The Earthquake.

Manawatu Herald, 9 December 1897, Page 2

The Earthquake.

On Tuesday morning ab 2.45 a very heavy earthquake . was experienced locally, the heaviest since the one in 1881. Not much damage has been, done though the tops of some chimnies had the bricks shaken off, and a few have been cracked. In the stores a few tins were shaken off the shelves, but there is no real loss except where any bottles came to grief. Luckily in the place where bottles mostly are found, in the hotels, the shelves they were on ran north and south, and as ihe shock came in that direction they retained their position. The difference was easily noted in our chemist's shop, as on the shelves running in the direction we hive named the jars stood, but on those running east and west, ali the articles were thrown to the ground, and the contents mingled inodourously on the floor. In this building also can be noticed the movement of the shake as an outside chimney on the south end of the building is now over an inch away from the boards.

At the Bank of New Zealand the top of one chimney separated into pieces, part of the bricks falling on the iron roof and some going down the chimney. As this was the bedroom occupied by the manager and his wife it is natural to suppose that they were slightly alarmed.

The crew of the s.b. Queen of the South felt the earthquake as they were steaming by Eapiti, and the engineer had an idea that the steamer had struck on a shoal.

Mr Pigott, the ferryman at Shannon informs ua that he had the quake very bad, as tha chimney oame down and alt his crockery wai thrown down and broken. As show ing tha peculiarities of earthquakes he noticed an old chimney in a building a little distance away stand ing unharmed. Nearly everybody felt the severe shock, but it is asserted that there was a prior shock which wok& us all up to fully appreciate what was coming. Mr Pigott is of this opinion as be was disturbed and rose out of bad, thinkiog a storm of wind was coming and he therefore went to view the safety j of the punt. He then became aware that the commotion arose from causes below and not above, and was astonished at seeing the river working in big rollers which broke on the opposite shore, and his puct swaying to the motion. The land also opened and closed in his vicinity, and there is a decided orack in the cutting down to the punt, which will need filling, if the depth is not too great. He imagines that bis house being closer to the river bank oaused his feeling the shock so strongly. At the Gospel Tent in Main-street on Sunday some of the preaohers expressed an opinion that this town wanted a good shaking up, and they have the hope that the earthquake was an answer to their prayers. It may have b^en. Wednesday's N.Z. Times says at about 2.40 this morning a prolonged

and severe earthquake Was experienced. The 1 shake wag preceded by a rumbling ttoise. $his was followed by a slight tremor, and then came a violent jerk, which lasted several seconds. Buildings swayed to and fro, several of t the doors at the General Post Omde Were burst open, bells were set ringing, chimney pots were thrown down, but so far as could be ascertained before we went to press no serious damage had been done. The shock was violent enough to sat the town clock ringing* Telegrams ftceived through the Press Association and from the Post's own correspondent indicate that the shock was felt all over the North Island — at any rate, as far north as Auckland — and in the other island as far 'south as Chriatohurch. The damage seems in general to have been confined to the breaking of windows and the throwing-down of chimney-pots. Tho estimates of the duration of the shock range from 10 seconds at Ohristchuroh to 45 second** at Woodville, a minute at Grey town, one and three-quarter minutes (with a further vibration of two or three minutes) at Blenheim, two minutes at Wanganui, and three minutes at Nelson. In most places the shock I is Bpoken of as severe.

In Wanganui the earthquake is described as the severest felt since 1855, and lasting two minutes. Considerable damage was done in busi* ness premises by the breaking of crockery, glassware, &c.

Chimneys were levelled in all directions, and the main water supply stopped. Fissures are reported in various parts, and there ia a sub* aidence several chains in length on the railway line on the reclamation between the railway station and the cattle wharf.

A house was burned down in the suburbs through the occupants rush 1 ing outside after the shake and leaving a lamp standing alight on the table, which was shaken down.