The winter sun had just set over the Jersey Pines in January 1886 and all was quiet. Then, according to the Trenton Times of Jan. 16, “The Telephone Exchange was called up on Friday evening by the operators at Allentown, Bordentown, Crosswicks, Hamilton Square and Newton, who announced that at 5:25 P.M., that day, distinct shocks of earthquake were felt at the places named, and inquiring if Trenton had similar experience. As far as heard from the shocks were not felt in this city.”

A little investigation by the Times discovered that “a dynamite factory, three miles west of Toms River, containing…