Nebraska News - 1877 Earthquake (Lincoln State Journal)

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16 Nov 1877

THE EARTHQUAKE
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Lincoln Shaken Up.

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     From fifteen to twenty minutes before 12 o'clock, noon, yesterday, as we sat writing at a desk in the JOURNAL counting room, it suddenly occurred to us that the Commercial Block was slightly intoxicated. The desk, the chairs, the walls, the floor commenced to vibrate from east to west, as a frame house will rock before a mighty wind. Looking up to see what was the matter, we discovered considerable of a panic among the occupants of the next room. Thinking, perhaps, that a belt had slipped in the engine room, Mr. Mendenhall, of the JOURNAL Company, rushed in there to look after the disaster, but the machinery was going with its usual rapidity, but all hands in all the rooms had suspended labor, and were apparently prepared for a rush out of the building for safety. "Eathquake," we said, and an earthquake it was, that extended over perhaps ten seconds, with that peculiar hair-lifting vibration. A lesser shock succeeded a few seconds later, and all was quiet.
     To find out if the "trouble" extended to other parts of the city, we started for the street, and met at our threshold a gentleman, who spoke first to know if we had felt the earthquake. We had. He was just from the state block and said its inmates had rushed out to the pave, under the impression that this solid pile of brick and mortar was coming down. Others corroborated the news a moment later, and the mystery was solved. The shock was almost universally felt in the upper and in many of the lower floors of our brick business houses. All agreed that the vibrations were east and west. At the capital, it was noticed by Judges Lake and Gantt in the supreme court room and also in the offices on the first floor. At the high school, the vibrations were quite severe, and a panic broke out among the children in one of the rooms, which was promptly checked by the teacher, though many of the little girls frightened to tears. At the university were (sic) the shaking felt, and a small quantity of plastering came down in the room of Professor Stadtler, the artist, who found it hard to keep his balance in the height of the upheavals. No damage, however, was done; no walls crushed, no buildings at all injured; and it was, so far as Lincoln, is concerned, a toy earthquake. It is rumored that the shock was much more severe in Nebraska City than here. At the present writing no other points have been heard from, but our dispatches this morning will probably give the extent and duration of the phenomenon in all parts of the west. It was apparently very similar to the small earthquake of eleven years ago, that was severer in Nebraska City and Brownville than in any other part of the State, doing some damage to old and unfinished brick buildings in those towns, but not extending very far west of the river.
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Personals

   Gen. Roberts is in Omaha.
   Chas. O. Whedon is courting at Omaha.
   Doc. Yeazol and Judge Northup left for Hastings today.

NUCKOLLS COUNTY.
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Nelson and Edgar.
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NELSON

     The county seat of Nuckolls county has not distinguished itself by any great amount of building during the past season, but have now the prospect of a good grist mill in running order before long.
     Mr. Randall, of Omaha, has a contract with the county for a good jail and sheriff's residence, which will be built next summer. It will be of stone and brick with iron cells.
     The Herald, the only paper in the county, has taken a very active part in politics of Nuckolls, notwithstanding they have been at a red hot pitch. Mr. Day, the editor, is practicing law, as well as attending to the labors of an editor.
     The democrats carried the election on clerk and sheriff; our old friend J. D. Fullmer, being the treasurer elect for another term--a good republican and a good man.
     Mr. Van Valin, who has so ably filled the office of clerk since Mr. Garber resigned, did not get the nomination, and consequently did not enter the field.
     D. W. Montgomery & Co. are selling any quantity of B. & M. Railroad lands, also St. Joe & Denver and Omaha and Southwestern. Besides these lands there is one tract owned by a speculator of 14,000 acres, none of which is in the market.
     It settlers come into this country and are able to get these splendid farms cheap, it will not be long before Nuckolls will double its population. As it now is, some of her best land cannot be obtrained at any price. Messrs. Montgomery & Co. will gladly give any information or attend to any business upon application, either by mail or in person, at Nelson, Neb.
EDGAR
although in Clay county, is more nearly allied to Nuckolls, on account of its being the market for all that section of country. The town has nearly doubled in size since our last visit.
     S. T. Caldwell & Co. still carry the heaviest stock of general merchandise in town, and do the biggest agricultural implement trade, besides buying and shipping stock. We wish them every success, as they certainly work hard for it and deserve it.
     The Howard Bros. have had a splendid fall trade, and will have to engage a man to take the place of one of the brothers, who has been elected clerk of Clay county. It would have been hard to make a better selection for that important office.
     Joel Hale has sub contracted his stage lines and is now paying his whole attention to the livery business. He has enough to keep his teams constantly employed.
     Mr. Gunn, the B. & M. land agent and general real estate and collection agent is occupying a good new office with plenty to keep him busy.
     Friend Hull attends to the mail, besides his stock of stationery, and attends to both well.
     There is talk of building a Methodist Church, to cost about $2,000 which will be a step in the right direction.
     It is not a surprise that Edgar is going ahead so fast, for it is in the midst of a wealthy agricultural coup' (?), which is rapidly developing.
     Hon. T. Caldwell has 480 acres in his home farm, the most of which is under cultivation. Many others around him have like improvement, which can be seen in every direction, as well     "GAD"

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