While I know a lot of you probably know of this incident, I thought some of
you did not. It is of interest to me as we had Casey relatives living in this
area.
This is from an old clipping. It is entitled "America's Greatest
Earthquake"
No it wasn't the one in San Francisco. It happened in Missouri on Dec. 16,
1811. If it occurred today, owing to the increased population of the area, it
would do 10 times the damage of the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.
A pioneer, Eliza Bryan, described it:...about 2 o'clock a.m...a violent shock
of earthquake accompanied by a very awful noise resembling loud but distant
thunder, but hoarse and vibrating, followed by complete saturation of the
atmosphere with sulphur-ous vapor, causing total darkness.
Eliza lived in the Mississippi town of New Madrid, 65 miles north-east of the
earthquake' epicenter. The shock was felt over nearly a million square
miles, as far north as Canada. Chimneys fell in Cincinnati, 400 miles away. The
Mississippi stopped, rolled backward, then surged ahead in huge tidal waves,
uprooting trees, leaving boats stranded and sinking islands, including Island
94, with a contingent of river pirates. Naturalist John J. Audubon observed
that "The earth waved like a field of corn before the breeze." Sand geysers
blew through holes in the surface. Hugh fissures yawned.
My Note: the Mississippi River flowed backward for 3 days afterward and
changed the course of the river bed. If you will look at a map of the river you
will note that there are half moon lakes on either side. This is the original
course of the river. It created islands, domes, lakes, and "Earthquake
Christians"
For more than a year afterward, smaller earthquakes rumbled. Engineer Jarad
Brooks rigged pendulums that registered 1874 shocks during the first 3 months,
including 8 that he classified as violent.
Unknown to most people, the earthquake was not an isolated event. The 5
state region below St. Louis is earthquake-prone.
Note: Also this quake was felt in Philadelphia, by the ringing of church
bells.
Sent by Wanda Norman ( A Casey)
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