The news & observer., 1896-12-18
THE EARTH OUAKES.
England is Shaken by a Genuine Earth
Quake.-Violent Vibrations.

Quake.-Violent Vibrations
London, Dec. 17.-Great Britain is in
the throes Of a genuine and unprecedented
sensation. An earthquake, the most vio-
lent ever experienced in this country, has
shaken every shore from Durham to
Surrey, and from London to Welsh.
The subterraneous disturbance was first
noticed at about $50 o'clock this morn
ing, and lasted from four to thirty sec
onds. AT many points two distinct shocks
were experienced. The most severe
shocks were felt at Cheltenham, Led
bury and Dean Forest The earth shak-
ing was accompanied by a loud, rushing
sound. Buildings were violently shaken,
furniture was shifted, doors were thrown
open and pictures and other ornaments
were upset. The inhabitants were panic
stricken and fed from their houses.
The earthquake also visited BirminE-
ham and other various points in Shrop-
shire and was violent in Worcester and
the country surrounding that city.
Houses rocked and furniture was over
turned.
The shocks were followed by tremor
Of 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 number
of people were thrown out of their beds.
HerfOrd Cathedral was injured. The
dull rumbling beneath the earth's surface
was followed by two loud crashes and a
terrible lifting and rocking. The panic
| at Herford was SO great that one woman
died Of fright. People rushed wildly into
the streets. Many chimneys fell, crash
ing into the thoroughfares, and all the
pinnacles OF st. Nicholas church tippled
| over and part OF the pinnacle Of the Ca
thedral fell to the ground. At Liverpool
the earthquake was preceded by heavy
thunder and a fearful hail storm.
In London the earthquake was only
slightly felt.
A singular phenomenon occurred at
Bridge North, near Shrewsbury, previous
to the disturbance. The streets sudden
ly seemed to be on fire, and there was a
violent report, accompanied by q shaking
OF the earth. People who were going
abroad in that vicinity say that they
were, for a time unable to walk, owing
to the vibrations.
There was very great excitement a.
mong the rustics about Poole, who
thought that the end Of the world had
come
Houses shook for nearly a minute at
Bristol and Clifton, causing much alarm
in those districts.
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.
Up to Tuesday the weather in England
was unusually mild; but on Tuesday
there was a sudden change to severe
frost which was followed by dense fogs
and snow on Wednesday,
In the mining districts it was at first
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 inhabitants OF Slough were awak-
ened by shock, so, severe that they
thought the Middlessex powder factory
had exploded.
A large area Of ground sank near Stock
port and at Melton-Mowbray the noise
which accompanied the earthquake shock
resembled discharge Of gun cotton un-
der water.
Many curious experiences are reported
IN connection with the earthquake.