The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-30
A QUAKE OF THE EARTH
SHOCK DISTINCTLY FELT IN THIS
CITY AT sos LAST NIGHT.
vibration from south to North-Re-
ports from Other Indiana
Cities.

Indianapolis experienced a genuine earth
quake last evening, which began about sos
and lasted about six seconds. The vibra-
ton was most distinct, although but one
was noticed. In the downtown Office build
ings the desks shook and the shock was of
sufficient strength TO be noticed by the
clerks in stores that were crowded at the
time. An earthquake was not generally
thought of and boilers and dynamos in
buildings in the business part of the city
were given credit for acting in some way
out of the ordinary
In the residence part of the city it was
generally noticed and it strong enough
TO rattle windows and doors. Advices from
other parts of the State show that ii was
much stronger than the shock felt here.
But one vibration was noticed, and no one
spoke of any sound accompanying it. The
direction seemed to be from south to north,
and IL was felt in all parts of the city. 1t
was not strong enough TO do any damage
here, but was noticed alike by those who
were in high buildings and the first floor.
The man in the tower, who would be COM
monty supposed to seize the nearest sta
tionary article in case of an earthquake.
said that he noticed that something unusual
was going on. but he did not think of an
earthquake. When it was mentioned TO him
he thought that the vibrations had all the
earmarks of an earthquake. The shock
passed too quickly for any one to realize
more than the mere fact that it was an
earthquake, and the estimat ties of its dura-
ton were as varied as the number who no
ticed it.
The shock was distinctly felt by DIR. o.
S. Runnels. who was North Delawar re
street at the time, and he Immediately rec
ognized the sensation as that of an earth
quake.
Mrs. Kate Purcell, Of 931 North Illinois
street. was entertaining some friends and
all were sitting around a table on which
a drop light was placed. The shock was
strong enough 10 throw this drop to the
floor and many of the neighbors left their
houses. The shock seemed to be more Sc
we're in this vicinity than In any other.
At the home of Mr.. William Haueisen, on
North Meridian street, the noise was dis
tinctly noticed and it was such that Mr..
was about to fall He was on the second
floor of his house and servant, who was
on the third floor; ran from her room in a
great fright at the shock.
Prof. III. l.. Bruner OF the chair of biology
and geology of Butler College. noticed the
| bed. as he had been away and was very
tired. He said he felt the shocks plainly
and at once recognized them as earthquake
shocks, as he experienced one in Germany.
AS near as he could judge, it was a hori-
zontally progressive earthquake in which
the shocks spread over the surface of the
ground like waves on water, TO q great dis
lance This. Professor Bruner said. is re-
garded by biologists as the true kind of an
earthquake. The velocity of shocks of this
nature. he explained is very great and
sometimes is as high as 40 miles minute.
Earthquakes of this kind are trifie more
frequent in winter than I'm summer. Con-
structing a curve that represents the annual
variation of earthquake intensity, the max
| imum of the curve is attained in January
and the minimum in July, but the difference
| is slight. Professor Bruner said that the
| state of the air, the peculiar sultriness and
| oppressiveness. is held by some scientists to
be an indication of such disturbances and 10
| accompany them, but the fact has not been
| scientifically established.