The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-12-18
Some Thrown to the Ground by Force
of the Shock and One Woman So
Badly Scared She Fell Dead.
EVEN ROYALTY AFFECTED
WINDSOR CASTLE AND OTHER HIS
TORIC STRUCTURES SHAKEN.
Many Incidents, and n Flood of Let
ters from Scicntists-Mrs. Drayton
and Mr.. Haig Married.

LONDON, Dec. 1s-England and Wales
had new experience yesterday i'm the
form of earthquake severe enough to
frighten many people, and the newspapers
this morning full OF dispatches giving
accounts of the disturbance. The shock
seems to have been felt in greater or less
degree throughout the length and breadth
of this island, throwing from his feet the
laborer toiling on the highway and pene-
trating in its effect to the abode of royalty
itself. The shock was felt distinctly at
Windsor Castle and some of the royal
household were shaken in their beds.
Furniture. china and ornaments were rat
tied in several rooms on the north side of
the castle. One official of the castle, de-
scribing the effects they seem to him,
says the tower literally rocked. This SEN
sation was at first supposed to be due to a
powder mill explosion at Hounslow.
From all accounts the shock was the
most severe ever experienced in this coun-
try. Every spire from Durham to Surrey
and from London to the Welsh coast was
shaken. The subterraneous disturbance
was first noticed at about $50 o'clock yes
terday morning and lasted from four to
thirty seconds. AT many points two dis
tinct shocks were experienced. The most
severe shocks were felt at Cheltenham
Ledbury and Dean forest. The earth
shaking was accompanied by a loud. rush.
ing sound. Building were violently shaken
furniture was shifted, doors were thrown
open and pictures and other ornaments
were upset. The inhabitants were panic
stricken and fled from their houses The
earthquake also visited Birmingham and
various points in Shropshire and was vio-
;,,
rounding that city. Houses rocked and
furniture was overturned.
The shocks were followed by a tremor of
the earth and were accompanied by a
rumbling sound. The greatest alarm pre-
vailed everywhere. Chimneys were over
thrown and windows etc.. were smashed.
At some points persons on the country
roads were thrown down, and a number of
people were shaken sout of their beds.
Hereford Cathedral was injured. There
the dull rumblng beneath the earth's sur
face was followed by two loud crashes and
a terrible lifting and rocking. The panic at
Hereford great that one woman
died of fright. People rushed wildly into
the streets. Many chimneys fell crashing
into the thoroughfares and all the pinnacles
of st. Nicholas Church toppled over and
part of the pinnacle of the cathedral fell
to the ground. At Liverpool the earth
quake was preceded by heavy thunder and
fearful hailstorm.
In London the earthquake was only
slightly felt. A singular phenomenon oc-
CURED at Bridgenorth, near Shrewsbury,
previous to the disturbance. The streets
suddenly seemed to be on fire and there was
a violent report. accompanied by a shaking
Of the earth. People who were going abroad
in that vicinity say they were for time
unable to walk, owing to the vibrations.
| There was very great excitement among
| the rustics about Poole, who thought that
| the end of the world mad come. Houses
| shook for nearly a minute at Bristol and
| Clifton, causing much alarm in those dis
tricts. The railroad employees at Crewe re-
| port that they felt the rails oscillate.
At Evesham the shock was followed by a
brilliant light in the sky. In the mining
districts it was thought that the shocks
were the result of colliery explosions. The
| disturbance was experienced with great
| violence at Warwick Castle. The Earl of
Warwick was awakened and felt his bed
| lifted as though by some force beneath it,
| and the furniture In his room was shifted.
| The inha abitants of Slough were awakened
! by shock so severe that they thought the
| Middlesex powder factory had exploded. A
large area OF ground sank near Stockport
| and at Melton-Mowbray the noise which
accompanied the earthquake shock resem-
| bled a discharge of gun cotton under wa
| ter. Many curious experiences are re-
ported in connection with the earthquake.
The earthquake was also felt throughout
| Wales, though actual damage resulted
| there. At Ruthin and in the districts of
| the Vale of Clwyd ii is stated that there
| were six shocks lasting altogether fifteen
| seconds. The driver of a mail train OBJ
/ served thunder and lightning accompanying
| the shock. The tremors were distinctly felt
| on the upper floors of Ruthin Castle
lAtr
| all parts of the districts affected pub
| lished in the newspapers this morning, but
| they add little to the previous information
the effects of the earthquake. The
interviews with scientists on the subject
| of which there are many. also throw little
| further light the phenomenon. There
| are no seismic recording instruments at
Greenwich or elsewhere in places where
they were available yesterday. Such in
| struments are kept in the Catholic OBJ
| servatory at Stony Hurst. Lancashire, but
no movement recorded there.
1