The New York herald. [volume], December 12, 1874, Page 3, Image 3

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"A LIVELY SHAKE."
An Earthquake in the Upper
Part of the City.
UNSTEADY REAL ESTATE.
The Shock in Westchester and
New Jersey.
ALONG THE HUDSON.
Experiences of the Tremor in the
City and Vioinity.
PREVIOUS LOCAL. SHAKES.
Od Thursday evening of tuts week, at half-past
ten o'clock?an hour early lor the great bulk of
busy citizens, but quite late to suburban residents j
of the new wards and the neighboring villages
there was felt and beard In tbe upper parts of tbe
city and tbrougb all the county ol Westchester, j
with tbe Jersey Palisades district, along the west
ern snore of tbe Hudson in ltockland county, '
and as far north as PeeksklU and east
as Greenwich, Conn., a distinct earthquake !
shock. People in bed and asleep were suddenly ;
awakened?jumping up startled, confounded and i
frightened. They heard, as thev told Herald re
porters yesterday, sounds In the night stillness as
though a long, heavy railway train bad passed
under their houses, from north southwardly,
shaking tbe walls, making pictures and
mirrors swing frcm their hangings and
rattling the tins and dishes in the
pantries. For a moment after the vibration, which
is variously estimated to have lasted irom three
seconds to a minute, all was still as death. Then
chickens clapped their wings, cocks crowed, dogs ;
hareed ana horses neighed with fright at the |
strange experience. The tremor was very dis- I
tlnct and startling at Washington Heights. At |
Harlem only lew noticed it. In Dergen j
Heights it wakened light sleepers, ana
through all Westchester It seems to have bad con
siderable lorce, so as in some cases to have thrown
down stoves and furniture, crack ceilings, and
make chandeliers swing and dishes jingle on pan
try shelves. People thought it duo to some local
cause, guessed it was a powder, or gas or steam
explosion, till, on comparing notes yesterday i
morning, they found (rom its extent that they had
felt what, in other parts of tbe world, is dreaded ;
as a plague.
THE SHOCK AT WASHINGTON HEIGHTS.
A gentleman who resides in a romantic region
of tbe Heights thus describes bis experiences ol 1
the shock:?1 was leaving my library about
twenty-minutes past ten o'clock, having finished
Bome memoirs I had been preparing for some
time past,'when, just as I was turning the
handle of the door?having previously extin
guished tbe light?I was suddenly startled by a
strange and undeilnable sound. 1 did not
opeu tbe door, being almost ppelibound,
lor 1 had never heard anything to resemble the
peculiar and unearthly noise which grated on my
ears. In a twinkling I lighted my lamp, and,
drawing aside the curtains, peered through tbe
window into the lawn only to see gloom and
darkness, which, doubtless, seemed intensified by
the awml rumbling, wiilch now souuded like a
lightning train ruuuiug tbrougb a tunnel under
my house, Por a lew moments I was perlectly
thunderstruck, and, hastily closing the curtains,
was about to rnsh I know not where, when In
came rushing tue members of my lamily seemingly
petrified with fright. Mind, all this happened in
much less time than I have taken to tell it. And
now with the intention of calming the dread
ful apprehensions which bad taken possession of
my relatives and iriends, 1 ventured tbe opinion,
with apparent indifference, that the sound must
have proceeded from tbe passing of an express
train on the Hudson River Railroad, but 1 had
lived too loos tn the neighborhood and had become
too lamlliar with the noi.se which a locomotive and a
train of cars generally make, to know that the
drcadiul rambling, which, by the way, did not
last longer than thirty or forty seconds, was
produced by other causes. I quieted my family as
best 1 could, and, after repeated assurances tlut
there was uotning wrong, induced them to retire.
I subsequently visited my outhouses, and in going
through the stables found the horses all
standing and by no means in a calm tempera
ment. They had evidently been aroused, and
seemed to be much disturbed. Although
the sound was almost indescribable I cer
tainly never heard anything so distinct. At first it
resembled the sound generally produced by a
team of horses trotting over frozen snow, then
suddenly swelling forth, It resembled a peal or
thunder, finally culminating in something like the
roll of a thousand drums tn the march of the God
of Battle. Nobody was hurt, however. In my im
mediate vicinity, nor was any damage done
to buildings in the neighboring, but oncoming
to town on the morning train I lound that the pro
minent topic of conversation was the shock of the
night betore. 1 understand it was beard with
more distinctness tn other parts of the county,
but 1 have not heard that any catastrophe has oc
curred In consequence. As the sound died away
It resembled the passage ot a train rushing across
a distant bridge. From the various statements I
have heard I am inclined to believe tliut the sound
heard throughout the couuty was produced by an
earthquaKe. Tradition gives no account of any
similar disturbance in this part,of the State; but
wonders, you know, occur all the time.
Much consternation was caused at Spuyten
Duyvil, and in several houses lmhts were kept
burning nearly all night in anticipation of a re
newal of the shock.
A MERCHANT TELLS THE STORY.
Mr. E. L. Hyatt, a carpet dealer, in Canal street,
Who lives at Fort Washington, heard what he sua
p?sed to be a thunderclap, ana thought it was a
natural resnlt of the storm which had been on
since the night before, lie was dozing at the
time, and paid no particular attention to it. When
he went down stairs, however, he was sur
prised at bearing from his family that the
house had been considerably shaken, and they
bad all expenenced a sort oi rocking sensation,
which astonished them. They had run to
the windows and opened them, but heard
nothing lurther. Movable oojccts in the house
bad rattled perceptibly and the family bad been to
some extent alarmed. He quieted their fears by
teiting them it was nothing more than a clap of
thunder. A servant in the house had been so
seared that she ruined out into the grounds
adjoining and could hardly be induced to resume
her work. She thought that it was some
thing more than a mere thunderclap, and
?aid It was prolonged to a great extent.
Mr. Hyatt could not be induced to
believe that it was really an earthquake, but told
a reporter or the Uirald that he still believed it
was a simple thunderclap, which had been more
than ordinarily strong, lie was led. to this belief
Irom the fact that the night before be had noticed
signs of a coming storm and thought this was the
result of It. Everybody in his neighborhood, how
ever, insisted that an earthquake had visited the
place and were all seared, more or less. His house
bad aot been damaged as reported. Everything
was left in its place and nothing broken. From
all be bad heard, however, he bad been visited
more lightly than anyone in the neighborhood. He
did not think it impossible that It might have been
an earthquake, but was still disposed to think it
was something else. Blastings had been going
on for some time, day and night, In the new
Bergen Hill Tunnel, very nearly opposite his
place, and he considered that an unusual
blast might possmiy have exolted the commotion
described uj sviae. The blast* were ataicd to tie
at an times veif strong, and be bad often beard
them across the river. Aa tbe earthquake was
stated to bave been mora strongly felt on tbe
otber side of tbe river be thought It not at all Im
possible that the real cause of the supposed earth
quake was a blast of unusual strength.
ANOTHER ACCOCKT nun WASHINGTON HEIGHTS*
Mr. Rtgnal T. Woodward, who Uvea on Washing
ton Heights and does business in Worth street,
states tbat be distinctly .-card tbe earthquake and
felt IV. lie was at drat duposed to believe he
heard thunder in the iar distance, bnt when the
shock became so prolonged be instinctively knew
tbat be was experiencing an earthquake and that
he was in personal danger. He, however, was im
mediately conscious that no action was necessary
or of use and remained passive while the rumbling
sound went on aud the rocking decreased
in strength and intensity. That it was an
earthquake, Mr. Woodward has not the slightest
particle ol doubt, aud no oue who was awake
.could fall to perceive It. The noise and tbe sen
sation o( rocking were both distinctly perceptible,
aud no clap ol thunder ever either felt Uke it or
sounded in a similar manner.
