The San Francisco call., 1897-01-18
SHAKEN UP BY
SEISMIC FORCES
San Francisco Trembled
for a Brief Space
Yesterday.
Dramatic Scene in Baptist
Congregation in Oak
land.
The Shocks Were Similar to Those
Caused by an E1plo'
sion.
A sharp earthquake shock was left in all

A sharp earthquake shock was left in all
parts of this City fraction OF minute
after l:O9 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
There were two weil-defined counter
vibrations of considerable force, accord
ing to the descriptions by Weather OBJ
server McAdie, who carefully noted the
time, and subsequently compared notes
with one of his co-workers in the weather
forecast Office in the Mills building.
1T was one of the shortest shocks L ever
felt" said Mr.. Meade, some hours after
the incident, "and 1 do not know yet that
it was not an explosion OF some sort rather
than an earthquake, for [ was at luncheon
at the time and could not see that the sur
face of the cream or OF any Of the other
LIQUIDS or the table had been disturbed,
as they should have from an earthquake.
The whole Mills building shock DIS
tinctlv from top 10 bottom with the
momentary shock, and all those who were
in the building at the time experienced
the peculiar tremor.
Professor George Davidson says he felt
two slight shocks about four seconds
apart. He thinks the motion was wholly
vertical.
Although ne experienced no lateral os
CiIlation, there may have been one north
and south, which he could not feel be-
cause his house extends such a length in
that direction that such movement
would not have been perceptible.
The professor seismograph was out of
order, so he got no record Of the force OF
the shock but he is confident 1t was not
so much as a tenth of an inch.
In Oakland the nature of the shocks and
the peculiar noise with which they were
accompanied were exactly similar to those
that accompany an explosion.
The people in Oakland are so accus-
toned 70 such shocks that everybody at
once concluded that the periodical explo-
sion at the powder works had taken place,
and waited to hear how many lives had
been sacrificed. Soon the report was re-
ceived that it was all the result of an
earthquake, and the excitement was al
layed.
The effect of the severe shock was most
apparent in the churches. AT the Fenth
Avenue Baptist Church the shock came as
a dramatic climax to the pastors address.
Rev. G. NJ. Hill had just reached the point
where be had placed the grave question of
the acceptance or rejection OF salvation
vividly before his audience.
"Can you afford to be Indifferent" said
the pastor. The next moment the sanctu-
sry was violently shaken.
Many of the congregation stood up in
terror, and several OF the younger mem
bers ran out of the building. Several
women were so shocked that they burst
into tears and others turned deathly pale.
The greatest excitement prevailed, and
from all parts of the house hysterical
screams were heard.
Deacon Joseph Piaw allayed the feelings
of some by rising to his. feet and saying:
"You need not be afraid. If you are sal
you should rejoice 1t is simply the voice
of the Lord speaking to his people"
One of the mem bers of the church
stated that the feeling was like that which
would be experienced ii some giant had
got below the church and shaken it up.
The vibrations of the seismic needle at
the Chabot Observatory showed that there
was heavy disturbance and that the
vibrations were mainly from east to west.