“Earthquake”

Date

1-20-1812

Newspaper

Louisiana Gazette

Page and Column

Page 2, Column 3

Newspaper Location

New Orleans, Louisiana

Serial Number

909

Abstract

Felt report for the December 16, 1811 earthquake. Observers were on a barge “ a few leagues south” of New Madrid. Time of the first quake was at 2:00 am local time. Earthquake was described as the barge scraping its anchor for 60 to 80 seconds. Crew of the barge thought that it had grounded and sounded around the barge and found that it had not. Second earthquake was felt at 7:00 am local time. Earthquake was described as a very severe shock. The river rose several feet, wildfowl were disturbed, trees rose from the bottom of the river and . After shocks continued until December 21, they numbered to near 100. Damage was noted from the St. Francis river to near the Chickasaw bluffs(Memphis). Good account and probably a synopsis of a more detailed account.

Transcript

EARTHQUAKE. We have the following description of the Earthquake from gentlemen who were on board a large barge, and lay at anchor in the Mississippi a few leagues below New Madrid, on the night of the 15th of December. About 2 o'clock all hands were awakened by the first shock; the impression was, that the barge had dragged her anchor and was grounding on gravel; such were the feelings for 60 or 80 seconds, when the shock subsided. The crew were so fully persuaded of the fact of their being a ground, that they put out their sounding poles, but found water enough. At seven next morning a second and very severe shock took place. The barge was under way-the river rose several feet; the trees on the shore shook; the banks in large columns tumbled in; hundreds of old trees that had lain perhaps half a century at the bottom of the river, appeared on the surface of the water; the feathered race took to the wing; the canopy was covered with geese and ducks, and various other kinds of wild fowl; very little wind; the air was tained with a nitrous and sulphureous smell; and every thing was truly alarming for several minutes. The shocks continued to the 21st Dec. during that time perhaps one hundred were distinctly felt. From the river St Francis to the Chickasaw bluff visible marks of the earthquake were discovered; from that place down, the banks did not appear to have been disturbed. There is one part of this description which we cannot reconcile with philosophic principles, (although we believe the narrative to be true,) that is, the trees which were settled at the bottom of the river appearing on the surface. It must be obvious to every person that those trees must have become specifically heavier than the water before they sunk, and of course after being immersed in the mud must have increased in weight.-We therefore submit the question to the Philosophical Society.

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