A SOUTH AMERICAN TEST1FIB3.
Mr. Suppartes, a resident of Washington Heights,
pronounced it to be unquestionably an earth
quake, though not of the severest kind. It was
accompanied by rocking and rumbling, and
this lu earthquake countries was always
taken to oe a serious sign. He hao lived In ,-iouth
America in au earthquake country (or many years
aud he was perlectly lamiliar with the phenomena
of earthquakes, and his opinion was,jtuerefore, en
titled co more than usual weight. He became con
scious ol tne fact that an earthquake had hap
pened immediately upon feeling the peculiar mo
tion of the earth under his feet. Tins was
succeeded by tne noi*e, which was separate aud
disnnct from tbe quaking, one succeeding the
other, however, at almost an instant's interval.
Tbe noise In this case was more perceptible
than the motion, whicn was contrary to the rule
In South America, where the motion was the most
serious feature of tne earthquake. He believed,
however, tbat a slight degree of increase In the
force would have been sufficient to have damaged
property. A moment before the time the air was
perfectly quiet and the siorm was clearing up.
It was stmuly impossible tbat a thunderclap should
have happened in tbe midst of tliis peace in tue
air. The noise and morion were subterranean.
ALONG THE llARLEM ROAD.
Along the Harlem road the excitement was In
tense resterday, and the great theiue ot discus
sion seemed to be the question whether it was an
earthquake or au explosion which hud created
such great alarm on tbe previous night. Or
course, tnere were no two persons wno agreed as
to the duration of the shock, while some were in
clined to the opinion that it must have
been au earthquake ; others felt certain
that it must have been an explosion
01 nitro-glycerlne, or powder, or some
otber explosive material of the kind. Painful
rumors were also current all day tbat all sorts of
explosions hud occurred. One man lelt sure there
had beeu an explosion at Haverstraw, tbe sound
01 whicn had awakened the sleepers on Thursday
night; the other felt positive that 11 was at Port
chester where tne leanui calamity had oocurred.
the tnird had quite a different theory
to explain tins mysterious shock, aud it
was very difficult to come to any
definite conclusion. However, as the day
wore on and there came no news of any explo
sion the conviction gained ground that it must
have oeeu an earthquake and nothing else. In
quiries elicited the tact that the shock was heard
almost au the way from Tremont to Pawllug.
AT FOHDHAM
there seemed to be scarcely anybody who had felt
It. At almost all the other way stations between
Tremont and Pawling, at Williamsbrldge,
West Mount Vernon, Brownvllle, Tuckahoe,
Scarsdale, Hartsdale, While Plains, Kensico,
Pleasantville, Chappaquu, tne hoiu? ol Horace
Greeley; Mount Kisco, Katouah, Ac., tbe shock
was heard distinctly. Most violent it seems to
have been at West Mount Vernon, White Plains,
Keusico, Mount Kisco aud Katonah.
AT WHITE PLAINS
there was a marriage least going on when the dun
thud was heard, aud tbe consternation which en
sued cuQ easily be Imagined. At first the bridal
party thought that a cannon had been
discharged In their honor, but when this
assumption proved to be erroneous, everybody
rusled into tne street to sec What was the mat
ter. "It's an explosion!" "It's thunoerl" "It's
an earthquake!" These were the wild exclama
tions waieh burst from the Hps of tbe frightened
revellers. Subsequently, wuen tlie first excite
ment had subsided, they ail laughed at this unex
pected intermezzo auu returued to their enjoy
uieuts.
THROWN OCT OP BED.
The road master, Mr. Eggleston, was awakened
by the report, and thought at first that the loco
motive iu the engine bouse, near by, must have
exploded. It was also stated yesterday that Mr.
Kggleston was thrown out of bed oy the BUock,
but as lie could not be found yesterday this asser
tion could not be verified. Another state
ment was to the effect that the rector
of the Episcopal church in White Plains
was roused by tbe shock, and lound that
his boh had fallen out 01 bed. Bimilar accidents
must have occurred to otbers if popular report is
to be credited.
Mr. John L. ScbiUcman, who lives near Broad
way in White Piaius, thought the shock proceeded
from west to east. He was up at the time, and,
as he was not easily frightened, he re
trained iroin making a disturbance. It sounded
to htm "like the rumbling of a very
heavy wagon on rough ground, only very
much stronger, 01 course. His house snook, his
wiuiiows rattled, aud Mr. Schulemen fiist inclined
to the belief that it was an explosion. However,
subsequently he made up nls mind tbat It was not
au explosiou, but au earthquake.
A GOOD SHAKING IN BHD.
One or tlie conductors or the Harlem Hallway,
Jamieson, wno spent Thursday night At the Oiu
wamiium Uotel, at White Plums, savs that be
was id bed at the time, but was roused
bv the shock. It shook his bed vio
lently, until he made up his mind that
the bed was no longer a sale resting place. He
got up. and so violent was the tremor that he ex
pected every moment to see tlie coimney topple
over. He dressed himself In the greatest hurry,
but by the time he had finished hla toilet the great
cannonade from below was over. It sounded very
much like the first report of an explosion and
then died away slowly, "like the rumbling ot
thunder." In his judgment It must nave lasted
three-quarters of a minute.
Mr. Stephen o. Albro. who lives In Broadway,
White Plains, says that he began to appreciate
the uncertainty or real estate when, at hall-past
ten on Thursday night, his house began to shake
to Its very foundations. His lamps rattled tre
mendously and his crockery began to caper about.
Ho thought the suock lasted tully one minute.
A CRACKED CEIL1NM.
At Patrick Farreil's house, In White Plains, the
efleets ol the shock are yet visible In a tremen
dous crac-k in the ceiling or a room on the second
story, The house is a two story irame building,
and Mr. Farrell was in mortal rear or seeing it
tumble to pieces that very night. However, the
crack in the ceiling is th only damage he sus
tained, with the exception or the "scare,"
and that was probably worse than the
crack. His next-door neighbor was read
lug, when the lauip on the table began
to manliest a remarkable inclination to dance all
by ltscli. This rather alarmed him, as he is no
spiritualist and did not think that u was a spook.
He describes the sound as a double exolosion, the
second report being lighter than the first, and as
! a continuous low rumbling like "the rolling or a
heavy cart over a rough road," and he estimates
its duration at hair a minute.
Hudson, the watchmau at the Court Honse at
White Plains, came running out or it in breathless
haste, declaring that the Court House was threat
ening to tumble down, it shook so fearfully. Here,
in front ol the court House, the scene was one or
great excitement. Eve witnesses say that the
men came rushing out en adshabllte from the
neighboring hotels, and that many seemed to be
; absolutely terrified by the earthquake.
AT HARRISON
the shock was also plainly felt. Mr. Charles N.
I Booth, an intelligent gentleman, who lives on the
Old Portch'ester road, was in bed and just in that
sweet doze that precedes sleep, wheu he was
rudely awakened by the rumbling grumble of the
earth. He got up to see if his aged and leeble
mother-in-law was periectly saie, and as he
walked across the floor it trembled
plainly under nis leet. * The windows shook
violently, and the very ornaments on the mantel
piece struck up a lively rattle. His wife was so
frightened that she felt quite laint and 111 after the
shock hud subsided. He thought the sound trav
elled irom west to cast, and his first impresaluu
was that it was caused by an exoloslon like the
last glycerine explosion at Yonker's.
Another resident of Harrison says that
the shock seemed to come irom the
north; that it awakened the sleepers,
made the dogs baru and Irlgtitened the
very chickens, so that they flapped their
wutas. Mr. F. A. Abbott's house was shaken to
its foundation, and the chandeliers, windows, Ac.,
vibrated perceptibly. Several of the lamliy were
up reading and sewing and were greatly startled
by the shock, which seemed 'like a bolt of low,
rumbling thunaer." Strange 10 say, many of the
neighbors heard nothing of it, probably because it
travelled in a particular line.
