The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, September 07, 1886, Image 1
"
Jlbwlfe Sfesspgir,
VOL. 2. ABBEVILLE,x S. C., TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1886. NO. 51.
The Great Eartlipak
Oil It IlKAUTlPUIi CITY
BY THE SKA. AGAIN
DISSOIjATED.
It Kxtcnds From (lie Atlantic Ocoun
to the MiBHOuri Kivcr?From Maine
to Mexico.
[Augusta Chronicle.]
Cham.kston, Sept. 1.?[Special. J?
The first shock of earthquake was felt
approaching last night at 9.50, and bofome
the people could realize what the
trouble was they found themselves being
thrown around and their houses falling
down on them. Every one ran
screaming into the streets, and in a few
minutes the city was wild with human
being, crazed with fright. On all sides
you could here exclamations such as :
"My God save us ; God have mercy
upon us sinners"?and people could be i
seen kneeling everywhere in groups,
offering up prayers. The first shock
was followed immediately by another,
although of less effect, and screams and |
shrieks from the time of the beginning'
to daylight, were hoard. The shocks :
were felt at intervals of half an hour. |
but each succeeding one being less distinct.
KIRKS A LI. OVEtt THE PITY.
Three or four fires started in us many '
sections with the first shuck, and the ;
citj' was soon illuminated with flumes, j
thus leading all to believe that what was
left by the oartquakc would he devoured
by fire. However, the fire department
was so well directed and handled '
that the fire were gotten under control !
by daylight. From fifteen to twenty .
residence and stores were consumed.'
The loss by the fire and earthquake j
cannot be accurately estimated, but can j
bo placed safely at five million dollars, j
As far as could bo ascertained during the
night 15 to 20 persons were killed, and
a much greater number wounded in all
soris of ways. The loss of human life j
will be large and it will take daj's to get
at the accurate number.
SUMMKIIVII.I.E COM PI.KTKI.Y WTKOKKD.
Shocks, equally as severe were felt at
a distance of thirty-five miles, and have
done inestimable damage to railroad and
telegraph property. Charleston is now
entirely isolated from the outside world.
Summorville, twei.ty-two miles from
Charleston, was nearly destroyed by the
earthquake. The passenger train from
Columbia to Charleston was thrown
from the track, near Sumtnerville, and
the engineer and fireman killed. The
pusHHujjerK on mo wrocKea train, ami
those on this morning's train, including ]
the telegraph company's linemen, have |
not reached Charleston. |
ANOTHKIl SHOCK IN THE MOHX1XCJ. '
At precisely 8:25 this morning another '
wave swept over the city, ooming, as did *
the other, from the southeast and going (
in a northwesterly direction. By that *
tune many people who had been out on '
. the public parks and open places all
night had ventured into their house to I
get clothing and food. Tho approach of 1
the shock was heralded l?y the usual 1
rumblirg sound resembling thunder. *
Then it gradually approached, tho eafth' *
quivered and heaved, and in threo sec- '
onds it had passed, tho sounds dying '
uut in the distance. This is the only 1
wave felt sinoe 2:30 a. in. It w:is not 1
destructive?all the destruction having (
b>?en done at 9:55 Inst night. 1
TItK CITY A COMPI.ETB WHKCK. '
The city is a complete wreck. St. J
Michael's and St. Philip's churches in j
the city are in ruins. So is Hibernian |
Hall. The police station and many other j
public buildings and fully two-thirds of *
the residence in the city are uninhabitable,
being wrecked either totally or partially.
It is impossible at this time to
get a correct estimate of the casualties. '
It is expected that between fifty and !
100 persons have been killed and sever- '
.1 J J-J " --? "
1 muiuivu wuuiiuuii. scarcely lUU houses
in the city are occupied at this time, 1
the people all encaroed in open places. 1
All stores are closed, and a scarcity of 1
provisions is feared?not from want of 1
provisions, but because no one can be
got to reach the stores to sell them.
HISSUHKS IX THE KAItTH.
