The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-07-03 00:00:00

The EARTHQUAKE in SOUTH AMERICA

-SEVEN TOWNS DESTROYED.

The Panama Star and Herald of June 6th publishes the
following despatch, dated Barranquilla, May 29th, giving.
some particulars of the earthquake in South America
The steamer Ysabel, which arrived yesterday from
the interior, neared our city with her flag at half-mast,
indicating that she was the bearer of unwelcome news,
and while there were various conjectures as to the
import, none for a moment pictured the colossal
magnitude of the awful calamity which had taken
place, The information which has reached us on the
subject is contained in a letter dated in Salazar, seven
leagues from Cucuta, the 19th of the present month,
from which we extract and translate the following :
"At 11.10 a.m. of yestesday, 18th, a severe earth-
quake visited this city and section of country. In
this city a large part of the church fell, houses were
destroyed, and some people killed. The city of
Cucuts is entirely destroyed, only a few families
being saved. The Botica Alemana (German drug
store) was set on fire by a ball of fire which was
thrown out of the volcano, which is constantly belch-
ing out lava. This volcano has opened in front of
Santiago, in a ridge called 'EI Alto de in Giraeha.'
San Cayetano, was destroyed, also the larger part of
Santiago. In Gramalote there was great destruction;
Arboleda, Cucutillo and San Cristobal are all nearly
destroyed, principally the four last. The population
of these towns is estimated by a person well acquainted
in that region to be more or less as follows :—San
Cayetano, 4,000; Santiago, 2,000; Gramalote, 3,000;
Arboleda, 5,000; Cucutilla, 5,1100 ; San Cristobal.
1,600. The section of country above referred to
embraces the regions about where Colombia and Vene-
zuela join, the Colombian portion embracing the
State of Santander. It is in some respects
the most productive part of the Republic, and
the coffee of this section is familiar to all
the world. San Jose de Cucuta, the city of
the most importance of any in that section, was
situated on the boundary of the Republic, and was
founded by Juan de Martin in 1534. It was a port of
entry, if an-inland •••)wn can be called a port, and here
was the established Custom-house. The population of
the city at the time of the disaster is estimated at
about 18,000 • it had a large commercial business, and
was the great depot for coffee and caca for shipment
either through the Venezuelan pert or down the
Magdalena to this city. The shock was felt sharply
in Bogota and adjoining sections. A gentleman who
was at the time in Facatativa says that the move-
ment lasted for three-quarters of a minute. It was
also strongly felt in Barranquilla."

Referring/ to this calamity the same paper says :
"It is one of those catastrophes caused by the sub-
lime operations of nature, terrible to man as an indi-
vidual, though doubtless beneficent to the race in the
long run. Some half-dozen towns suddenly destroyed
by subterranean forces acting underneath the sites on
which they are built, seems even more dreadful than
war, though destruction of life may be less. The seven
towns more or less destroyed, inhabited by thousands
of human beings, commands ht this distance our sym-
pathy even more than our wonder. Columbia has
been so long exempt from earthquakes of such de-
structive forces that the news takes all unawares. The
region about Santander was a part of the republic the
least expected to suffer from such terrible causes. The
telegrams leave a great deal to be filled up by the
imagination; the real extent of the frightful catas-
trophe in life and property has yet to come in detail.

HOW MERIT IS REWARDED IN THE
EGYPTIAN ARMY.rni, op,
The ,Court Journal reprints the following story :
Kassim Pasha, when Minister of War for Egypt, was
very particular in regard to the personal appearance
of his officers, and issued stringent orders that they
should never appear unshaved in public. One day he
met upon the streets a lieutenant who had bearded
the Pasha and disregarded his order. "To what
regiment do you belong?" demanded the indignant
Minister. "To the Regiment at Abassueh,'
responded the frightened lieutenant. "Get into
my carriage at once, so that I can carry you to
the encampment, and haveyoupubliclypunished," was.,
the stern command which followed. The young mil
obeyed, and the twain rode along gloomily enongh fbi
some time, when, the Pasha stopped his carriage and
entered a shop for a few moments, to make some trifling
purchase. Seizing the opportunity, the culprit
sprang from the vehicle, darting into a neighbonrin
barber's stall, and regained his post before the return
of his jailor, minus his beard. For the remainder
the route the officer buried his face in his hands and
seemed the picture of apprehension. Abassueh wa4
reached at last, and all the officers were assembled to
witness the degradation of their comrade, who all the
while kept well in the rear of his chief, "Come for-
ward,, you eon of a dog," cried out the irate Pasha,
when there stepped before him an officer with a face
as clean as a baby's. and a look of the most supreme
innocence. His excellency gave ce:ie long look of blank
astonishment, and then, with an appreciative smile
breaking over his war-worn features, turned to the
"assembled officers and said, "Here, gentlemen, your
I old minister is a fool, and your young lieutenant is a
captain."
Monday being the 37th anniversary of the corona-
tion of her Majesty Queen Victoria, the bells of St. George's
Chapel,. Windsor, and the parish church were pealed, and
' Royal ifilutes were fired from Fort Belvedere and the Royal
Adelaide frigati,..lrliglida Water. In London the joy bells
of various churches were rung. The household troops
paraded, and the Royal Standard was hoisted on the
government offices. Royal salutes were fired from the
Tower, Woolwich Arsenal, and Tilbury Fort, and there was
a display of bunting on the ships in the river.