Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1909-09-30
TREMoR REPORTED IN ST. LOUIS,
THROUGHOUT MISSOURI
AND ILLINOIS.
MANY AROUSED FROM sLUMBER
Disturbance Characterized BY Univer'
sity Scientist as Most Violent In
rs Years-Thousands Alarmed
NO Damage or Injury.

st. Louis, Most. Louis and
vicinity was convulsed early Monday
by an earthquake, which, for violence.
was n Of the most severe known
throughout the Middle West in a quar-
ter of a century. Thousands. routed
from their sleep, rushed into the
streets.
Houses rocked, windows ratified and
the seismic uphcaval caused general
alarm. 80 one was injured and
there practically was no damage to
property.
There were two distinct shocks,
each varying from 10 to Is seconds in
duration. Reports by telegraph and
telephone show the tremors were OBJ
served distinctly at Madison, Ind. Mt.
Vernon, Springfield, Edwardsville,
~.-ellcvillc, Granite City and East St.
Louis, H., and ST. Charles, Mo.
There was a panic in the East st.
Louis Jail when the building began
to rock. II took the jailer half an
hour to quiet the prisoners, many OF
whom were women.
No Official Record Was Taken.
There is no selsmograph in st.
Louis and no official observations OF
the length and intensity of the phe-
nomcnon are Obtainable.
The upheaval travelled from south
east to northwest, according to re-
ports. While the vibrations were not
~ Hf.lnnt1, tntnnon IN fn nnv nynn.
erty damage, a number Of unusual in
cidents followed in their wake.
Burglars at Belleville, H., were
frightened away by the quake as they
were robbing a safe. The trembler
stopped the town clock at St. Charles.
the Catholic church clock at Webster
Groves 10 minutes.
Out In St. Louis county the chick
ems raised such a chorus as never was
heard before by residents of Webster
Groves, Kirkwood and Clayton. Bur-
glar Scares were numerous.
The two distinct shocks were about
10 seconds apart. The second, sharp
or than the first, was followed by two
heavy rumblcs, like deep peals of
thunder, which rolled from the south
east to the northwest. The sky vas
clOudless.
III" seismic disturbance travelled
slowly, as II 1t were the exhausted
portion of an earthquake far away.
While no damage to property Is re-
ported. the shocks swayed buildings
and rocked persons in their beds, but
no n was injured.
The first report of the quake came
from Carondelct, the extreme south.
eastern limits of the city, at 3:45
a. IN.
Almost Immediately the telephones
ut central headquarters began to ring.
called up and asked what the disturb.
ance was.
Night Chiefs Wife Frightened.
Mrs. c. G. Gillaspy, wife Of Night
Chief Gillaspy. directed her family to
dress and prepare for any emergency.
at police headquarters for informa.
ton. He told her 1t was an earth
quake and instructed the family to go
back to bed. They went.
Thomas Foerstil, 1928 Clayton ave.
nue., felt the disturbance and conclud.
ed It was due to burglars. Barefoot.
ed and in nightgown he seized the
family musket and began a burglar
search. After he was chilled from the
futile quest he learned the truth.
Several Jewish families in the Ghet
to In terror ran into the streets and
prayed, believing the end OF the world
had come. Neighbors treasured them
and induced them to go in.
The Quakes routed sleep for resi-
dents Of Webster Groves. Wellston
and Kirkwood. The clock in the tow
er of Webster Groves was 80 affected
that the customary 6 o'clock bell rang
10 minutes earlier than usual.
The tremors awoke all the chickens
and hardly had the last Vibration
passed when Webster Groves was
treated to one Of the most tremendous
chanticleer choruses ever heard II
st. Louis county.
Kirkwood friends OF Lieut.. Hess o
Central district %telephoned him O
their impressions. At Wellston tn,
druggists will do a rousing business
In quinine because of the bare head
and feet that We're exposed Will,
amazed householders sought to lear
what had betallen them.