“Earthquakes”

Date

1-21-1812

Newspaper

Lexington American Statesman

Page and Column

Page 3, Column 3

Newspaper Location

Lexington, Kentucky

Serial Number

215

Abstract

Long article that details the effect of the December 16, 1811 earthquake across the United States.

Transcript

EARTHQUAKE. From the accounts already received through the medium of the Newspapers, it seems, that the shocks of the earthquake have been very sensibly felt throughout this state,--the Indianna Territory-Tennessee-Western parts of Pennsylvania-Ohio-Maryland-N. & S Carolina-In Philadelphia-Washington City-Norfolk-Alexandria and Richmond, Va.-By those shocks, vessels of water were upset-chimnies and the gabel ends of houses were cracked and thrown down-dogs barked-fowls made a noise and deserted their roosts-people deserted their houses and places of residence-some were under the persuasion, that thieves and robbers were breaking into their habitations; and others left their beds, in consequence of their believing that the agitations proceeded from the exertions of persons under them. The furniture of houses were greatly shaken, and doors moved and rattled upon their hinges-many of the clocks stopped-bells were set a ringing,--water in the wells was put in violent commotion, and the parade ground at Georgetown, (S. Carolina) settled one or two inches to below its former level.-From the experiments of the pendulum, it appeared that the undulations were from west to east, and were accompanied by a rumbling noise resembling distant thunder. By a letter from a gentleman on his way to Orleans, addressed to his friend in this place, we learn that those shocks were very violent on the Mississippi-The banks gave way in various directions-10 or 15 acres of ground have sunk down in a body, and 1 or 2 of the Chickasaw bluff's had chiefly fallen in-trees were prodigiously shaken, broken off and torn up by the roots as is usual in the most violent storms. Nearly all the islands in the river, containing from 1 to 200 acres have sunk or cracked to a very great extent.-The trees that lay concealed in the river, are said to have been raised erect, several feet out of the water, as those shocks succeeded each other. The atmosphere was also sensibly impregnated with a sulphureous smell. At New Madrid the shocks have been uncommonly violent-throwing down chimnies and houses, and compelling one third of the inhabitants to remove from the place to the adjacent hills, and the remainder to encamp in tents and open fields. The earth was so convulsed, as to render it difficult for one to keep their perpendicular position-the motion being estimated at about 12 inches to and fro. The shocks were accompanied with a partial darkness, tremendous noise and sulphurious smell. Sixty seven shocks have been witnessed in all, which have split and cracked the earth in an hundred places in the neighborhood. During the violent shocks, the people by their yells and shrieks, discovered their extreme alarm, and upon one of those occasions a lady was known to faint and never recovered!-The face of the country below, about Little Prairie, has almost entirely changed-large lakes having been converted into dry land, and fields into lakes-the banks of the river fallen in-mills destroyed, and the earth cracked in every direction. The St. Francis was at one time very low-at another overflowing the surrounding country. At Little Prairie, the Mississippi is said to have formed an eddy, and presented a retrogade motion, and in 13 or 20 minutes afterwards resumed its course, and rose about 5 feet. Seven Indians are said to have been swallowed up in one of those apertures in the earth, one of which only made his escape, who states, that this calamity was foretold by the Shawanoe Prophet for the destruction of the Whites.

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