The city is wrapped in gloom, and
business is entirely suppressed. People
generally remain in the streets in tents
and under improvised shelter, and will
camp out to-night, fearing another
shock. The gas works are injured, and
probably the city will be without light
to-night. St. Michael's church is shattered
and the steeple will come down,
likewise the steeple of St. Phillips. The
steeple of the Unitarian church has fall
en. ' no porucos 01 the Hibernian Hall
and the main station house are demolished.
There is much injury to mansions
on East and South Battery. The
portico of the Ravonel mansion is down.
Hardly a house in the city escaped injury,
and many are so shaken and cracked
that a hard blow would bring them
to the ground. The shock was severe
at Sullivan's Island, but no loss of life
|
is reported there. Fissures in the earth
are noticed from which fine sand, apparently
from a great depth, exudes.
A sulphurous smell is very noticeable.
THK SHOCK CONTINUING
Two slignt shocks of earthquake were
felt here since morning. The first at
8:25 a. m.. and one at about 1:30 p. m.,
neither of them did any further destruction.
Not even daring General Gil
more s oonibardment of the city has
there ever been such a deplorable state
of affairs here. The city is literally in
ruins, and the people are living in tho
open squares and in the public park_
Theri' is a great rush to the depot to get
away, hut owing to the earthquake no
trains have been able to be dispatched
from the city.
Telegraphic communication is also
cut oil" excepting wire of the Southern
Telegraph Company, which is crowded
with anxious private messages. It is
impossible te depict the ruin and desolation
that prevail here; not a single
place of business in the city, save a drug
store, whieh is busy preparing prescriptions
for the wounded, io open. It is i
impossible also to give any correct estilimatc
of the killed and wounded, as j
bodies are constantly being disinterred 1
from the debris of the wrecked houses.
One undertaker stated that he hail <
furnished eight coffins up to noon to- \
ilay. ,
ir r * *
many 01 me ueart are lying unburied <
principally the poorer classes of colored 1
people, who will be buried by the county.
There are not half a dozen touts in ]
the city, and the women and children <
ire experiencing great privations in con- i
sequence. (
As night approaches, many of the
heads of families arc trying to construct
Lents out of bed sheets, spare awnings
:>r any other material that comes to their (
hands. The snn is about to set upon
mother night of horror for poor Charles- 5
ton. It is calculated that at least three- 1
Fourths of the city will havo to be re- '
i>um i; me nouses are to be inhabited.
The colored people everywhere were
loud and increasing in their declamations
of alarm, in singing bf hvmns anu
fervent appeals for God's mercy, in
which appeals. God knows, many a
|)roud heart who heard them arising in
;he night and in the hour of His wonIrous
might devoutly and humbly and
d nee rely joined. Danger brings all of
is to the level of the lowliest.
There were no distinctions of place or
;>ower,.|U'ide or caste, in the assemblages
hat were gathered together in Charles
m i. -
.uu on luusuay nignt. it was a curious j
spectacle to look back upon. It is a
joorl one to remember, for white and *
slack alike. There were instances of ^
inselfish devotions, of kind and loving
egard between master and servant, misress
and inaid, in tho presence of the .
:oinmon ill and of the threatened ruin,
hnt showed, as nothing else could show- ^
iow strong is he that binds our whita ^
jeople and our black people together j
ind this lesson of tho dread visitor we
lope, too, will never bo forgotten. Arrived
at his home, the writer found the
tame scenes of distraction and wreck I
trhich marked nearly ^
KVKtiy OTHER HOUR IJ* T1IK CITY. ^
All the houses in the neighborhood ?
had suffered seriously, and the streets ]
yards and gardens were filled with fall- f
in chimneys and fragments of walls, t
whilo walls that were left standing were j
rent asunder in many cases froin top to t
bottom, and were badly shattered in
a very instance. \Y?men and children i
routed from sleep and rushed into the <
streets. Invalids were brought out on
mattresses and
DEPOSITED ON THE HOADWAY.
Xo thought was given to the treasures
left behind in the effort to save the peculiar
treasure of life itself, suddenly
become so precious in the eyes of all,
invalid woman and robust man alike.
Until long after midnight the streets
were filled with !u;itives in sight of 1
their homes. Through the long hours
that followed few were the eyes, even
of childhood, that were closed in sleep.
