“The Earthquake is over”
Date
7-10-1812
Newspaper
Louisiana Gazette
Page and Column
Page 3, Column 2
Newspaper Location
New Orleans, Louisiana
Serial Number
946
Abstract
Account that John C. Edwards is dead and using his account to discredit other earthquake and volcanic reports. See article 947 for how his account is used to discredit other information.
Transcript
THE EARTHQUAKE IS OVER. DIED-At Ashville, Buncomb county, North Carolina, about three weeks ago, Mr. John Clark Edwards, the celebrated inventor of the Buncomb and Burk county, Earthquakes and Volcanoes.* "Tread lightly on his ashes, ye men of genius-for he was your brother."--Sterm. Hem! Since the above was written, the spirit of Edwards has passed by a species of Metemaychosis, into the bosom of a Bartholomews-Sugar-Planter. Witness the following effusion of the enterprising genius! INTELLIGENCE EXTRAORDINARY. "A most surprising event has lately occurred on this island. I hasten to inform you thereof for the benefit of your merchants. It is this-A volcano has just broken out on the peak overlooking our harbour. The crater is circular; the lava runs down the hill without intermission, and appears inexhaustible. But, what will astonish you most, is, that the lava as it issues from the mouth of the crater, is actually pure molasses--As it descends towards our narrow valley, it is chrystalized into brown sugar, of various qualities, in some parts, it assumes the appearance of Gaudaloupe sugar; in other Martinique; and in other places, Barbadoes, &c. We are employed in putting it in hogsheads, tierces and barrels, and as quickly as we can accomplish the object, it is bought up up for your market. The crater discharges into the air, immense quantities of what appears to us below very small pebbles; but on a close investigation turn out to be actually COFFEE, as like the growth of all the Windward island coffee as possible. Every soul here is employed in stuffing this prodigious windfall (as precious as the manna in the wilderness,) into bags and barrels I have hastened to inform you of this glorious source of speculation, in order that you and all other friends may either partake of, or sympathize in our good fortune. *He was destroyed by a flood of lava as he was ascending the mountain near the mouth of the Volcano.
Recommended Citation
"“The Earthquake is over”" (1812). New Madrid Compendium Far-Field Database. 920.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/cas-ceri-new-madrid-compendium/920