AT WILMAXSBRTOOK
a Herman described the report as being exactly
like the shocks ol earthquake which lie had ex
perienced in Italy and Switzerland. Ho enter
tained great iear that hia house womu topple
over, aud the terror of the women and children
was quite generally noticed. At Katonah several
window glasses were smashed in Green's Uotel,
and tlie barkeeper ionnd in the morning all his
wine glasses upset. At Mount Klsco Mr. Milier, who
resides on Maple avenue, said his windows began
to rattle all of a sudden, his stove to atiake, and
his wile was "frightened to death." The sound
seemed to him to travel in a aontheaeteriy direc
tion. He thought that it must nave been terrible,
for the dogs?who generally did not bark at
the tnleves?set up a doleful yelling. At
Greenburg Mr. George R. Hopkins stated that he
thought his chlmncy was coming down to pay him
a little visit, and everything In the room, down to
the matchbox, seemed to have a dancing fit, For
hall a minute he and hl? wife were almost para
lyzed with icar. >t Mr. David Verplanck's honse,
in (ir?enouru, the kettle was broken and the siove
upset.
AT HorXT Hi SCO.
Nr. 3. W. Griffith, who resides in Main street,
said the vibration of the earth wu so severe that
the dishes rattled in tola closet* and 1,10 Jadiea
were so frightened that they jumped out oH?*; |
Tne sound was like that of a "Uead. dull ttiu<l
and "as though the earth had opened." He never
bad heard anything like thiB terriflc shock ini his
life. At West Mount \ernou a German
told a rather lunny story. He said he was up
s?alr* at tne time, and ran down stairs to see
what was the ma tier. Bis wife, who was down
stairs, rau up stairs, and they met on tne stair a |
and looked at one another, and. seeing that they
were both safe and souud, "tney embraced one
another" affectionately and thanked God for this
wonderful delivery." j
ALONO THB HUDSON RIVER. I
In the various towns and villages .ilong the west
shore of tne Hudson Kiver the buoc* was remark
ably distinct, and In addition to Pronauc'n*
many instances gastric disturbance similar
to that caused by the rolling ol a
ship, It left unmistakable evidences of tne
fact that "things under the earth are
In a decidedly unsettled condition. Nearly all
agree that the subterranean disturbance purred
about a quarter-past ten, or from that to naif
past ten o'clock. U is described by Mveral with
whom the writer conversed as at first resem
blng a terriflc explosion. Immediately suc
ceeded by a loud rumbling noise and ,
a irenera! shaking of the eartn, which |
caused houses to vibrate like ??i$" i
atoning general consternation among the Pe?P'?;
munv of whom were already in bed, while many ,
others were In the act of retiring ior tlie n|8ht
Not a few, especially tuose 01 the 'emale sex,
were so terrlfled that they sat up allj?.e
belief that the world was really coming to an end.
POLICE Oltl'KRED OCT. I
At Tonkers the earthquake was observed about
tweutv minutes punt ten, and was lelt in nearly
eTery portion ol mat city. Sergeant Austin was
?n command at Police Headquarters when
the ominous noise commenced, ana ne,
believing that anew outiding ?0*.^?ln^nVtantiy
immediately In the rear had fallen, instant y
ordered the reserve platoon to be called up. By ,
the time the men had thrown on their coats an 1
were standtng In iront ol the desk awaiting
orders however, tne Indications of 'nipend
?ng disaster had totally disappeared. One
of the mounted patrol, while In the e.
treme northerly portion of the citv, jelt the
rocking of the earth, which appearedtoierrtfyhis
horse to such an extent as to rendei the beast
unmanageable for some minutes. A larsre number
of people who had been witnessing a dramatic per
formance at Hud ford Hall were In tne act oMeav
InK the building wi.en the unaccountable shaking i
took Place" and the beliei that the hall was about
to tumble down caused tne crowd to make a pre- 1
cfnitate exit. A most Intelligent lady residing in
Vineyard avenue, and who requested that her
name might be omitted, in a conversation with
the writer yesterday afternoon* saidI re re a
about ten o'clock last night, and in a short time
aiterward I heard what 1 at flrst thought was
A DREADFUL EXPLOSION.
A rumpling noise Immediately lollowed, the bed
shook violently, aud the house vibrated as though
a railroad train was passing near or over it. 1
could not account lor it, and now can only
compare it to earthquake shocks which 1 have
feU m Europe, and especially In Melbourne
Australia, where we were residing In 1855.
There as you will perhaps recollect, several
houses at Sandridge, near Melbourne, were rocked
ironi their loundations, causing loss 01 life, tne
shipping in the port 01 Melbourne was also very
much damaged, and captaius arriving there after
ward reported that the shock had been
distinctly felt at sea. I was not only
dreadfully frightened last night, but I also
"r.'TffZ'S... ? Vomer,.
that'he "heard and felt the earthquake most per
ceptibly. It seemed to be from north to south, and
was so remaritably strong that tho earth shook
vtsfbly lor a considerable space of time. It was
like a prolonged thunderclap underneath tho
earth? and rumbled off, loslrnr itseli apparently
in the lar distance. It was easily
tintrulshable from thunder overhead, in fact
there could be no mistaking one irom the other,
and ills impression that it was an earthquake was
immediate aud terrifying, for the earth moved per
cBotiblv under foot, so that walking was a m.itter
uf difficulty and a sensation 01 uncertainty ac
companied it. The impression was general
that the commotion was occasioned by
an earthquake. Everybody in Yonkers, he says,
iclt It, ana the place was shaken very considera
bly go much so that windows were heard to rattle,
dishes to move, and some ol the residents of tho
houses stSd that they felt the edlflces in which
thev were change place very perceptibly.
TUMBL1NU REAL ESTATE. .
The residents of Hlverdale also lelt the shake of
real estate, which one gentleman 8|V? K|"JI
niiuut fifteen seconds. At flrst the sound resenibled
that caused by a heavy wagon going over frozen
nroumf. Another gentleman said it appeared as
though the rool 01 Lis house was Sailing, tue crash
belnir not unlike a nitro-glycerine explosion, ihe
occupants 01 every house in the vicinity were
thoroughly alarmed at tne strange ana unusual oc
curence. TERROR IN HASTINGS.
Tt would be iiupossioiG to iully portray tne but
nrise Zl tenor of the people living at Hastings
when the alarming crash was heard in that vil
lage. It was at first thought that the lurge sugar
reflnlnir house ol Messrs. Hopke A to.
had been demolished by an explosion
of some sort, and in this belief
scores of the inhabitants rushed mto tne
Htrcets clad in their nlgntgarments, many ol them
carrying Hghted lamps to am them in ascertaining
the character and extent ol the supposed disas
ter The siiocfc at tins place tnreur down a part of
a loose stone wall on the premises 01 a gentleman
named Thomas.
BELLS BrNO.
At Dob^'s Ferry (or Greouburg) the subterra
nean commotion was also palniully perceptible.
Many of the houses were violently shaken, the
force being so great as to ring the bells in tue resi
dence of Mr D 0. Bradley, causing great conster
nation to the startled Inmates,
The people of lrvington were also startled by
the shook, which rocked the houses ol both rlcu
and poor, creating almost a panic in that portion
of the village contiguous to the Hudson River
Ka'lroad. several bricks of a chimney on the
residence of Mr. Alexander caldcr were displaced
and thrown down the Uuo by tne vibration of the
house.
TARRYTOWN TRBMBLTNO.