I 1 " ?' " " 1
i>uai-iesion was 1 u 11 ot those who watched
for morning, and never in any city, 1
in any land, did the first grey shades
that mark the approach of dawn appear 1
so beautiful, and so welcome to the eye '
as they appeared to thousands of people
who hailed them this morning from the*
midst of countless wrecked homes in ^
our thrice scourged, hut still patient, '
still brave, still hopeful, still beautiful 1
city by the sea. y
ANNOTUKIt ACCOUNT. 7
An earthquake such as has never be- C
fore been known in the history of this
city, swept over Charleston last night C
shortly after 10 o'clock. Causing more ^
loss and injury to property and far
more to life than the cyclone of the year *
before. The fir. t shock was by far the
most severe.
Its effect can be judged b}' the experience
of Captain Dawson of the
Arcws and Courier, who lives in a massive
brick residence in Bull street near a
Kutledge street. Captain Dawson was 0
in his room on the second story when r
first shock occured, hU house seemed s
literally to turn on it axis. j,
The first shock was followed by a
second and third, less severe than the ?
first. The air was tilled with cries and a,
shrieks of women and children. From f,
every side of that quiet neighborhood tl
came the cry of. "God help us;" "God j]
save us," uOh, my God!" ft was worso j]
than the worst. w
BATTLE OK THE WAU.
When the first agony was over it was ri
found that the ceiling of every room in J t.j
the house was cracked ; a big cistern j UI
was broken apart and a huge tank in the 13
uttic was pouring its flood of water into d,
the bed rooms. C1
In the parlors statues had been wrench- pj
imI from their cases and thrown to the 8C
lloor. In the hall a massive lamp had jn
ictunlly been turned around. In front ],i
:>f the house was a large porch with C1
Iicavy pillars anil solid marble stops. k]
All this was swept awa}' as though it
iiul boon saved olf with a razor. And rc
what was Capt. Dawson's oxporionco
was that of hundreds of others in
Charleston. fe
SOMK OK THE CASUALTIES.
From the long but imperfect list of te
jasualties the following are taken. ^
Mrs. Williams jumped from the ^
?ocond story of her residence, at the
:orncr of Wentworth and Meeting street J."
iiul injured her spine badly.
Mrs. HoVert Martin, wife of a shoe 8t
nerchant in Market street near King, ni
vas badly hurt. ?
U. J. Lynch was desperately hurt in
rout of his son's store in Meeting street,
\ stone of great weight fell upon ^
lim and brake one of his legs, if not
mth nnH br> in cnnnncnrl Kn
? ?r f - | .
Pg- I
Dr.K. Alexander' a young dentist
an out of his house and was crushed to nf?
leath by a falling chimey. 6r
Mr. Hammo:.d, brothor of Isnac Ham- ca
nond said to bo fatally wounded both his 80
>ips and logs being broken and also his 's'
eft arm. He said that he did not know
vhether he jumped from-the third story Cl
vindow on Hroad street or was thrown.
He orawled ftoin the sidewalk1^ the
niddle of the road. .. a*
A. Robinson wati killed by the'fall
ng of n piazza.
.1 (1 V Wipflntcan livinn V? ! >
Priond street, was seriously injured in th
he head by his house falling in upon it.
lim. His* condition is very criti- w<
sal. or
Edmund Lively, of Itichmond, Va was w
valking in front of the City Hospital, dl
I'he side of tho house foil on him and di
jadlv injured his back and head. Ho a
;rawled from under the debris and saw cc
?cmo men at a storo on the corner of in
Mazyck and Queen streets whom he an
mpposed to have been killed,, as he left hi
hem lying on the sidowalk. Ho / stag- ut
jered on as far as the City Hall park wi
mdthen fell, completely overcome. ga
A *1. 1. < *
Aiiivuy iiiuso wno wero Kineu woro lo
Juun Middeton, colored, and anothor hi
:olored woman both! crushed under the di
I|| ^ ^ ^ J :-v '
i ?]n?
falling portico of the main station
house.
