“Earthquakes”

Date

3-25-1812

Newspaper

The Courier

Page and Column

Page 3, Column 1

Newspaper Location

Norwich, Connecticut

Serial Number

891

Abstract

Felt report for December 16, 1811, earthquake. Source of the report is Mr. Vertner. Notes that he lost his barge of 600 barrels of flour Notes damage to boats and to New Madrid and Little Prairie. Notes building damage and obstructions in the river that were likened to waterfalls. Notes that Little Prairie had sunk 16 feet. Appended tot he report is later reports from the January 23, 1812 and February 7, 1812 earthquakes, notes the earthquakes had been traveling the river into the American bottom area.(bottom land at confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. ) Source is the Lexington Reporter.

Transcript

EARTHQUAKES. Earthquake of the 7th ult. Several persons passed through Lexington on the 27th inst. who were near New-Madrid on the 7 ult. One of the gentlemen (Mr. Vertner) states, that the earthquake which occurred during the night of the 7th, occasioned his barge, with 600 barrels of flour, besides other articles, to sink, and the whole was lost; another gentleman whose name is not recollected, stated, that during the convulsion the bank of the river just below New-Madrid caved in, and let loose his boat; about the same time there was a back current in the river which drove the boat several miles up a small bayou, and during the convulsion the motion of the boat was so violent as to stave many barrels of flour in the boat. The quaking continued three days, when this gentleman thinking it prudent not to go further, left his property and returned. Both the gentlemen state that some obstruction had presented itself in the river something like a rapids or falls, which greatly endangers the navigation. Also that the buildings in New-Madrid are greatly damaged; much of the land round about was under water, and the few remaining inhabitants were encamped out; that the land in innumerable places is opened in large fissures-and the inhabitants of the town of New-Madrid entertain the opinion that the ground on which the town stood had sunk about fifteen feet-a few moments after the first violent shock, it rose about ten feet. They heard of many boats being lost, and that the land where the town of Little Prairie stands, is sixteen feet under water. In addition to the above we have been favored with the perusal of several letters from near New-Madrid, of the date of Feb. 21, which confirms the whole of the above particulars. Those letters can be depended on-they state the number of boats lost of which accounts are already received, to amount to 50-together with a number of lives. There is a certainty that a bar composed of stone coal, burnt substance, &c. has been thrown up, directly under the bed of the river. Island No 8, from the junction of the Ohio to the Mississippi, is entirely sunk-indeed the effects already ascertained are terrible-the inundations are progressing through the low lands, and it would appear that there had not been yet any volcanic eruption sufficient to draw off the cause. The shocks are now running upthe river and through what is called the American bottom. Reporter.

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