At Tarrytown the earthquake wus, perhaps,
more distinctly lelt than at any other place ou ihe
Hudson IUver. A gentleman named Kendall re
siding there says that the commotion seemed to
run irom northeast to southwest, followed by a
current ol warm air. Mr. Frank Vincent, who re
sides on a beautiful plate.iu overlooking the Hud
sou River, says that he had Just retired when he
heard a terrific noise, which lie at first thought
was a collision of trains on the railroad
and a consequent explosion of boilers. The
house vibrated to such an extent as to
move a clock on a mantelpiece in one of the
servants' rooms. John Knapp, a guard in toe
employ of the Hudson River Raflrutul Company,
says:?"I got to bed at a little before ten o'clock,
and had just dozed off when I was awakened by
the shock. 1 thought the whole house was moving
bodily, as though it was rolling over something;
In ^another second there was a different motion, as \
though both sides of the house were caving In.
My wile wai Beared and sprung out of bed, saying,
'WHAT'S Til at V
I said, 'Why, the chimney must have fallen
across the house.' and the next thing i said, ?!
| suppose oneof our locomotives has exploded;1 the
j concussion lasted five or six seconds." In college
! avenue the shock was also experienced. One man I
said it sounded at first as tnougli men were drug
ging a heavy box over bare boards, una
| then the plates and dishes commenced to rattle, i
until he thought the whole nousp was coming
down about his ears. In the oouse 01 P. H. Wal- j
cott, at North Tarr.vtown, the earthquake awoke
him, he at first thinking that some person was
drawing tne stove across the floor. The water in j
the little urn on top ol the stove was thrown out
by the vibration, wnich also cansed the windows :
to rattle.
COMMOTION IN 8INO SING.
At Sing Sing ihe people thouulit that "Wes" |
Allen, a convict, had at last put hts threat ol blow
ing up the prison with nltro-giycerine Into execu- ;
tlon, and some of the citizens commenced to arm ,
themselves, preparatory to a general exodus of
the Jailbirds. The shock was also felt at Peeks- |
kill, wuere It was accompanied by a general
shaking of houses, bat, beyond alarming the peo
ple generally, no damage is reported.
A WHOLE TOWN TURNING OCT. j
At Mount Vernon, when the shock was felt, the |
Inhabitants believed thai burglais had effected an .
entrance into the bank and exploited the sale. '
Mr. John Berry, a prominent merchant of that ;
place, says that the noise resembled that, made by !
a train 01 cars running over toe tops of the nouses*.
He aiso says the whole town turned out, not
knowing what had taken place. At one oi the
hotels some of the occupants were
THROWN OUT OK THEIR BBDS
by the concussion, which no alarmed the pro
prietor that he sounded a general police alarm,
which had the effect of speedily collecting tuo
whole lorce of nlirht watchmen, together with
hunureds of citizens, around tne only bauking es
tablishment in tne village. The shock was
also perceptible at Eastehester, near tne margin
or Long Island Sound. A gentlemiin living here
describes the earthquake as a rumbling noise, j
similar to that made by a heavy vehicle being i
drawn over the piazza of his residence. The |
noise, wnich at first appeared like an explosion,
continued lor several seconds.
The earthquake visited Kordham also, whero a
general snaking of dwellings caused no little
amount ol alarm among the Twenty-fourth ward
ers. At the residence ol (nr. John B. Uaskin one
of the inmates, a young gentleman, was thrown
out of bed by tne concussion, while articles of
bijouterie resting on the dressing cases were scat
tered upon the floor by the shock.
WOMEN FKIOnTKNRD.
At OTW Rochelie the shock was, as some of the
Inhabitants expressed It, very great, though
many of them declared they had not felt It. In an
interview with some of the townspeople tne
Hbrald reporter learnod that no damage
to property had occurred beyond the break
ing oil a large amount of crockery and
glass waro. The shock, however, pro
duced a "kind of a sort or nervous feeling,"
as one old gentleman called it, among the women
folk that they will not soon get over. In the town
of Mamaroneck, distant three and a hair miles
from New Hochelle, the shock was also alarming.
One of the townspeople, and, by the way, qujte a
character, by name Peter S. Kweli, color dot p
brunette, guld< .1 tho Ukrai.d representative
through lahyrtuthlan mares or mud to the end h.at
he might And so no one intelligent enough to give
a definite Idea of wont ad actually occurred.
Peter's story, however, is about m clear aud dm
tloct m any or the frightened people coald give,
ami in to the effect that he was sound asleep when
he wan awakened by a great noise, and, not know
tag what to make of it, he called up his wile and
asked her what she supposed was t:ie matter with
tue house, as lt?teeuied to have the St. Vitus dance.
About the time Mrs. I'eter opened Iter eyes a
second shock came, and thai food soul said it
must be a heavy irelght train broke loose; but
lust then a crash 01 crockery came, and Pater, aa ;
lie said, knew trie Lord was in the wind. After ?
Rome conversation be admitted that be
was tormeriy a school teacher In the col
ored school in Muiberrv street. New York,
and had a great loudness lor astronomy.
He said he was a great student of
the Hkkald and felt mucu interest in the transit
of Venus; ho much so that ne hud bought ail of the
cuts and maps that would In the least give him
light on the subject, and now he wanted to be en
lightened on the subject of tins to aim. new phe
nomena. His interlocutor could only subtest
to him the ul?>a that Veuus had gotten
out of the regular path of her transit
and carromed ou ins house. The astronomer
stood amazed lor a moment at the idea, but '
fluaily accented it, remarking as he walked off, |
"That it was wonderiui what tue Almighty could
do when We tried."
THE SHAKE ON THE WIRES.
At the railway station people wito did not un
derstand the situation had conflrregrated lor in
formation, and it was vouchsafed them
by the rosy cheeked lass wlo offici
ates in the telegraph ottlce attached to
the station. Her statement was to the effect that
tne battery In her office was heavily surcharged,
and that it exploded during the nifeht and ex
pended its force in breaking the neighbors' dishes.
She found her office in contusion in the morning,
and could accouut (or it in no other way. Little
credence, however, was given to the story,
Lut wnen an old gentleman who stared
tiiat be was an old traveller, begau to relate his
adventures, every ear whs opened to him; and ]
when, in conclusion, be remarked that U wan his
opinion that an eruption tiad taken place in South
America, aud that it was so great as to disturb i
that part of the dirt upon winch we tread, he was ;
at once set down for a learned man and His story i
believed.
The shock was felt for several miles up the !
county irom Mamaroneck and the homes in some
instancee were terribly shaken aud the mhabi- ,
tants badly frightened; but there was uo damage 1
to property done On the trains passing through
the shaken county the earthquake was the sole i
topic o? conversation. Many believed in Its ex- i
istence aud seeuied inclined to the opinion that
the end was not yet. Those, however, whd did |
not leel the shock concluded that It was either a
big sell or a lanciful idea in the brains of those ;
who pro:essed to have been alarmed i>y it. i
THK SHOCK IN HOOKLAND COUNTY.
In the populous village of N.?ack, dockland
county, on the west bank ot tue Hudson, the
earthquake was perceptibly felt, shortly before
ten o'clock, on Thursday evening. Tne earth
shook aud heaved in a manner never beioro
known to the oldest inhabitants, cMKiug houses
to rock on their lonndauous. displacing ceilings
and breaking crockery and glassware in several
Instances. Tne terrified people rushed into the
streets iu large numbers, many ol them dressed
only in their night clothing, ail of them painfully
apprehensive of some awiul impending calamity.
At Kockland Lake, Plermont and other portions
of the couuty the same alarming shock was expe
rienced.