In Mary street near Meeting a house
was shaken down but, all the inmates :
?? - - . .
i?>vn|>cu it iiinu colored cniia who
was crushed to death.
Just as the first shock camc a wagon
bearing two men was passing the corner ,
of Reid and King streets, when the
gable end of the store on that corner
fell and covered the unbortunatcs with (
the debris, one of whom was killed. It (
was very late when the body was ex- (
tricated and it was impossible to ascer- .
tain the person's name.
M. J. Flynn, compositor on JWcws
'ind Courier jumped from the window
yf the composing room into a side al- 1
ley. '
Two gentlemen, who wore near the j
Pavilion Hotel, heard piercing crie? for 1
lelp. They went down Hazel street in r
.he direction of the cries and found a c
vhite man and woman half buried in the c
uins of a building. They were extricat- *
>d and sent to the hospital.
As the night wore on search for the
lead and wounded continued. Stretch
c were unproviseu out of shutters t
loors ane loose planks, and the dead 1;
nd wounded conveyed to open spaces.
Vashiugton park was speedily filled f<
ritli iinproptn stretcners on which the s
lead and wounded were placed. s
1
Tho F.ffcct in Augusta. j
No such scene was ever witnessed
nd we trust never will be again, as the
ne that was seen on Broad street as the
r>porter reached there from tho third b
tory of the Chronicle building?Indies
i Mother Hubbards and other gowns,
inging hands and crying, clinging to
lothers, fathers and brothers. The
cone was one that could not fail to af;ct
the strong men, who tried to assure
le distressed ones that it was all over. ^
lardly had they become quieted before ^
ae second shock occurred, and then the
'hole of Broad street was lined with
idies and children?families who had
jshed from their homes. The C'hroni- c<
fe detailed several of the staff, who
ifide a tour of the city. Tho scene on
road street, as the reporter started
awn, beggared description, ludies and
lildren, uncontrollable, still crying and j)
raying to God to save them. The street
4IJ
:enes are without equal, and there is no e,
istance in the history of the city that a5
is caused such a panic of fear?infants
inging to their mothers, crying, and w
rave men giving way. cj
As the lower portion of the city was
iached, in Robertson's alloy, negroes ])
ere found heaped together on their
ices, shouting, praying, and in dread ^
ar. Sounds of falling bricks from C(
>usetops, chimneys toppling and plas- w
ring cracking caused considerable con- p(
ernation. The entire populace was by p,
lis time?the third shock?in the street.
ouses were all entirely deserted. The ^
ght may be put down as the most fear- ai
1 ever realized here. Invalids on gj
rctchers and on mattresses were in the jn
iddle of the streets, and half-clad peoe,
afraid to return to their homes tc
othe themselves. rc
A TOUK Thuouoil DUBLIX. t(J
All the citizens in this part of the city
id taken quarters in the street for the jJ(
ght, and the colored people were prayg
and seemed particularly frightened.
! .?!! - - - 1
i?s iinpo.ssiuie 10 give any ot tlie dam- jn
:e done, though it will amount to a nr
eat deal. A h^a^y glass-face bookse
in th?? law office of llon.J S. Davidsc
n was thrown to the floor and deinollied.
Ornaments, chandtlirrs and othrr ^
eakables were destroyed all over the j,
i^eVlVrang in all parts of the city, and C'
fo*rfcpqfterjpA8 by the Christian church
jfie tijueof the Hr*t'shoek, and heard ^
pt
fiur. Uw'iCH Up rows. u.
In the upper portion of the city, along
e streets, the people wore found talk- so
g and gesticulating excitedly, and th
ondvring whether their time had come co
' not. In one instance a husband and cc
ife were sitting on chair? in the mid- nc
e of the street, with their roung etiil- m
en clinging to them. The mother had
young babe at her breast and was in- th
insolable. She was weeping and wail- th
g and begging God to spare herself hi
id little ones. It was not until several gc
id gathered around, all arguing the or
lelessness of such excitement, that she te
s quieted. In every direction the sa
me scene was witnessed, and in some m
calities all the people on the square
id gathered together in the middle, qi
scussing the situation with blanched c<
faces and throbbing hearts*. The sight
was beyond description. One gentleman
said : This is my first experience with
an earthquake, and I hope to God, fervcntly
jiihI from my heart, that it is the
last/'
"I am completely unnerved," said another,
"and don't think 1 shall be myself
for a wnok "
Word was received late this morning
Lhut several young ladies up town had
fainted from fright and physicians had
'.o be called in. Opiates were necessary
n several cases, and even then it was
liflicult to put them to sleep.
