The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-09-02
Don't Diet
TaE EARTH IRE Mni.sD.
iioa.shoias Rudeiy Awakened at an Ear,y
Hoar BY tho shake.

Haur by tho shake
Shortly after O'clock yesterday morn.
ing. an earthquake shock, from South to
North and lasting from 10 to 30 seconds,
visited this city and startled its sleeping
inhabitants from their early morning
nap. The shock. although q slight one.
caused much condemnation In many
households. Out OF the quist OF the
Sunday morninx came the rattiInz OF the
windows and the sound OF changing pans
from the kitchens. At tho same time
many aleepers resting peacefully In their
beds were consclous OF q rapid vibration
which caused their couches to sway back
ward and forward.
What can cause moro terror to the hu,
man rnind than the shaking of the earth2
Arush to the, door, and the knob is
thrown out OF ones hand; rush to throw
up the window and peer outside. aud
everything seems TO be seizsd with the
palsy. Such was the case yesterday and
the peobie were terrified. Women ran
screaming to tho windows while the men
started suddenly from their sleep and
leaped anxiously from their beds. As lar
as IL is known there was no damage done
about WilminHton excepting the. break.
ing Of china and the throwing OF orna--
ments and lamps from brackets and
tabies. Had the shock been of longer iu-
ration serious damage would hays TO-
lowed. s-.
The shook was distinctly felt In eve
portion Of the city. and 1t was the gsnerai
conversation OF the day. In the neighbour
hood OF Eighth and Washington etreets
the shock seem to DO more distinctly felt
thanin the other sections of the city. The
residents 10 that section cay that had the
shock continued for few seconds longer
they are sure their honses would have
tninbled down on thsir heads. Que man,
In speaking OF the shock. said he thought
car had run of tho truck and had struck
il a .l..lx. . H. II.
like that oil failing rain aud the motion to
the violent shaking up In hanmoce.
Tne description OF the violation nc.
companying the earthquake given by DIFF
ferent people vary but that there was
shock. and quite pronounced one at
that, Is not denied BY eingle person.
How loug tho shock lasted is not known.
Persons who wero awake at the time and
peroeptlbly felt the shock. are Of different
opinions. Some say 1t lasted ten seconds.
Ten seconds, howevar. ls the shortest
time recorded and 1t is reasonable to
suppose that about fifteen seconds was
the duration of time OF tho shock. The
time at which the seismic phenomena 90.
curred 10 notknown, exactly. Some who
heard IT declare IL came at Q O'Clock. while
others say it WIS at 20. Still others
place 1t between the minutes
The earthquake was perGeptibly felt all
over the state and noticeably SO beyond
the state line.
OF all the persons spoken to yesterday
not one could remember hearing any
noise at tho time OF the quake. Tie
schock came without any warming upd
took everybody by surprise 1t was mi.
nus that rumbllng sound which usually
accompanies an earthquake. 1t is elm
guar fact that the shake was first felt by
the women. In almost every case man
Will say that he was awakened by his wife
who excitedly asked, DO you hear thatf'
Whether the shock came upon the city
Fami indar fha =, hot Oh "a
does not own tho ehrth. or whether a
woman is especially sereltive to earthly
troubles cannot be satd. but nevertheless
the TACT remains that she was the first to
OF the doors.
The visitors In the city at the hotels
were very little disturbed by the earth
quake. But few ielt the shock at all. MIR,
Willis, OF the Clayton House said he was
awoke and when the shock came he arose,
As heavy wagon was passing down the
stteet he Thought the rumbllng sensation
was caused by 1t.
OTHER EARTHQUAKES.
The most memorable earthquake that
has been felt in this section was on Octo.
Der 0. 1871.
1t was within day or two Of the time A
great tidal wave had been predicted. ;riis
earthquake began with quite detona.
tion ana The vibration continued for sev-
ernl seeonIs o Children ran screaming
from chool.houses, men threw their tools
down in the workshops and people ran
terrified from their houses
There was another shalIe.up on August
10, 1854. 1hs, two, was quite violent and
people ian from their houses wondering
what was gong to happen. On August
81, 1854 there was another earthquake
which was not only felt in Wilmington.
but was general throughout the United
Sta e6.
On March s. 1889, there was another
earthquake. This one occurred at night
and people left their beds put on their
clothing and He'd from their houses and
went to the streets.
Inc earthquake which took place 10 '72
or 15 ia said to have been on March O. 1t
will he noticed from the dates given that
thle1 OF the tive earthquakes on record,
lneiuuinR the one yesterday, took plaza
In August or September, ana one occurred
Just nine years ago TO a day.
Ihis would appear IS IL the season Of
the year had something to do with the
shock.
The river was moved by the uuakInR
and q fishing party which left New Castle
al o'clock Yesterday morning In q shad
skin returned last night and report having
ielt the ELECTS OF the quake when few
miles below Delaware City.
Reports from the lower part OF the
State indicate that the shock was by no
means light In that section. A swaying
notion followed by deep rumbling
sound was felt In all parts OF Sussex
county. Ii continued for several seconds,
during which tlme large quantities OF
/ ftett fell from the trees. Tho peach
growers arc conRratuating themselves
today that they have the bulk OF their
crops harvested.