was felt Judge Wurtie
irmped from the bench and made an undsn-
fled exit. The jurymen fled from the box ana
the police from their posts. all joining the spec
tators I'm the mad rush To escape In 'hs ,ush
Judge Dugas was thrown down stairs ana se-
verely injured No one thought OF the prisoner
Greet and ten minutes afterward. when the
panic had subsidized, he was found IN Notre
Dame-st. f. dazed condition and was qu'etiy
taken 'aCs. a.
While tle panic was at Its height two hre
ala rms sounded I'm quick succession. Then came
an ambulance call from St Catherine-st. wnere
part of a new building had fallen and had prob
ably fatally injured Moses Deefy. workman;
The Changing Of the bells added 20 the general
rerror In the big reservoir. said superintendent
Davis OF the water works. waves rose IKE seas
and the sides OF sixteen-foot deep trench, IN
which men were laying pipes. crumbed and fell
in the workmen being rescued from death with
the greatest difficulty. ,
Among the buildings most severely damaged
was the new presbytery of ~. Louis de France.
while in parts OF the Great Northwestern Iele-
graph Company's building the plaster felI IL
will he several DAYS before the full extent OF
damage done in the city and nelghboring DIS
tricts can be estimated. Reports or earthquake
are still pouring In from the surrounding towns
but the shock seems 10 have been most severely
felt in Montreal