AT THE JAIL
fie prisoners cried, prayed and begged
.0 be taken out. The people in the vi:inity
describe their cries as heartrendng.
Jailor Collins, the ever-faithful
md kiudhcarted officer, felt for the prismers,
but had no way of taking them
>ut of jnil. We were unable to see him
>ut are told that he says he never had
uch feelings in his life.
KUMItK11 OK SHOCKS AND TIMe.
The exact number of shocks was 13?
he first one at 9:22 (city time) and the
nst at 12:33 (city time.)
The following are the times of the dif
erent shocks, the one at 9:51 being the
everest, and the one at 10:27 next in
everity : at 9:61, 9:52,9:59, 10:07, 10:12,
0:20, 10:27, 10:29, 10:34, 10:38, 10:45,
:03 seventy-fifth meridian time.
STILL IN THE STKEET.
At the time we go to press people are
till in the street waiting for breaking
f day?families together, little ones
armed byliestling in the laps of their
lothers, the strong arm of the affectionte
brother supporting the timid but
>ving sister, while boys, white and colred,
are stored away in doorways and
ry goods boxes waiting the dawn of
ay. Such a dreadful night of suspense
?e citizens of Augusta never witnessed
ad we pray they never will again. The
itter portion of the night was bleak and
aid, making it doubly uncomfortable
>r those who remained in the streets.
The Lust Conncll of War.
At Abbeville, South Carolina, Mr.
avis held a conference with the officers
. 1 . r ?t * - - -
i cuiiiiiimiu 01 uie iroops composing his
jcort, which he himself characterized
> a council of war, and which I may be
istificd, therefore, in so designating. It
as, perhaps, the last Confederate coun1
of war held east of the Mississippi
iver, certainly the last in which Mr.
avis participated.
We had gone into camp in the vicinir
of the little town, and although bemiing
quite anxious to understand
hat was going to be done, we were exacting
no immediate solution of the '
rablerii. We were all convinced that !
le best we could hope and do was to
,'t Mr. Davis safely out of the country,
id then obtain such terms as had been '
ven General Johnston's anny, or. fail- '
g in that, make the best of our way to '
10 trans-Mississippi. 1
The five brigade commanders each }
ceived an order notifying him to at- '
nd at the private residence in Abbe- '
He where Mr. Davis liad made his 1
>adquarters, about four o'clock of that '
ternoon. We assembled promptly at '
ie hour indictaod, and were shown '
to a room where we found Mr. Davis I
id Generals Breckinridge and Ilriigg. *
0 one else was present. I hnd never 1
on Mr. Davis look better or show t<? *
itter advantage. lie seemed in excel- \
nt spirits and humor ; and the union 1
' dignity, graceful affability, and do- f
si on which made his manner usually J
> strilihg, was very marked in his replion
of us. After some conversation I
a general nature, he announced the ^
irpo.se which had induced him to call '
1 together. j
"It is time," ho said, "that w?? nilnnt .
? r ~
me definite plan upon which the fur- ?
er prosecution of our struggle shall be '
nducted, I have- summoned you for
>naultation. 1 feel that 1 ought to do
>thing now without the advice of my
ilit&ry chiefs."
