The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-01
An Earthquake Shook the
Whole State Yssterday.
1T LASTED HALF A MINUTE
TWO DISTINCT SHOCKS FELL
AT 1:5S O'CLOCK.
PEOPLE WERE BADLY SCARED
NO Damage But the Negroes say IT IS
Warning From the Lord ard Feo-
plo Must Stopping Work"
ing on Sunday.

ing on Sunday.
Raleigh had a good shaking up yester-
dav-and a great many other places, too,
if orr disnatches tell the truth. But no
damage was done-at least none TO
count-though some people were pretty
badly scared.
It was a genuine earthquake, and
came exactly at 1:5S o'clock. There
were two distinct shocks, the second
more severe than the first, and each
lasting about fifteen seconds. The vibra-
lions seem to have been southeast and
northwest.
Unfortunately the Weather Bureau
here is not fitted up with any apparatus
for recording earthquakes, and so only
such confused data as could be gathered
from individuals was obtainable..
1t was felt distinctly in all parts of the
city and nearly everywhere the people
rushed from their houses and places OF
business into the streets. In this re
spect it was similar to the great earth
quake of August 81, 1886, except that
on account of its being in the day time,
and less severe than at that time, the
deep, unreasoning terror then displayed
was this time less pronounced.
But it was not altogether lacking, even
yesterday. In some instances women
became hysterical and chung to those
near them, men rushed from buildings
and did not stop till they reached the
middle of the street. The negroes, al
ways very superstitious, were much
wrought up by the trembling of the
earth.
st is wa'nin' fun de Lawd,' said
more than one venerable son of Ham.
II tells yer what, honey, peoples wukin'
on Sunday too much. Dis amt nuttln
ter what He gwine do if dey don't stop.
No, subj Dey can ford to do dere mean
ness in de winter, but in de spring of
de year. when de Lawd begins to speak
though his thunder and hghtnin' and de
yeth quicks dey better look out. OATS
what | tell you, chile
Just before the shaking began Mayor
Russ and Pearce Howell, who keeps
stall in the market, were sitting In the
mayors office enjoying a social chat. The
windows and stove and loose articles
everywhere began to sway and rattle.
The mayor looked at Pearce and Pearce
back at the mayor. This operation of
cooking their eyes up at one another was
repeated once or twice in much less time
than it takes to tell it. Then the same
thought seemed to animate the mayors
800 pounds of flesh and Pearce's 49,
They both shot for the door and down
the steps. touching them only in the high
places to the street. Pearce got there
first, and when the mayor, red and
perspiring. arrived Pearce was standing
in the middle of the street looking as
placid and innocent as if he had never
even heard of an earthquake.
At the Supreme court building much
the same thing was happening. They
deserted it-thOse fusion officials-like
rats leaving a sinking ship. Only one
man was brave enough to stand his
ground-Jay Yahoo Hamrick, the Labor
Commissioner. 1t is said that immediate
ly after the shock ex-senator Westmore-
land, janitOr of the building, sat and, for
the first time in many moons, read his
Bible.
Mr.. George Terrell, of the Agricultural
Department, said he thought it was
Secretary Bruner shaking himself Che
weighs about 300)
Mr. Joseph Blake was working in his
garden and said he felt it there, stand
Ing ON the gfOuHu, very ulSliuClly'
Mr.. Dave Berwanger was standing in
his store door and says the whole build
ing seemed to be swaying in the air. 81
tell you what it is" he said II felt
peculiar. / think we got off light"
The trembling was accompanied by a
slight rushing, roaring sound. Though
no serious damage was done, walls were
cracked, plastering fell and bricks tum-
bled from chimney tops.
In the Supreme court building the
walls cracked and the timbers i'll the
roof creaked as if they were being ter
ribly strained.
The same thing happened at the Park
Hotel and the plastering dropped off in
some places.
Walls in the Agricultural building
were cracked and Secretary Bruner said
he thought the whole eastern wall would
fall.
The chimneys of Mr.. James Briggs and
Mr.. Robert Jones, on Hillsboro street,
were cracked and bricks knocked off.
Property owners on Cannon street re-
port two chimneys damaged and plaster
ing in one house knocked down.
Some slight damage in breaking glasses
occurred at Thos. r. Jones bottlng
works.
r-= In addition to the above there were re-
ports of slight damage in other portions
of the city. But none of them amount
to much
Telegrams and telephone messages
from Apex, Morrisville, Wake Forest,
Garner and other sections of the county
indicate that the shock was felt in all
of them, but no great damage was done
anywhere.
THE A. & n. G. INJUNCTION CASE.