At the latter place a wealthy gentleman was In
bed at the time the shock was telt and described
it as something well calculated to disturb
the nervous system of the most stolid Indi
vidual. He savs he has experienced earthquakes
in the West Indies, and is therefore positive that
the shock leit in his section on Thursday night
i was nothing more nor less than a genuine earth
quake. He left i-iermont at an early hour yester
day morning, consequently had no opportunity of
, compa ing notes with his neighbors; but he Ib
confident no damage was done to buildings or
; property of any kind.
j ON THE PALISADES.
The night was not dark. It was cloudy all
! around; but here and there long rifts told, if not
of a bright moon, at least of a goodly starlight out
! behind. The wind. If there was any, had died
away. Suddenly there was a low rumble, so
i gentle and steady that one hardy noticed
) it. Then it quickened a little, and, getting
| louder and yet louder, startled the tired wife,
; who slept over her sewing. "What's that?" as
| she rises suddenly. "What's that? Why, what is
it? Why, it's au earthquake I" "Oh, no," re
| sponded the husband, "it's only Kitty moving her
bed across the floor." They step Into the ha;l to
| t he loot of the stairs and ask. "Kitty, did you
1 move your bed then?" "No, sir; I was on my
knees
8AYINO MY PRAYERS,
and the house snook under me!" They were
sobered, for tho wife was positive the house shook,
; and he was, too. lor that matter. What iu the
1 world was it? Lighting a lantern and catching up
a revolver he went down stairs and through Irom
room to room. What good was th ? revolver? To
snoot an earthquake? Well, he didn't yet know,
but the neighborhood had been much burglarized,
lie went over the house and cellar; all was Be
| cure. Still, not such a great while ago a nelgu
1 bor's house, in which three men lay Sleeping, was
I entered, a heavy iron sale wheeled noiselessly oat
| and down the road ;tlmost a hundred yards,
I and "cracked." ^arly in the evening he had
! seen a low fire smouldering In a neighbor
ing field. Was this some new concoction of
I the devilish villains ? He goes out and around
the house. There is nothing strange. The nlgnt
is yet still and not dark. Tne brigat city lights In
the southeast, and here and there in some upper
window on the Palisades side, or far off In the
valley a small gas Jet or smaller night glim, aud
the dim outlines of the houses and lawns?these
nil look natural enough. Ho guesses it isn't
much, and goes In und up to bis room. The Bally
heelan maid had donned her gown and was there
1 with the wife, both demanding an explanation,
1 and evidently not to be trifled with. He went at
j it as well as he could. It must have been one ol
! the powder houses down uuder tue bluff. It must
1 have blown up and
SHOOK THE OLD PAI.I8ADES
I rock in this fashion- That's what it wast" "No,
It wasn't; It was an earthquake: I'm sure of it I" !
said the wife. "Well, may be so;" he was not
t much up on earthquakes, and dldu't know, "it j
| isn't much of an earthquake, anyhow, for it didn't !
smash any crockery." he persisted. "Well, n shook
the nouse, au.vway, for 1 could feel my bed shake I"
"And so could I," chimed in Ballyheelun. At last
they quieted and went off to sleep. He had palled
oat bis watch within a minute after the noise
, and noted the hour?twentv-thrde minutes past
ten. As nearly as he could Judge the rumbling ,
haa lasted about three seconds, and was loudest
at the last.
AT TEN A FLY.
; The Inhabitants of Tenany at twenty-six mlnntes
past ten, were startled by a violent vibration of
1 their dwellings, accompanied by a rumbling noise,
like that ot a massive wan falling to tho ground.
The windows and crockery rattled, and the occu
pants ran in various directions . to 6ee what por
tions had suddenly fallen.
There was no oscillation or swnylng. The
vibration lasted live seconds. Perfect silence
succeeded the shock for a minute, when the dogs
bet/an barking violently. The evening was calm
and dark.
PREVIOUS LOCAL EARTHQUAKES.
Though far awar irom volcanoes, and In the
sober temperate zone, New York and her neigh
bornood Is not wholly deprived of the peculiar
sensation by which an earthquake demonstrates
the lack ot absolute stability even in real estate.
I This locality can boast of no houses thrown down
or cities destroyed by terrestrial tremor, but her
I history has yet its positive record of
several shakes within the period since the
acquisition of California. it might be
suggested that we had taken her tendency to up- i
heaval when we conquered our entire Republic
01 Mexico, and that we did not entirely surrender
that when the forces of General Scott lelt her ?
scorching plains. More likely, however, carth
quaKes have happened here beiore the era of the
Shaw press and the lightning telegraph. A shock
was felt In New York city on the 8th ol September, I
1348, which, though distinct, did uo lurther damage I
than to crack a lew walls and nauseate some
sicKly stomachs. Northern Now York felt a little |
quake on the 18th of March, 1853. At
buffalo and some other places a shock was felt !
October 23, 1857. New England was shaken In ]
quite a lively manner October 2J, 1869. on Satur
day evenlug, June 26, 1870, alter a mild day,
the thermometor rose suddenly. Presently a low
rumbling noise was heard, like a heavy distant
blast; houses trembled and windows rattled in all
the eastern part ol tho city, below Fourteenth
street. People thought a gas house had blown up
or some snch accident had occurred. It was a
genuine eartnquake. though in very contlned
space. Next morning, about seven o'clock, a
similar shock wus felt In Brooklyn. The whole
region from Cleveland to New York, Montreal and
Itangor was quite thoroughly shaken October 20,
1870. The tremor seemed to progress from south
to north, according to the majority of the reports,
though some observers thought It had its motion
In the opposite direction. In this city furniture
was upset by the shock and solid brick buildings
tottered as though they might fall. Long and
Htaten islands ana New Jersey had a similar ex
perience.
On the 19th of June, 1871, the farmers
heard the sound as of heavy trains of wagons
driven rapidly over cobble pavement, and their
houses were violently tmaken. in some places
breaking china and glass ware. Westchester,
Long Island, Connecticut and Maine had another
shake, with a northward current, July 11, 1872.
So late as November 25, Essex county. Massa
chusetts, had Its shake, perhaps the response of
Mother Earth to the late political convulsion.
A Stone Mansion Trembling Liike a
bkonxvillb, Westchester county, Dec. 11,1874,
To the Editor of tbi Herald:?
Last night, abont half-past ten o'clock, after we
had jnst retired to bed, we were suddenly startled
by a heavy shock of an earthquake, which'shook
our substantial stone mansion to its very founda
tion. The shock lasted about twenty seconds,
during which time we distinctly felt the
vibration. My house, perhaps one of the
most substantial structures In Westchester
county, and which withstood, with tho greatest
ease, the tremendous shock oi a thunderbolt,
I which struck its whole front during a thunder
i stonn last summer, was Inst night trenibllns like
! an oak loaf, creating a general rattling of crock
I cry, stoves and other w <vai>:e objects. It
I ca ne liko a flash of lightning, wuUou
any premonition. The noise It produced
was ol a very peculiar nature and very difficult to
describ*. To me it seemed as if some person
above our room wan trying to play carrousel
with the bedstead, table and chairs. This lasted
about ten seconds. Tneu utt of a sudden U
seemed to Jump below our room, and then followed
the unearthly, underground ruinbdng souud pecu
liar to earthquakes, gradually f.idiug away until it
appeared like very distant thunder. The whole
phenomenon lasted about twenty seconds. The
oscillation seemed to travel lrom north to south.
Everybody in onr bouse leit the same effect, some
becoming greatly (lightened, particularly our
cook. Marv Noonan. who thought "the last day or
Jlngment had cum."
Although I liuvo not yet been out of my room
this morning I have learned that the eflect ol the
earthquake was leit to that e.ueut all over
Bronxvil.e. In one of my neighoors' houses
(Mr. bterllug) the shock was so severe
that the tea kettle came tumbling
down the stove, to the irreat consternation ol the
Inmates 01 the room, and 1 also understand that
the leuce enclosing tne premises of l)r. smith and
Mr. Bacon has been somewhat damaged. Await
ing lurtuer developments through your valuable
Journal, 1 remain, yours verv respectmllv,
_____ UE0K0ti_F. MKYER.
COMMEECE AND 1 MIGRATION.
