The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-08-07
ghe aanha nsily Eae1e Saturday gorung aueus = 1897

was falling in all directions It wa:
in his shirt sleeves, and there we were
watching the bungalow swaying wildly
| from side to side, every moment expect
ing to see it totally collapse. (Here Il
another little shock) 1t was an awful
sight, and the noise was terrific, like bat
| teries of artillery bursting under our
feet and all round us.
4 1t is quite Impossible to adequately de-
! scribe it. It seemed an immense time
but actually, 1 believe, LASTED anything
from two to five minutes-I mean while
I was really awful When it did stop
| Comparatively speaking) c. carried me
| back to the porch and covered me up
| with blankets. The servants behaved
very well, and while We were on the
veranda and everything still shaking
| Gncluding the earth) they all set to work
| to clear my room OF the worst debris.
| The house presented dismal spectacle,
and still does The furniture was lying
about in all directions, as though pitch
and toss had been played with it; boxes
had turned somersaultS and knick-
kndcks were lying in all directions
mixed up with piles Of plaster from the
walls. These are almost bare, hardly
a picture remains. There was not much
sleep for any one that night, naturally,
and all the COLES were 50 terrified that
they would neither eat nor sleep, but
sat in groups all night in the open. For
tunately it had stopped raining, and was
fine, warm night. The shocks were
slighter yesterday morning, but worse
again at midday, so that was afraid to
stay in my room, and twice at break
fast On the veranda we al: started up 10
run out, but 1t passed off again, and in
the evening went back to my room.
The doctor came over 10 see us, walk
ing fourteen miles. The road was quite
impossible for any pony, the bridges in
some cases having collapsed, in others
having been left standing many feet
above the surface of the earth, this hav-
ing subsided in various parts, while gaps
were constant, sometimes large enough
20 swallow up a cart and horse, and
from several of these wells of boiling
water were springing. The doctor says
it was quite impossible TO count the num- |
Der OF small volcanoes which had ap-
peared all over the surface of the coun- |
try ne came through, that is to say, |
upon the rice fields. These in some cases |
were throwing up dark red sand, in |
others white ashes. He swan the rivers, |
waded through fields Of water, helping |
himself along with bridge rails and any
floating substance he could get, fearing
to go into any of those horrible gaps by
a false step. (Another smart shock;
passed away) He had two men with
hi-r, and one fell into noe Of these fis-
sures, but, fortunately, it was a small
one. and the doctor pulled MIN out.
Oar tea house and other buildings are
a good deal injured, but not enough to
prevent US going on working. so We are
very fortunate IN that respect.
The bungalow looks most desolate It
Is useless 10 attempt to have the rooms
pnt IN order, as the walls will take
months to do. The furniture, all dread
fully knocked about, IS piled on the We
randa just now. which looks like a
Lhird-hand shop. Nearly all of our beau
tiful china has gone, but one favorite
.ea service has only one tea cup smashed
though it was all lying in heap in the
,orner OF the room, but the beautiful old
'et just out from home is all gone. 1t is
/ most depressing spectacle whichever
way one looks. We are anxious to get
news from the outside world.