The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-25
DAILY, $40 A YEAR.
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WEEKLY 2-TIMES-A- IA YEAH
HORRORS OF THE EARTHQUAKE
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES OF THE
PEOPLE OF YAkUTAT.

ShrieLinR as They Fled. They We're
Hurled to the Ground at Almost
Every Step-Seemed the Tidal wave
Tint Followed Would EnguIf the
Town-There Were some Remnrk-
able Escapes From Death ana
Destruction.
Port Townsend. Wash. Sept. 24-CoR-
corning the recent earthquake along the
coast Of Alaska Rev. Sheldon Jackson,
educational agent for Alaska, writes as
follows from YalSutat, under date Of
Sept Il:
The first shock was experienced on
Saturday, Sept 3. but being slight, caus-
ed no alarm. During the following fvs
hours there were nfly-two distinct shocks,
eliminating at p. m in a shock so sewers
that people Of Yatutat were hurled vio-
iently across their rooms, or II outside,
they We're thrown to the ground whlls
pictures fell from the walls and dishes ana
crockery crashed on the shelves and
houses rocked and swayed whlrled, whlla
the mission bell rang violently in the sha6-
ing church tower
"Panic-surcken, the inhabitants regained
their feet and attempted 10 fee to the
HIS only 10 be again and agaln thrown
to The earth, all the while shrieklng, roI-
ing and running they sought safety Gain
Ing the hills and looking seward they
We're transhxod with horror as they saw
a great tidal wave, apparently wall of
water thirty feet high approaching with
the speed Of a race-horse that would en-
sun their village ana sweep away thelH
homes.
Earth Swallowed Tidal Wave.
before the shore was reached, the earth
opened in the bottom OF the harbor and
into this chasm the tldat wave spent ita
force, and around ID the sea swirled Ike
great maelstrdm. This saved the village
from destruction
THE eide would rise ten feet IN the
space Of four or five minutes and In am
equally short time go down again These
sudden fluctuations were frequently re-
peated. Tents were pitched on the hills
back Of the village ana nearly the whole
population Is camping out, fearing that
another tidal wave may come. From the
l0th 10 the present there have been fire.
quent shocks, one having occurred this
forenoon.
swept out 90 Sea and Back.
"Neur Hubbard g.acler. on Disenchant-
ment bay, were encamped three miners,
A. Fleur w. Rock and J. W. johnson and
a mile from them. at an elevation of six
ty-four feet above the sea, Messrs. T.
Smith, Cox anc sons, j. Falls and u. Stew
| ems When the heavy shock on Saturday,
the i6th. was experienced the Fleur party
| had rugged machine ana were
! taking the oscillation OF the earth
qualte's waves Without n moments
warning they were thrown violently across
the tent. Al the same moment q large fresh
water lake back OF their camp and about
forty feet above It, was split open ana the
waters were thrown upon the camp ana
before The miners could rega Their feet
they were being swept out to sea. Then
"a most the same time they were met by
a idal wave which picked them up and not
only washed them ashore, but over a hill
forty feet high, landing them on the crest
Of divide.
"Regaining their feet they ran along ths
crest with the tidal wave boiling and seeth-
ing at their feet alongside the hill. After-
wards one Of the party found his baggage
and clothes one and one-haf miles uD on
the mountain side where the wave had left
Them.
Great Forest Uprooted.
Great spruce forests for miles along ths
shore were uprooted, broken into pieces
and massed into great piles with a roar
that was deafening Large rocks weigh
ing forty tons or more were rolling over
! one another down the mountain like so
many pebbles
Hubbard Glacier. with its two and a
half miles Of sea front thousands of feet
thick, extending for miles back to the
summit OF the mountain. broke from its
moorinRs and with d grinding, indescrlba-
Bile roar that shook the surrounding hills,
moved bodily from half 10 three-quarteYs
of a mile into the sea. A large creek.
fifteen feet wide, down whose
bed cataracts were rushing was flooded so
that miners were unable TO cross over to-
the camp on the opposite side.
"A few minutes later Il had sunk back to
its former bed and later was again an ir-
resistabe, raging torrent Mountains
were thrown down, the sea opened and
portions OF Islands disappeared.
"The earth opened In many places after
the great shock had passed and the miners
commenced preparations to get away. Al
boat with oars was found a mile up the
mountain side. where il had been carried
by the waves. with this another boat was
secured that was floating on the bay.
4 Landslide Too.
In these two small boats they started
for Yakutat bay, forty-hve miles away.
| The FIRST night they made camp en- a large
noraine. one and a half miles from the
| mountain, but an earthquake during the
night lcosened landslide that covered noe
only the one and haff miles Of plains but
/ also their tent. Digging out the tent and
| provisions they again took 10 their boats.
On The second night they were terrified
| by strange noises that issued from the
earth and their tent was blown 10 shreds
/ by the strange " nds that seemed to blow
/ from every point OF he compass, and as
/ clouds we've pouring down torrents of wa
ter they fled to their boats.
Forcing their boats for twelve miles
through fields Of fresh forming ice, and
| thirteen miles of rough sea, they at length
| reached Yakutat In safety.
"Rumors are aloat that a portion OF
| Cape ST. Elias and Khantaak Island have
| disappeared In the sea. Without doubt.
when scientific exploration of the Mount
| st. elias region is made there will be
| found many physical changes"
Earthquake Killed 200.