Report of the National Durean of Sta
tistics?Our Trade with Canada?How
We Supply ller with Her Export* for
Europe?The Emigration Current?De
fects In the Law of Customs.
Washington, Dec. ll, 1874.
The report of the Chief of the Bureau of Statis
tics has the following table, containing a com
parative statement of immigration by countries
ethnologlcally grouped (or the lour fiscal years,
from July 1, 1870, to Jane 30, 1874:?
Countries Ethnnlogirullu Yeur tnded .Tunt SO??>
GrovpslL 18/L 187.2. 1873. 1874.
England, Scotland, Wales. "88,455 84.-94 8.?.4S3 81,999
Ireland 67.139 68 732 77,141 53,707
Teutonic: Oermany, Aus
tria, Netherlands 88,431 147.200 159.247 97,623
Scandinavian: Sweden,
Norway, Denmark 22,132 28,575 35,481 19,178
Latin: Belgium. Switzer
land, Prance, Italy,
Spain. Portugal 9,h:<3 18,880 28.3?1 21,"94
Sclavonic: Kussia, Poland 1.218 2,641 4,898 5.75)
China 7,135 7./8S 20,292 13,776
British North American
province* 47,082 40,176 37,871 32.960
Sniinlsh and Portuguese
Colonies: Mexico, South
America, Cuba. Porto
Rico 1,218 1.500 1,760 1,5"6
All other countries 1.417 4. i40 5,067 6.111
Total immigrants 321.3)0 4t>4.soa 459,803 313,339
* 16.042 ol thin number were reported as lrom "ureat
Britain, not specified."
In regard to trade with Canada the report savs. al
though the published statement* ol the Bureau in regard
to the whole loreuni trade ol the country, and particu
larly of our exports by water, are nearly accurate, vet it
hM hitherto been tound impracticable, il not impossible,
to obtain lull returns ol merchandise exported to the
provinces o; Ontario anil Quebec. The tact, long known
and deplored, Is the more to be regretted now, when our
commercial relations with the Dominion oi i anada in
cite much discussion, and will soon, no doubt, eugnge
the serious attention ol the senate ol the United
states, the. returns t'rotu several custom ho isos on tlia
Canadian border are necessarily selective, owing
to the want ot legislation requ.ritur persons exporting
merchandise by land conveyance to tile manifests or
such merchandise and produce witli the Collector ot the
Customs oi that district on the border across which the
articles pass Into the foreign country, as is now required
in the case ot all exporis to foreign countries in vessels.
? ??????*??
From the detailed statements by provinces and ports,
as well as b.v articles aud values, prepared by the Com
missioner of Customs of the I'cmluion, the undersigned
lias been able to add to the stated value ol articles em
braced in the return- ol collcctors ot customs of the dis
tricts of Vermont and Niagara, the official Ugures ob
tained from Canada, which flgnres are published
iu the statement of domestic exports contained
in the annual report of the Kurcau on Commerce
and Navigation tor the fiscal year 1874, and
also In the monthly report lor August, 1874.
The total value ot tne art.cles omitted as above
stated amounts, in the fiscal year 1874, to $10,200,05y?
Canadian or specie values, an 1 to til. 124.066 In United
States currency, computed at the a* erase premium on
gold In that year.
The export of specie In the same period atnounra to
$3,619,568. as appears by the siatements of this bureau,
while the Canadian imports sh iw but $2,23\9e)7; the
lormer sum is. however, believed to be correct, the flg
uies having been furnished by ihe agent oi the express
companv which conveyed the specio to Montreal, and
verified by the undersigned.
In reciting the foregoing facts the undersigned takes
occasion to state that the tault does not wholly, or even
chiefly, rest with the transportation companies, whose
principal officers, on the contrary, proless a willingness
to aid the bureau in the collection of lull and accurate
data in regard to our exports to Cuiuda; but n ts due to
the neglect of the shippers or consigners ol merchandise
to furnisli full informal.on as to the kinds quantities
and values of the articles so shipped to Canada, and
upuu whom, it is hereby recommended, a peualty for
such neglect should be imposed.
Among other defects in existing laws which render It
difficult to obtain lull and accurato statistics may bo
mentioned those under which it is -ought to collect and
publish inlorniauon pertaiuiug to the .ollowiug sub
jects
/Vrtf?The coastwise movement ot vessels or the United
Suites.
?Swmirt?The product* of the fisheries, taken b? Ameri
can fishermen and brought Into the United states.
Third?Tne Immigration luto and the emigration from
tlm United States.
Fir at?Coasting trado?The published statistics or the
coastwise navigation include only partial movements of
vessels which may coine within tne provisions ol the act
of February 18, 1793, requiring entry or cieurai.ee to be
made under certain circumstances, us. tor instance, if
the vessel has foreign goods o i board above a cer
tain value, and under certain conditions, or enters
lroin or clears tor a port in unoth r great coasting dis
trict. Since these movements comprise out u small part
ol the trade tfoin port to port in the United states it
will be readily seen that the statements pabl.shed by the
Bureau embrace bat a small part 01 the coastwise ton
nage movement
Sor.uncl?Fisheries.?With respect to products of the fish
eries taken by American vessels and fishermen, collectors
are able to turnlsh official returns ol the catch of thuse
Vessels only which, by the act ot 179), above mentioned,
are required to make entry on their return trom a
tl.-hing voyage; a*, for Instance, \ esse Is licensed for
carrying on the fisheries returning from a voyage
under a license to touch or tra le at a foreign place, it
is impossible, therefore, to obtain under the present
laws accurate data in regard to the products of tish
taken in the waters on our coast, which form the
principal part of that Important maritime industry, the
statements of this industry, published by the Bureau,
are malnlv collected in the lew custom districts from
which returns are received, by the personal efforts ol'thc
collectors, unaided by the requirements ol law.
Third? Immigration and emigration.?The statistics of
Immigration are derived Irotti the manifesto filed in the
custom houses of the cou .try by masters of vessels, in
pttrsu ince ol section la. act ol March 3. I8fl& since this
provision ot law is not construed to extend to cars and
other land vehicles the same difficulty is experienced In
regard to the immigration iuto the united States through
the Northern border ports from Canada, and from
Europe through Canada, as has already been indicated
with respect to exports to Canada in r.ulway cars.
The importance of such legislation as will enable the
Bureau to obtain with greater accuracy the details of
this influx of persons of foreign birth will appear when
It is stated that the immigration into the Unit*4 States,
through the district ot llurou alone, exceeds that of anv
port in the United States, except New York. By assidu
ous and earnest effott on the part of the Bureau the
officers of custom* on the northern border have been In
duced to give to the subject their personal attention and
have succeeded lu obtaining, with approximate ae
curacy, the number of alien passengers who enter the
United states, in cars, through their respective districts.
? ? ? ?????
The foregoing defects ltt legls atlon are also submitted
fur the consideration and action of Congress, lhe Im
portance ol being able to obtain and publish accurate
statements of tne above subjects induces a nope that
Congress will at an early day give tliem such at tent mil
as will result In providing effectual remedies lor the im
portant delects above indicated.
It appeurs that during the year ending Jure 3a 1871,
there were exported from the United states to Belgium
17,384,tins gallons ol refined petroleum, valued at $4 296,c3..
The published trade statements oi Belgium tor the year
1(^71 ta period of six months later) give the Imports for
c< nsumption into that country from all foreign countries
as 13,tilH 000 kilogrammes of "oil other than for table
use," vaiued at 14.9*1,uoof., or 4,289,0>>0 ga Ions, valued at
996.000 (United state*measure and va,ue>. which, from
the high price per gallon, wou d appear to includo a
considerable amount of oil other than pe roleura.
