“Earthquake!”
Date
12-21-1811
Newspaper
The Times
Page and Column
Page 3, Column 1
Serial Number
100
Abstract
Felt report from Columbia, South Carolina, December 16, 1811 earthquake. Time of the first shock was “about half after 2 o’clock, which shook the houses as if rocked by the waves of the sea: it was followed after the cessation of a minute by three slighter ones; and at 8 o’clock two others took place, and at 10 o’clock some slight ones.” Damage noted was “The South Carolina college appeared to rock from it’s foundation, and a part of the plastering fell; which so alarmed the Students that they left the College without their clothes. It appeared as if all the buildings would be leveled.” The effect on people was “numbers of the inhabitants were running about with lights, not knowing where to go, so great was their alarm.”
Transcript
EARTHQUAKE! Columbia, (S. C.) DEC. 17. The inhabitants of this town were much alarmed yesterday morning, by repeated shocks of Earthquakes. The first took place about half after 2 o'clock, which shook the houses as it rocked by the waves of the sea; it was followed after the cessation of a minute by three slighter ones; and at 8 o'clock two others took place, and at 10 o'clock some slight ones. The South-Carolina College appeared to rock from its foundation, and a part of the plastering fell; which so alarmed the Students, that they left the College without their clothes. It appeared as if all the buildings would be levelled. The dogs barking, howls make a racket, and numbers of the inhabitants were running about with lights, not knowing where to go, so great was their alarm. During the shock, the air felt as if it was intergrated with steam, which lasted for some time after the first shock.
Recommended Citation
"“Earthquake!”" (1811). New Madrid Compendium Far-Field Database. 98.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/cas-ceri-new-madrid-compendium/98
