The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-05-13
THE OWENS VALLEY EARTHQUAKE
A Disastrous Shaking Up at
Lone Pine.
Details Of the Noted Seismic Dis
turbance of Twenty Years Ago.
stone and Adobe Houses Destroyed and
Scores of People Killed Some
Wonderful Esoapea-Per-
sonAl Experiences.

$1,000
of action few miles from Owens lake,
Inyo county.
This terrible convulsion occurred on
Tuesday, March 26, 1872. The night was
calm, the sky clear, the moon just past
full. The Sierra Nevada mountains were
covered with snow, which shone like
robes of psarly satin in the moonlight.
The valley presented as peaceful and So.
cure scene ss eyes ever looked upon,
and the great mountains on either side
appeared the very embodiment of solid
ity and stability.
In an instant, without any warning
symptoms from the heavens above or
the earth beneath, the mountains were
swsying like storm-tossed trees and the
valley rolled like the sea.
A bout % minutes past 2 o'clock in the
morning great rumbling and roaring
were heard to come from deep in the
earth. At the same instant the ground
rolled violently; there was also twist
ing motion, and this, together with the
hesving and rolling, produced great and
instant destruction. Buildings of stone
or adobe were reduced to heaps of ruins
in a moment; and even strong frame
buildings were wrecked or thrown from
their foundations.
Had this awful convulsion occurred at
large city, there is no doubt it would
have been attended with such loss OF
life and property as was caused by the
most noted earthquakes in ancient or
modern times,
Fortunately the country affected was
sparsely settled. and there were no large
buildings inhabited by considerable
numbers of people. But in proportion
to population in the region affected the
lofs of life was very great.
The town of Lone Pine is situated five
miles north from Owens lake; Mount
Whitney, the highest peak OF the Sierra
Nevada. lie directly west from the town;
the summit OF the mountain is IL miles
distant in an air line. but to reach il
takes journey of three days.
The greatest loss of life was at Lone
Pine. About three-fourths OF the build
ings were of stone and adobe, and every
one of these WAS dashed into a heap of
ruins at the first crash of the earthquake.
More than so persons were instantly
killed or wounded. A large store crewd-
ed with goods fell and buried Rockwell
Loomis, one of the owners who was
sleeping in the building. Fire broke
out in tie ruin near where MIR.
Loomis was lying wounded and held
fast in the wreck. A large quantity of
powder in kegs was close by, and ii
looked certain that any moment the
horrors of an explosion would be- added
to the calamity. A man named William
Covington was also in the building and
escaped without hurt. He quickly
learned that l. oomis was alive and saw
his danger from the powder. The quak-
ings and roar of the earthquake yet con-
tinued, the screens of terr0r-stricken
women and the shouts of men were
heard on every side.
In the miast OF all this confusion and
terror Oovington made his way to his
friend, managed to extinguish the fire
and got the powder kegs covered secure
ly from sparks. He then got Loomis
free from the ruin and conveyed him to
a place OF safety. Men have gained last.
ing fame for deeds done in battle that
were not more truly heroic than this act
OF Covington.
In another house Mrs. O. M. Joslyn
and her little son were asleep in bed
when the craeh came. On the other
side OF partition her two little dsugh-
tiers we're sleeping. A falling wall in
stantly killed the child in the mothers
arms. and she was severely injured the
two girls were not hurt.
A large and strongly built brewery
was partially crushed in. Several peo-
pie were asleep in the building and all
escaped without injury, except an in
FAINT, the child of enc of the proprietors,
which was killed instantly.
In another house mother, two daugh-
ters and son were all instantly killed.
But it would be tedious to extend the
list of killed.
There were q number of remarkable
escapes, only few of which need be
mentioned. Colonel Whipple occupied
a two-story residence. On the night of
the earthquake his family we're absent,
and he slept on the second floor. When
the crash came the house went down,
and ne was buried in the ruin. He ex.
claimed: "This is DEATH" and thought
OF his absent family. He quickly found
himself able to move, and, though near
ly sufocated, managed to get out of the
ruin. He escaped with but a few slight
scratches. A man named Austin was
also sleeping in the house, in another
room. This man had one arm and TIA rec
ribs broken.
DR.. Gelcich occupied building, one
end being used as drug store and the
other as dwelling. The end of the
dwelling went out at the frat crash, and
through this he escaped with his wife
and infant child, just ga the eide walls
and roof fell in. From across the street
the doctor heard the cries OF Mrs. JOS
lyn, ealing for help where che was bur
led with her children in the ruins OF
her house. He started to give asaist-
anoe, but before he could do anything
another shock threw him down and he
was hurt SO severely as sttsrw ards
caused him to spit blood.
In another building two men were
sleeping together; one escaped unhurt;
the other was nearly killed.
All who escaped and were able to do
anything went to work at once to rescue
those who were yet in the ruins, and to
care fer the Injured who were already
released.
The bodies of the dead were also taken
from the ruins and prepared for burial
is were persons of foreign birth, having
no relatives near the place; collins were
prepared for these. each having the
name inscribed thereon. There were 10
of these collins; one of these CONTAINED
two bodies, q mother and child. ALI
these were buried in one great grave
this grave is about one-hali mile north
from Lone Pine, and ia still kept en-
closed within 4 neat picket fence. The
bodies of those who had relatives or
friends were taken charge of by these