The amount ot petroleum and com exported trom this
country to Ireland is given below in the second co umn ;
the amount imported into Ireland from ail other coun
tries Is shown In the first column?each tor the two
vears ended, June 30, 1873;?
Indian corn, bushels 23.S77.788 27.10S.931
Petroleum, gallons. ..... 1,8/7,t<"4 13.Ut>4,71S
?????? ?*
The following li a statement of domestic breadstuff's
exported from the potts of Chicago, Detroit. Milwaukee.
Port Huron and I'oledo to the provinces ot Quebec and
Ontario, Dominion of Canada, during the fiscal year
ending June V). 1874:?
ArtieUi. j Quantity.
Indian corn, push) J,641,294
Wiieut bushels.. I t,A)4,?7'i
Wheat Hour, bblsi 24,U16
Other breadstuff
Total value..
Indian oorn. bosh j 1S7.727I $'.9.75fll
Wheat, bushels..) l,U8i,fttt| 3,848,43it
Wheat flour, bbls
Other breadstuffs
Total value..
Articlio.
Indian corn, bush
W heat, bushels
Wheat flour, bbls
Otiicr breadstuds
Total value
1,3811
Tub lo, Ohio.
(Juuntity. Value
?7fi6.9Til i
"? 1% I uO (
'-ItZZCml
I7M.96111 3,122,H19| $2,499,974
Ml.MlMT7.ftMI 10.J4i.iU9
843161 470,S87
- 267.310
- ?1.388. .'47
? 1*13.9/9. <190
Out ot 7.418,711 bushels of Indian corn or maize ex
ported to the provinces of Quebec, Ontario and Manito
ba tor the fiscal year ended Juue 30, lgf't. 7.366,727 bushels
were exporU'd from the ports of Chicago. Detroit. To
ledo and Fort Huron, to tne provinces named. It also
appears from the Canadian statistical reports that dur
ing tills period there w>erc exported frou' the Dominion
of Canada to foreign countries 6 24J,97ri bushels ot Indian
corn, not the product of the Dominion; hcnco It is tair
to presume that it was the product ol the United states.
In the report of the Olilet of the Bureau made
to your predecessor last year the fact was men*
tioned that be had devoted much time and
money when in Europe it* 1872 to the Investiga
tion of the cost and condition ol labor in those
branches and In those countries which compete
with similar industries in Uie United states, hut that,
owing to the pressure of official duties and health im
paired thereby, he had made but little progress in the
compilation or a special report thereon. During Uie
last year, however, the data thus personally collected,
supplemented by information wtiieh he has more re
cently obtained, in regard to the rates of wages and the
cost of living in the principal countries of Europe, have
been In large part prepared for the press, and will be
completed be tore the close of the ensuing session of
Congress. His inquiries are now directed to the collec
tion of tacts In reference to labor and the r,?st ot ?ui>
sUtenee In the United Htates and the neighboring Brit
ish Provinces, with a view to comi.arlsou with similar
. data allcady obtained iroui the Old World.
THE ERIE RA LWAY.
Beport of President Jew tt o he Boar! of Di?
rectori?A Decrea?3 of E r i gi?Beduc
tion of the Floa- n? lebt?The Euro
pean Liabilitie ? A rightar
Future Annorn ed.
I;
At a meeting of the Board ot Directors of tne
Erie Hallway Company. held at tlie ofllce Of the
company, oa Thuraduy, December 10, 18"?, the
President ?*nbmitted a statement substantially as
loliows, wtuch the Hoard ordered to be prepared
lor the use of the stockholders:?
To rim Dibxotom:?
A comparative sta'oment of the gross earnings for the
fiscal year* tnding the :aitli of -en ember. i87:t a d 18 4,
shown a decrease 01 $1,411,7 7 75, a comparative state
ment of the net i-aruings lor the ?*uie periods show*
deerea-e ot II, l 6.S01 75. I lie actuu. net earning* tor the
,v<>a.r. enu'"K the Still, n| -epteiuber, 1871. were
Ui6,1G0 44. iw aliowu by itie iul!ov% iuc
Sara in?*?
l-reighi $9,714,110
<o*l e.uj&.v,i
I'asscngers 3,704.574
?Mails and express S1-M93
Miscellaneous. til 788
.. $I8,MM98
Working expenses?
General expense' $9<B,R20
Transportation department
Koad department. S 4S5'.oti2
Rolling stock department 2,477.42#
13,563,798
Net revenue over working expense* $5,uta, 16U
The decrease in the cross earning* or the year 1874, as
compared with the year 1873, Is attributable to the uen
eral il'-presaion of the business of toe country whicn
prevaile I during the greater part o' tbe year, and which
continues to such an exteut as to reduce materially
the quantity ot the traffic over the road, as well us
the rates which can be maintained lor Its transportation.
A comparative statement ol the wonting expenses lor
tne same fiscal periods shows a decrease or $76,904. The
decrease in the earnings, in view of the disorganized
s ate of the business ol the country, is not exceptve. In
my opinion It is less than ha" been realized by other
companies, whose earnings depend so largely upon
transportation ol freight. The decrease in the ex
penses was not In a ratio equal ;o the decrease iu
earning*. The service required of the company was
not reducod In tnat ratio. >he reduction of cumin**
was attributable as much to the reduciioii in the
rate ot compensation as in the reduction oi quantities,
without Involving or permitting a reduction in the ex
penses to the sam? extent. In my judgment, there is
nothing Ui these comparative results which should have
the least tendency to discourage the directors or stock
holders of the company; but that, ou I he contrary, there
is much to give confidence in the gre ,t strength and al
most inexhaustible resources ol the road. It needs
simply time. Integrity and permanency iu its manage
ment to develop results which '-annul be otherwise than
?atislactory to its patrons and proprietors.
The entire interest and rentals pat able by the company
tor Uie year ending sk'p rrnwr 3 \ l S74, exclusive ol that
payable on account of the $1 >,0 0, <x> >t s ootid consoli
dated mortgage bonds, the final disposition ol which
was made bv Mr. Oray while iu Lon Ion, amounted to
9< iWj.s)no per annum In currency, equal to $3)8,825 per
mouth. Kor the ensuing year there w.ll have to uc added
to the above amount tne Interest on these $I5,UOJ,UO.) of
bonds.
REDUCTION OF TBE PKBT.
(>ti taking charge ol the road, on tne I4th day of July
last, I found the service to some extent disorganized.
The depressed condition oi is busin ?s, the persistent
attempts to aeprociaie and discredit ihe company and
the uncertainty ot its manag-menl a.l hat their effect
upon the various departments ol the service and ren
dered the introduction of re.orms and econo
mies more difficult than under ordinary circum
stances would have been realized. But they
are being introduced, and are being felt in the
results ot the working of the road, up the 1st ot July
the Uoating debt of the company wa.i $2 34lt2,j& On the
1st ot the present month it was $1,&1,0>5, snowing a re
duction, by payments to that d-te out of the earnings,
ot $-i23,283, which has since been further reduced in the
sum ot $HX),Odu, leaving, as the present debt, the sum of
$1,421,015 only.
BUSINESS DB'-KKSSIO*.
During the fall and carlv winter months of 1*73 the
effects of the panic and subsequent depression of busi
ness were but little teIt on the traiiic of this or ot either
ot the great lines connecting the a?t and West ; indeed
the traffic over the road ol this company tor the montns
ol July. August. September auJ October, 18.3, was unu
sually large, while during the corresponding months
of the present year the depression has been more
serious than experienced since the decline com
menced; but by economies *y-<tematiciilly intro
duced nnd persisted iu very satisfactory results have
be 'ti reached. I have no doubt the same economies
can be maintained; an I that witn a largely increased
earnings, results satisfactory to all parties In interest
will bs realized. Although the monthly purchase of
material, made through the Supp y i 'cpartinent of the
service does not control the moiuhlv expenses, too
amount purchased must be paid for, and In tne end must
be absorbed in the expense, or in -onie other account.
