The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-16
WEAR EARTH CRUST.
Newport House May Rest on the
End of 1t.


Throngs of people continue to visit the
house of James Newport, en- North Capitol
avenue. and all kinds of theories are ad-
yanced as to the cause Of the remarkable
shaking of the walls. A travelling man
yesterday afternoon inspected the house to
his satisfaction and then asserted that the
rumblings were caused by some restless
spirit who wanted to communicate with
somebody living. in that vicinity. He said
the shocks came at night because spirits
never manifested their wants in the day
time. He was sincere in his words, and
could not be argued out of his belief.
Yesterday somebody, with mischievous
intent, stuck up q "kor-sa. e. board in he
yard and the impression became current
that Mr.. Newpor had had enough OF it
ana was going TO sell the house. AS soon
as he saw the board he chucked it into
the stove. The Standard Oil Company has
not leased the place for a well, as Mrs.
Newport stated, although it made an inves-
tigation of the ground.
The Standard OH people have not made
a formal contract Win me to sink a well
in my yard. said Mir. Newport, but l
have given them permission to carry on
any Investigations they may see fit.
Wednesday tney crawled under the house
and remained some time and then went
away, and l have not seen them since.
They said this mysterious disturbance CT
the ground was nothing new, as they had
said the center of the disturbance might
be mics away and deep down and the
SHOCK IolloW a deep trend in the earth )
crust, and it was probable that my house
rests on the end of such a weak trend.
and conzequ n ly was IN kea. They told me
that an exp osion ana u%pheavei IF the earth
might follow like that which occurred at
w aIdren, near S~heIbyville, about five years
ago, but / am not afraid of it. l would
like to have some scientific man put an in
Strumen that registers disturbances of
the earth down in the ground in my cell
lar. | have tried to find State Geologist
blatchley. but he is out of the city.
am convinced that the disturbance comes
from oil or gas, or something of that sort
in the EARTH.
"Wednesday night was the first time
that l have had my clothes off and slept
in bed; That night l took my family
street, and we slept there. She needed
rest badly and SO did 1. We are going to
stay there at night now until we get rest
not by a jugfui. l bought that house ten
years, ago OF a man who hadn't money to
is built good and strong. The ~forndauon
rests on eighteen inches of concrete and
the house has six by six sills. It'll stand
come regularly between 6 and Z O'Clock
every night. That is the only regular
period fer them; They are growing less
frequent now. There hasn't been a SHOCK
between this afternoon and 6 O'Clock
Wednesday, night. There Is getting to be
a pretty tough crowd collecting around
| thought l would have to call the police
I'm going TO have my property protected
until 1t blows up, at any rate.
A few pieces of brick from the founda.
ton have been carried away by souvenir
collectors, but the craze has not developed
there yet, and Mr.. Newport expressed {
determination to see that it doesn't. Ever,
afternoon carriages and buggies contain,
ing ladies drive up to the house, and it i:
the visitors are women. Mrs. Newport is
hourly asked by them; How, soon viii th'
afraid of the shocks and would live in tn,
house until it was blown to flinders.