“Earthquakes”

    Date

    2-18-1812

    Newspaper

    Petersburg Intelligencer

    Page and Column

    Page 2, Column 4

    Newspaper Location

    Petersburg, Virginia

    Serial Number

    1031

    Abstract

    Felt report for the December 16, 1811 earthquake and aftershocks from Louisville, Kentucky. Quite detailed with damage noted and times and effect of the earthquakes.

    Transcript

    EARTHQUAKES. --Extract of a letter from a respectable gentleman at Louisville, Kentucky, to his friend in Baltimore, dated Jan. 25, 1812 "In your letter of the 7th instant, you requested information, relative to the earthquake at this place. The first shock came on about half past 2 o'clock Monday morning the 15th Dec. which was very severe indeed, it shook off 3 or 4 strong brick chimnies, About 7, sunrise (same morning) another very considerable one was felt but less severe than the first-Since then we have had frequent slight shocks, every day or two, until Thursday the 23d inst. when we had another very severe shock, it came on in the morning about nine o'clock, we do not think it as severe as the first, though some think it fully as severe, it shook off several very strong brick chimnies, stopped all the clocks in the town, it lasted about 2 1 2 minutes, it set several bells to ringing.-We are confident the earth has not been still for twenty hours together since the first shock of the 16th Dec. A person of considerable observation here says there has been a constant trembling or motion of the earth, since the first shock; last night two shocks were selt very perceptibly. As this has been the first Earthquake ever felt in this place it has caused a very considerable alarm among the ladies, and when there will be an end to it, God only knows."

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