Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-04-12
EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS IN EAST
ERN PART OF THE STATE.

earthquake shocks felt in Lynchburg
Richmond, Washington and at places
farther south on and near the coast,
no damage is reported. No shock was
felt in Tazewell or this immediate sec
tion so far IS reported.
Within the last thirty years or
thereaboutS, two distinct and severe
shocks have been felt in Tazewell, and
the Southwest. In May, 1898 quite :
severe shock was experienced here.
Houses were severely shaken, CHM
neys were thrown down and there was
great alarm among the people. At
Pearisburg the shock was severe. It
was feared that Angels Rest, the peak
overhanging the little city, was about
to tumble over. Some imaginative
people said that the mountain rumbled
and roared, and that blue smoke is
sued from its lofty summit.
Charleston. S. c., Wrecked.
Along about the year 1857, in the
summer of that year, if memor" serves
the severest and most destructive
earthquake III tie history of this
country, except the San Francisco
shocks, was experienced. 1t occurred
about 10 o'clock at night. Charles
ton, South Carolina seemed to be the
center, or starting point of the quake.
1t travelled rapidly up the coast, ex-
tending ever large portion of Vir-
ginia: and into all or nearly all the
mountain section, and through West
Virginia. No lives were lost and little
damage to property resulted anywhere
except in Charleston and suburban
towns. The writer of these lines was,
as it happened, spending the night in
n little town in Southeastern North
Carolina, not far from the line. He
was sitting quietly in his room, read
ing, and about ready to retire, when
the quake struck. He thought his
time had come, windows ratified, the
bed and chairs in the room danced
around and the floor seemed to be try
ing to get upstairs. He rushed out
side TO see what could bo the trouble.
Pandemonium prevailed. Women's
screams and the cries of children min.
gled with the crashing Of falling Chin
neys and broken glass. The excite
ment did not subside throughout the
entire night. Several lesser shocks
followed, which led the people to fear
still others. Some people thought the
Judgment day had come. The writer
had some serious thoughts himself.
The Quake Boosts Revival Meeting.
A Baptist minister was holding IL
revival meeting in the town at the
time. He had been doing his best to
arouse the people, but to small effect.
The night of the quake was at church
and recall the sleepy, indifferent
attitude of the congregation: The
earnest words of the preacher fell up
m In
nounced anathemas and woes upon the
obduratc and hard hearted. recall
that he tried to portray the awful
events which the last great day would
bring to pass---the falling stars, sun
and moon turned to blood, the reeling
earth and the cries of the wicked and
their appeal for the rocks and noun
tains to fall and hide them, etc, but
men and women slept while he spoke.
Scarcely had the echoes died away
through the town and over the slash
es and swamps around when the shock
struck. Seemingly the inward fires and
pent up forces in the bowels of the
earth were commissioned to hasten
to the help of the helpless preacher
That night men prayed who had new
er prayed before. The preacher WAS
much in demand and spent sleep
less night going from house to house
to pray for the wicked and comfort
the saints. Men and women confessed
to sins committed years before and
promised reformation. l was told
that at the meeting the following
night the mourner's bench was crowd
ed. And, so, some folks must be scar
ed into it. Perhaps this is one reason
why such an awful picture is painted
in the Bible of the happenings to oc-
cur at the last day. Nothing short of
an earthquake or some such catas-
trophe, it seems, will wake up and
move the incorrigible and obdurate.
The great shock of this great war is
causing many people to think of God,
who heretofore had forgotten that He
lives.