A comparative statement ol the transactions of that
department for the months of July. .\unust, September
ant October tor the years 1673 and la7t, shows the tollow
ing results
IHf rrrnre in
JInnlU 187a 1874. /oior of 1974.
July $315,1112 $1111.708 $190,301
August S31.410 116.7.S2 214,647
September 8U4.287 131,127 373,160
October 213,011 15s. 187 43,823
Totals $1,3(14,641 $;?r..td6 $837,835
A comparative sUteuieiit of the earnings and expenses
for the satue mouths shows the following results ?
CAUIUtGS.
Month*. 1S73. 1874. Dfrnnt.
July $1,781,893 $1,515,379 $.'19,513
August 1,820.755 1,546, i74 274,580
September 1,879,761 l,6Uft.l38 274.82*
October 1,824,621) l,677.Ji?5 ? 147.6.13
'totals $7,311,043 $6,374,6?8 $936,351
EXPANSES.
MoutKf. 1873. 1874. Dfrtntr.
July $1,337,907 $1.18 <09 $154,498
August 1.214.671 1,089 8>2 151,817
September 1.336,413 1,033, I a :*H,2h
October 1,*J7,4W WBJfl 182,152
Totals $5.dJt>,48G $4,301,7 '4 $7*4.722
rKKCUTTAGES OE OVS,:AHHC EXPENSES TO THK EAR ?IKOS.
July. A u/usL Srjtlrmhtr. Oiiootr.
Prr cent Par cent J'ei nil. Per cent.
1873 75 6d 7 10 71 1-10 66 M0
1874. 76 6-10 68 5 10 6l 4-10 611-10
Increase 1 6-10 1 8-10 ? ?
Decrease ? _ 6 7-10 5
?being a decrease in earnings of 99iii 3i4, and In ex
penses oi 9794.73!. and being a working expense lor the
mouth of July ol 76 6-10 pur coin; (or Antrim, oi 68 M0
por cent; lor Seplember, of 64 4-10 per cent; for Octo
ber, of 61 1-lliper rent. Considering the low rate at
whlcb all the traffic of the country 1 now being trans
ported, the reduction tuadc In the expenses, and lie
comparative low rate of percentage at which the
ro.td is beiag worked, the results m ust
be satisfactory. A? the business or the country
revives, and the movement oi its tr.ifflc becomes more
active, the percentage ol expenses to the earnings can
be reduced; in other words. the road is mow equal to a
largely increased trade, without any corresponding in
crease of expense. *'or example, the expenses are now
lower than they have been at any perloil ot the service
since my connection with the cotnpanv although (he
transportation receipts compare lavorably with those
lor the like period tor either ot the last lour years, as
will appear from the following statement:?
OOMyAHATIVB STATEMENT?THANSrOUTATlON RECEIPT*.
Daily
Amount. Average.
First week, December, 1871 $518 909 974, ft)
Hirst week, December, 1872....... 578,^54 82 6(17
First week. December, 187S 49S,;;7S 70,910
Hirst week, December, 1874 5:6.774 75,253
A BRIUI1TITR rCTORB.
That the business of the country will revive no one
can entertain a setlons iloubt It tnav be delayed by
causes not now foreseen, and to remedy which no provi
sion can be made; but a revival must ami will take
f lace, and with that revival the traffic and earnings ot
he company must largely increase. If, under the ad
verse circumstances and general depression ol the oast
fiscal year, it can make an earning of 918.598.898,
would tt be unreasonable, even with Its pre
sent facilities, when business becomes active and
rates remunerative, to anticipate an earning of
9-?,<W0,0!i0 per annum? Bntsunpo.se we are limited to
9?2;ooo,uo0and the expenses are not reduced below 62
per cent, a netrevenuo of $8.360.000 would be the result,
an amount sufficient to discharge the entire Interest ana
rental accounts and leave a oslance of 93.199.10u to be
applied In such way as the directors or stockholders
might direct. I believe the estimate ol the earnings is
within what may reasonably be anticipated uniter or
dinary clrcumstanccs. anil that the percentage of ex
penses may be kept within such limits us will produce
i substantially results as above indicated.
TUB STVKI. I1AII.S.
| Believing that there Is great economv In the use of
I steel rails Instead of Iron. I have, since this Hoar I took
i charge of the property ot the company, purchased 6,<nu
tons thereof, using iron only so iar as necessary to ex
. hnust that on hand and to keep the track in repat r but
sie'il entirelv for renewals. I beltevo this to be sound
policy, and hope ft will have the approval of the Hoard.
The roadway and equipment is daily being improved.
?UKOFKAS LIABILITIES.
Mr. Grav, a member af the Board, who was sent to
London as the agent of the company, to take charge of
the company's interests In that city, nnd as rar as possi
ble to adlust all unsettled at counts between the com
pany and ihe partlss there with whom we hud any
business transactions and to receive the possession of
the bonds or ol her assets of the company whicn might
remain undisposed of. Is now present, and will
niike his report, before which I beg 'o con
fratulate the Hoard upon the tact that we now
now the very worst. All outsu-iidin* liabilities in Ka
, rope have been extinguished. We nave no liabilities In
j tliat quarter. except those which canbe made upon usby
i our bond and shareholder*. We h >ve no complications
which can embarrass us IB selecting such agenw as the
Interests of the cotnpanv may indicate as
proper. While this Is the case abroad, we
I have the same cause for cougraiulatiou
I at home. We know the entire liabilities ot tlis com
I pany, what they are and where thev *re. We know
I the extent of our floating debt, and that. Comparatively,
I it is very limited. We nave teatcJ the earning capacity ot
the road under the most an favorable circumstances, the
, result of all of which. In my ludgtnent, develops that
| the comp?nv, bv whomsoever managed df honestly and
1 economically managed). Is entitled to the pub.tc confi
dence. Respectnilly submitted, ?
H. J. jewi-.tt. President
TENWBS3EE 8EMAT0E8BIP.
Nashville, Dec. 7, 1874.
Ex-Presidont Andrew Johnson has arrived here
from his home In Eaat Tennessee, and lias put up
at his old favorite caravansary, the Maxwell
House. Mr. Johnson reached Nashville under
difficulties, having to ferry Tennessee River in
a remarkably rrall bark, called In these parts a
"dugout." As usual tits visit is significant. He
Is here to take observations of the Senatorial field.
He is in excellent bealtu and in better spirits and
thinks he U certain to be the successor of
Browniow. He counts confidently upon tho
members trom Eaat Tennessee, tinny in number,
diving mm their entire strength, anil thinks tnere
is no doubt out that he will get t.nrty more in Mia<
die and West Tennessee. On the joint ballot, ha
asserts, he will receive sixty votes, which will give
him nine majority, ility-one votes being required
to elect. . . ...
The following are the more Prol","5n.t..?*??
dates now mentioned in connection with the sen
atorshlp:?Governor Joan 0. Brown, ex-President
Andrew Johnson, General W. XjCfcuMjefc
I H. B. Ball, W. H. Stephens, Hon. BiWin H. Swing,
! Colonel John Havaife. Hon. James D. Porter, Gov?
ernor elect, and Colonel Gustavus A. Henr\.
It is hard to predict at trie p oseiit time, nnle?8
J -hn on is not deceived in regard to his strength,
who Is to fin tti<3 important fcJSUUB 01 lulteil
btatts Senator.