The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1835-06-06
From Tho New Bedford Gazette.
DREADFUL EARTHQUAKE
N G. HILL

The ship Coral, Capt WHiTrEN, ar
rived at this port on Saturday evening,
bringing an account of most distressing
earthquake in and about the city Of Com
ception, in Chill. She left the port of
Talcahuana 9th Of March. The first and
most disastrous shock occurred on the
Goth of February. Ofthe large town OF
Conception not building was left stand
ing. Talcahuana and five small villages
in the karbor were entirely destroy ID
Alter the first shock the vessels in
the. bay were all left aground +; but,
soon, the sea rushed on in great rollers,
and rising twenty five or thirty feet, COM
oletely overhowed the land, sweeping
away the RUNS. Many persons were
saved from untimely death by the active
crew of the Coral. The shocks continu-
ed, (three or four every day. up to The
time the ship left. OA the 22d, a large
portion of the Island of Caracana, at the
mouth of the bay, was swallowed up
The 9Th Of March, it was stated there,
that from 25 to 50 towns, beside many
small villages between Conception and
Cord lleras, were soencs OF complete ru-
IN. From four to five hundred lives
were lost Just in that section of the coun-
try-but the extent Of The suffering is not
vet known-probably thrice that number
nave been buried 10 the RUNS.
The condition Of the people who for
merly inhabited spacious and convenient
dwellings,, where nov not even br'ck IS
left to mark the spot, is one OF the utmost
suffering The poor people who lived IN
small reod hu,s have suffered but little
Their houses wlthstood the shocks, and
to them it preserved roof for shelter
Those who fed to the hills, erected little
shantees, on The spots Of land least bro
ken up, and were compelled to be con-
stantly al work procuring the food neces-
sary to satisfy hunger.
The scene during the first shock was
appalling. The trembling OF every thing
around-the boiling Of the sea, as when
water is heated over a fire-the earth
opening wide, giving forth the most ter
rifAc means, and laboring with internal
fires. Building tottering in every dlrec-
tion,--and now whole block of brick
dwellings rock from their foundation. In
their fall they meet othsrs, and all, rs if
locked in death, sink, with Il tremendous
crash, into the gaping earth, leaving no
trace Of their existence save memory, and
the smoke and ashes which arise from the
confusion. The scene was one OF thrill
ing and awful sublimity.
When the first intimation OF the break
ing up Of the convulsed earth was recei-
we'd by the inhabitants Of the cities and
towns, they, struck with horror, raninto
the middle Of the wide streets and knelt in
fervenl prayer to God, to save them ilom
threathing destruction. Our informant
who was among the number. says that
he saw families run from their doors, and
just as they left their threshholds, their
buildings, mostly of brick, came tumbling
down after them. Ii is most fortunate
thing for the people Of the country, that
the shock came at midday. Had it ta-
ken place in the middle hour of night,
they would have been compelled to fee
for safety without even the one suit Of
clothing they now have, making their sut-
fering much greater.
/ 1t is matter of history, that between
the years 1920 and 1852, five great
Earthquakes occurred in Chill. That
on the / 5th of March, 1867, destroyed a
great part Of the capital that on tho 18th
Of June, 1880, drove the sea against tho
City Of Conception, and overthrow its
walls and that on the 26th of May,
I75l, completely destroyed that city,
which was again inundated by the Sea,
and Ievelled with the ground all the for
tresses and Villages lying between la:i-
tude "a and 40 South. The shocks con-
tinued at intervals more than mouth
Not an individual human life, however,
valids, who were drowned in Concep-
ton" In 1891, Conception was rebuilt
on the north side OF the river Biobio, u
bout league from the sea.
The subjrIned letter from a gentleman
at Talcahuana, received at the Exchange
News Room, contains interesting particu-
lars -
Talcahuana, March I, 1885.
| "On the morning of Friday, the Goth
Of February, 1885, about 20 minutes past
II o'clock, we were visited by one of the
most awful earthquakes ever experienced
by the oldest inhabitants of this place
| The morning was calm and serene, and
will prove an ever memorable date TO the
many miserable souls, who fed to and
are now inhabiting the barren hills
| The first shock lasted about four minutes
and n half, causing the mountains and
valleys to roll like the waves OF the sea I;
during the severity of the first shock
(which was so grea, that person could
scarcely keep UPRIGHT | looked around
for moment to meet my fate, but am
spared to be thankful, and may consider