‘Earthquakes”

Date

2-18-1812

Newspaper

Lexington American Statesman

Page and Column

Page 3, Column 2

Newspaper Location

Lexington, Kentucky

Serial Number

209

Abstract

Long account compiled from several newspaper accounts detailing the effect of the New Madrid earthquakes. Very good detail on the effects across the country

Transcript

EARTHQUAKES. The violent shock which we noticed on the 7th inst. seems to have been sensibly felt as far as our information has as yet reached. At Vincennes, the tops of chimneys were shaken off. At Zanesville, Ohio, it was alarming, and at Brownsville, the agitation of the houses and their contents was so great, as to induce the people to leave their beds. At Circleville and Chillicothe, some chimneys suffered, and it was accompanied by the usual rumbling noise. At Maysville, Ky. the same injury was sustained, and the Ohio is said to have been agitated as in a tempest. The inhabitants of Lancaster, Ohio, were so affrighted and astonished, as to fly from their dwellings to the streets for safety. The bells rang-the dogs howled-the cattle bellowed, and the horses discovered their trepidations by running to and fro during the continuance of the shock. At Pittsburgh the people screamed with terror-ran into the streets, and observed flashes of light towards the south west. About New Madrid, fissures are said to be made in the earth for several miles in length.-The country below is represented as much split and sunk. Little Prairie is stated to have actually sunk, with some of its buildings thrown upon their sides, & others covered with water up to their roofs. The shocks on the 23d of January appear to have been felt very sensibly throughout the union. The articles suspended in stores, at Jamaica, (L. I.) were set in motion. At Washington City, the cups and saucers rattled, and the suspended picture frames were seen to vibrate. Similar effects were also witnessed at Alexandria, D. C. Salem, Mass. was slightly visited, and at Richmond, books were nearly thrown off their shelves, and numbers, who were at breakfast, precipitately left the tables. At Raleigh, (N. C.) chimneys were thrown down, and 18 or 20 acres of land on Piney River, are stated to have suddenly sunk so low, that the tops of trees were on a level with the surrounding earth. At Easton, (Md.) Annapolis and Baltimore, the undulations of the earth are said to have resembled the rocking of a vessel during a heavy sea, and affecting great numbers with considerable nausea at the stomach, and giddiness of the head. The pendulums of clocks, at Easton and Annapolis were stopped, and the weights thrown into an irregular and confused motion; and the ice in the river at the latter place, cracked to such a degree, as to alarm the skaters, and induce them to make for shore. At Baltimore was heard a rumbling noise, attended with several flashes of light, and a portrait about 4 feet in length, which was suspended from the ceiling, vibrated from 18 inches to 2 feet each side. The inhabitants of Annapolis deserted their houses for the open air, when the shocks were so violent, that an Ostrich egg, suspended from the ceiling, by a string of about a foot in length, oscillated 4 inches from point to point. The steeple of the Court House, which is said to be about 250 feet high, vibrated about 6 or 8 feet for several minutes. The earthquake of the 16th Dec. was experienced with considerable severity in Charleston (S. C.) and in Allegany county, N. York. At the place last mentioned, clothes hanging on a line, and a kettle on the fire, swung backwards and forwards, very visibly to every person. A house is supposed to have rocked at least two feet both ways, and a door was observed to swing open and shut. The bells were set a ringing, and the water in an adjacent brook put into violent motion. At Charleston, the clocks stopped-the bells rang, and houses were cracked, in consequence of the violence with which they were shaken. The people left their houses, meat in the market swung to and fro, and liquiors in cellars, were so much agitated as to resemble the rippling of the tide. The captain of the guard was obliged to seize the railing at Planter's Hotel, to support himself, and the centinel stationed in the steeple of St. Michael's was compelled to hold the balustrades to prevent his being tossed about. The vascillations of the steeple at the top of the spire was judged to be at least 5 feet. The circumstance of the agitations of the earth being so frequent and general, and in some places so violent, peculiarly distinguishes it from any Earthquake on record, and is calculated to inspire us with the most distressing and awful apprehensions. Those convulsions will no doubt be followed by the most tremendous and desolating eruptions in some quarter of our continent. At whatever time or place this direful calamity shall present itself, we anticipate consequences, rivalling in dread and horror, those which were experienced at Lisbon, or those which have resulted from the destructive and inundating lava of Etna and Vesuvius. Earthquakes and deluges, says Lord Bacon, are the winding sheets of all things. How sublime, yet how solemn and impressive then should our reflections be in contemplating in prospective, the fatal effects of those terrestrial spasms. Should we ourselves be so fortunate as to escape, it will, in all probability, fall with redoubled violence and terrific fury, upon some other portion of the human family, and consign them to one promiscuous ruin.

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