The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-06-01

earthquake shocks were felt in Norfolk
lust after o'clock yesterday after
noon. They Were not violent enough to
produce any damage, but were SUM-
Gently pronounced to create q most de-
clded sensation and even CONSERVATION
IN some cases.
The exact time OF the shock is various
~ stated. Several clocks are known to
have stopped at 1:57 o'clock, which
would seem to indicate that this was
the time, nevertheless it is believed by
many to have been at least ten minutes
later.
In nearly every case two shocks we're
reported In some few cases, only one
was felt, while In q single instance u
gentleman says he perceived three AS
matter Of fact there were two, neither
or Which lasted over ten seconds The
second came about ten or fifteen sec
ondS after the first.
Ihe movement was decided and ra ther
hteral than perpendicular, very much
a back and forth movement Chairs
ana furniture We're shaken as though
by human hand, not violently, but
quickly. The wave was rather jerky
9han undulating. Had 1t been a wave
of water it would probably have been
called "choppy."
SO far as has been learned not the
slightest damage was done anywhere in
the city.
TH11 COLUMBIA BUILDING.
In the Columbia Building the great
est excitement was occaSioned, particu-
Aarly on the upper. floors. y. 5s... !. 3, .s.
~. 0,e occupants, or the rooms OF Arthur
motifs, the ladies' tailor, saw the chairs
and chfhdallerS rocking and became
very much alarmed a mirror was
shaken from O. ledge upon which it was
resting.
The people in the offices Of Carpenter
o. Peebles and c. r. Parlette, architects,
n c-1, nnl- l.
the latter office particularly.
The office Of Reed, Bros. & Co. got
the fuli benefit OF the shock, and It's oc-
cupants were under the impression that
the elevator had gotten loose and torn
q hole in the top Of the building, The
globe on the gas chandelier ratified yio-
Iently and came near falling off,
The clock In the North American
transport company's Office almost came
to O full stop.
The inner safe doors in the Office Of
the Roanoke Railroad and Lumber
company swung heavily upon their
hinges.
The occupants OF all the offices, with
1eW exceptions, ran into the corridors
ana eXcltedly discussed the event. Some
/ OF tnem found 1t convenient to so to
dinner Immediately.
THE VIBRATIONS MEASURED.
Perhaps the most notable incident OF
the shock occurred In the Office OF Prof
George Poe, on the fifth floor OF the
Columbia building. The Professor ad-
ministers compond oxygen to patients
and has, of course, a gasometer which
consists Of a zinc tank In which another
TANK is Inverted, hung pcndulum-lile,
and not touching the sides or the bot
tom tank.
Prof. Poe was administering oxygen
10 O patient, when the upper drum be-
gan TO swing back and forth, eating
tattoo on the lower. Having been in
several earthquakes before, in Califor-
MA ana other sections Prof. Poe recog
niHed at once the cause Of the disturb
ance. and pulling out his watch, counted
off the seconds. The first shock, he
( says, lasted seven seconds, and the sec
ond. which followed almost immedi late
ly, was Of eight seconds duration. He
have hit the lower. III vibrating. about
fifteen times. and, measuring the space
DetWeen the drums. he estimates he de-
fiectlon at four and one-half inches.
When the Professor had finished
counting the seconds he looked for his
patient and found dim disappearing into
the elevator cage. Come back here,
you haven't taken half your oxygen"
called the Professor. II haven't tmo
now" responded the frightened COM
pound oxygen subject ns he shot down
the SHAFT and disappeared from view.
ACROSS THE WAY.
Across the way, in the Haddington
building. they had some graphic scenes.
MIR. W. w. Salo was sitting In his office
on the fifth floor talking to Mr.. Tom.
randolph. Both felt the shock, and
noticing the vibrations, concluded the
building was about TO tumble, and de-
parted.
The occupants OF rooms and 7 felt
the shock. and, as one OF them simply
expressed 1t. went out" IN fact, nearly
every enc went out" and In two min
tites otter the shock was perceived a
large number Of lIaddingtontes found
themselves standing on the pavement
wondering where they were at"
But Julius a. Rauch, the janito1. had
the most unique experience Of any in
the building. He was In the elevator
at the fifti floor landing. going slowly
down, when the shock was fret felt.
The elevator car, suspended by the
steel cable. began to rock back and
forth. humping against the sides OF the
shaft and frightening its occupant badly,
Nevertheless, he stuck to his post braves
". and reaching the fourth floor, went
back up In answer to the numerous ele.