He smiled rather archly as he used
is expression, aad we could not help
linking that such term addressed to a
indful of brigadiers, commanding alto*
(ther barely three thousand men, by
te who so recently had been the mas*
r of legions was a pleasantry, vet he
id it in a way that made it a compli- y
enU J
After we had each giTen, at his re- j
lest, a statement of the equipment and i
mdition.of our respectito, commands, '*
SSSi^s^hSbSSm^ -i&ri&uvx ** - * v>-r
Mr. Davis proceeded to declare his conviction
that the cause was not lost any
more than hope of American liberty was
gone amid the sorest trials and most disheartening
reverses of the revolutionary
struggle ; hut that energy, courage and
constancy might yet save all. "Kven,"
he said, "if the troops now,* with me bo
all that I can for the present rely on^
three thousand brave men are enough
for a nucleus around which the whole
people will rally when the panic which
now afflicts them has passed awav." Hr
then asked that we should make such
suggestions in regard to the future conduct
of the war as we deemed advisable.
We looked at each othr in amazement
and with a feeling a ltttle akin to trepidation,
for we hardly knew how we should
give expressoon to views as diametrically
opposed to those he had uttered as
we entertained. Our respect for Mr.
Davis approached veneration, and
notwithstanding the total dissent wo
felt and were obliged to announce to the
programme he had indicated, that respect
was rather increased than di
minished by what he had said. We
recognized that hia. high and dauntless
spirit abhorred submission, not from
personal consideration* ?n m? l? ?
? ... vivaa Hk) uccause
of the patriotic love he bore his
cause and pfeople.
I do not remember who spoken first,
but we each expressed the same opinion.
We told him frankly that the
events of the last few days had remoqed
from our miuds all idea or hope that a
prolongation of the contest was possible.
The people wore not panic-stricken
but brocken down and worn out after
every effort at resistance had beta exhausted.
We said that an attempt to
contiuuo the war, after all means of supporting
warfare were gone, would be a
cruel injustice to the people of the
South. We would be compelled to
live on a country already impovembed,
ami would invite its further devastationWe
urged that we would be doing a
great wrong to men, if we persuaded
them to such a course. That if they
persisted in a conflict so hopeless, they
would be declared and treated as
brigands, and would forfeit all. chance
of returning to their homes.
lie asked why then were we still ,in
the field. We answered that we were
desirous of affording him an opportuniy,
of escaping the degradation of captuie
and perhaps a fate which would be direr
to the people than even to himself, in
still more embittering the exasperated
feeling between the North and South.
We said that we would ask our men to
follow us until his safety was assured
and would risk them in battle for that
purpose, but would not tire another shot
in an effort to continue hostilities.
He declared, abruptly, that he would
listsn to no suggestion which regarded
>nly his own safety. Resuming
Ins previous tone, he appealed with
in eloquence that was sublime to every
ientiment and reminiscence that might
>e supposed to move a Southern soldier,
tnd urged us to accept his views. Wo
remained silent, for our convictions were
inshaken ; we felt responsible for the \
'uture welfare of the m<?n ? !?? on.
icroically followed us, and the painful
>oint had been reached, when lo speak
igain in opposition to all that he urged
vould have approached altercation. For
mine minutes not a word was spoken
I'hen Mr. Davis aro. e and eia-uluted
litterly that all was indeed lo.nt. I
lad become very pallid, and he walked . ^
to feebly as he proceeded to leave the ,
ooin that General Hrcckinridge stepped <
tastily up and offerred his arm.
1 have undertaken to narrate very
>rielly what occurred in a conference
vliich lasted for two or three houis. (
relieve that 1 have accurately given the
substance of what was said by Mr. Dav
s in quotation marks, I have' correctly ,.
?produced it, or very nearly so. ten>rala
DeBrell and Ferguson and Colonel
Breckinridge Jare still living. 1 think
:heir recollection af this somewhat renarkable
occurrence will agree with
mine.
Generals Breckinridge and Bragg took .
10 part in the discussion. Both, howaver,
after Mr. Davis retired, assured us
>f their hearty approval of the position
ire had taken. They had fore borne to |
layoanything, because not immediately '
souimanding the troops, and not sup* , posed,
therefore, to know their seuti.iments
so well as we did. But they sag
?A " ? - "
m? vtuiovM ui^n upuil AT* A/AWS UIO
lecesaity and propriety of endmoriRf :';$
without further delay to got out of tW '
sountry. and not permit other and ae- ;
riouB complications to be produced by '
us capture and imprisonment, atd perlaps
execution.?Oek. Dckk, in August fj|B|
Bivouac.