Year: 1872

My First Earthquake.


[From tho "Innocents at Home.''


A month after landed ip Sacramento
l enjoyed my FIRST earthquake. 1t was
one which was long called the great
earthquake, and it is doubtless SO dstin-
gushsd till this day 1t was just after
noon on a bright October day. was
coming down Third street. 1he only
object in motion anywhere in sight 10
that thickly built and populous quarter
were u man in q buggy behind me and
street car winding slowly up the cross
street. Otherwise. all was solitude aud a
Sabbath stiffness. As l turned the
corner, around frame house, there was
great rattle, jar, and it occurred to me
that here was an item mo doubt fight
in that house. Before l conld turn, and
see the door, there came really terrific
shock the ground seemed to roll under
me in waves, interrupted by violent
juggling up aud down, and there was a
heavy grinding noise US Of brick houses
rubbing together. fell up against the
frame house and hurt my elbow. knew
" hat it was now, aud from mere rcporto.
rial instinct, nothing el-o, took out my
watch aud noted the time of the day (;
at that moment third and still severer
shock came, and as reeled about on tho
pavement, tryins to keep my footing, !,
saw sight. The entire front Of tall,
four story brick building in Third street,
sprang out like door aud fell sprawllng
across the street, raising dust like u
great volume. of smoke. And here came
the buggy-overboard went the man, and
in less time than can tell it the vehicle
was distributed in small fragments along
800 yards of street. One could have
fanciei that somebo 1y had fired a charge
Of chair rounds aud rags down the thor.
oughtare. The street car had stopped
the horses were rearing and plunging
and passengers were pouring out at both
ends, and one man had crushed half way
through glass window on one side OF
the car, got wedged fast, and was squirm
ing and screaming like an impaled mad
man. Every door Of every house, as tal
as the eye could reach, was vomiting ;
stream Of human beings and almost be
fore one could execute wink aud beg,r
another there was a massed multitude o
people stretching in endless procession
down every street my position com
mauded. Never was solemn solitude
turned into teeming life quicker. Of thu
wonders wrought by "the great earth
quake these were all that came unde
my eye; but the tricks it did elswhere
and wide over the town, made tcothsom
gossip for nine days. The destruction
of property was tritling- the injury to i
was widespread and somewhat serious
Tie "curosities" Of the earthquake wer
simply endless. Gentlemen aud ladie
who were sick, or were taking a sesta, o
dssipated till late hour and were max
ing up lost sleep, thronged into the pub
lie streets in all sorts Of queer apparel
and some without any at all One wo
man who had been washing naked child
ran down the street holding it by tn
ankles as if it were o dressed turkey
Prominent citizens, who were supposed t
keep the Sabbath strictly, rushed out O
saloons in their shirt sleeves, with billiar,
cues in their hands. Dozens of men
with necks swathed in napkins, rushe


from BARRIERS shops lathered to the eyes
or with one cheek clean shaved and tn
other still bearing a hairy s'ubbe
Horses broke from stables aud fright
ened dog rushed up short attic ladde
aud out on to roof, and when his scar
was over had not the rerve to 20 dow


again the same way he had gone up.
prominent editor flew down stairs, in tn
principal hotel, with nothing on but on
brief uder.garment met chambermai
and exclaimed "Oh, what shall do
Where shall l go?' She responde
with naive serenity. "if you have


choice, you might try a clothing store !!