CANNON-LIKE EXPLOSION.

Dominion, 24 February 1913, Page 5

CANNON-LIKE EXPLOSION.

DETAILS OF THE HAVOC.

• ■„-'' Wcstport, February 22. the big earthquake experienced aboul 12.K5 p.m. to-day has been succeeded by n'series of ihnior 6hocks, one at 3 p.m. ■ being accompanied by a loud catmon-likY explosion.- > . :: Tho first was the most severe and mo6t disastrous in the history of Woslport. Business places suffered considerable damage, nnd iow housed escaped 'without something'in the nature of crockery, pictures,' ilower-vnscs, and clocks being broken, 1 JSnmerous chimneys were also partially destroyed, but the cuiof damage was done in tho.business centre. Tho recently, erected large brick post oud telegraph of. lice got a severe shaking, nnd is cracked in all directions. The southern wing,", about a foot from its base; has been bodily ' shitted about hall-aii-hich, and tho metal down-pipe on the back of "this portion of tho building bent with the moving' building inside. Almost oil the' gas mantles were destroyed, nnd a good deal ofiplaster work ou tho ceilings;and walls camo down. , - , ' >...... The-{ibst and telegraph staff got 1 a' great fright, mid speedily made thcirexit onto-tho road;. ' ' ' • .-,■'.•-■..'; • ;.; Tho -principal sufferers in tho Main , Street-nro:—' ''■'.' ,-■' •'-"' '. Hansen'and Co. (warehousemen), esti* mated damage, JCSO'j iSinelair (chemist), MO to JESO; G, H. . £iD to J340; M'Doninrh' (grocer), .£2O ta £'M; Skilton and Jones (grocers), X2O. to G,. W. Martin (ironmongers), • ,£25 to M'William.'(picture framer and fancy goods store), including lnfcc plate- 1 , glass window, Jl2oi Shaw (hotel-keeper), }. 4315 to. S3SS; J. ,T. Lawson (lioot and shoo depot), J315 to ~2oi Dr. Dunn. (chemist),; £10) R.Mullnn (chemist)/ JGIO to £15. : Mr. Sinclair, the chemist,'describes thu : scene in his sliop as representing a hail, stbnn of bottlys. He was-lucky to get out uninjured.. i '.■.■'--' ; . Along tho Buller Road a good deal %of loose rock nnd earth came down, impedingtho pixjgress of motor and coach services,. '.; Considoring the ssverity..of the shock, it, is rather remarkable that no less'oi life occurred, 'Sonio buildings must have . been closooh tho collapsing stage, and thousands of pounds' worth of. goods on,': .shelves were just' hanging in- the balanoo when the ended.: Business people, ! lieing generally'of the Opinion that things/ might haw-been'■■-Very much worse, are (akin;? their 1o:sm philosophically. Re-!' ports from the country snow that the shocks, were."ssverclv-. felt there, but the, damago ap-«ars lii 'Wh,- cDiiflned,','. mainly, to the collapsing of chimneys. HOUSEHOLDEisniXPEMENCES. V Westport,'February 23. Reports round : about, the town shoif that in some of tho houses elmost all,tho crockery and gla<swnro was broken, while others, close beside 'them, escaped with! but slight damage. The tops of many chimneys were broken off, tho bricks in' several cases falling down inside tho', building nnd doing damaga to.tho cooking ; ranges. > ' Souis !inu>jholds suffered loss of almost nil thedr season's jam, through thebotlles and jars being thwiwn violenlly'off tho sMvcs.on to the floor.. '.' *, ,-,,. The shocks \yero felt in the-surrounding dietricts moro or less severely, with no-, cotnpanying breakages in, tin houses, but Westport scorns to lmvo fared worst. . The "quakes" continued througli thb. nwlit, nnd right np till this afternoon (5.30 b'cl"ck).- They were'about ;.H in number, but of lessening severity. The highest,tides for some years-are reported at Karniuca, and ft narly cAniping on thr> North P-eaeh ,at WeMnort were ■: eomnelled to shift from quarters hitlierty ennsidcrcd cafe .'from the encroachment of til* SKI. v; ... , ;,'. , ~;.'

.•/■. IN pTHER, CENTRES.' ; itT RANG iilE PIREBETA.* : v '; ; / Greymouth,February 22.."';-. A m;ero'shockxif, earthquake, at 12.3!) ' this afternoon rang, the. fire-bell.. No/ damage is yet. reported, The shock won . ■ • so sharp that townspeople rushed into Uio\ 'street; ; .■-.■'■' '- : " ■' ''■ ••••■•'■••'' ■.' ■,■'•", ■ - ■ Reofiohr -February 22. A sharp shock of ,cartliquako mas felt hero nt 12.40 to-dnv., .>■ faelson," February 22.. :. A severe earthquake Was felt here at , 12.37 this afternoon, ,v .•'■ , ~,, DAMAGE TO;POST OFFICE v ■ The chief "advised tire Secretary; nf'-lhe General'-Post Office, Wellington, . that a: wry heavy 'shock of earthquake occurred in .Wostptirfc'.' at 12.30, p.m. on Saturday. > Tim shock • was accompanied by loud booming' and rumbling,' Tho direction of the earthquake appeared to, be from, the southwest to the north-west, but; tho message' is not very definite oil this point. Some ",' damage was done to. (he Wo?tpori Chiefj, Post Office, scleral-cracks opening uo> and fiomo small sections brought down._ The building, however, ■ was not materially damaged. . .«ii ■>.-■. Tho Chief PostmaMer at' Grcymo\ith o.lso telegraphed to the Secretary' .of tho General Pest Offlee stating Hint a short sharp shockof Mrthquak? occurred nt 12.40 , p.m., the direction being fo north-east. Som* 1 minor or.iclts were,made in tho plaster of' the wnlUjcrtid: ceiling, of the .vestibule in tho Telephone Ex. change. ' . . -