The Arkansas advocate., 1835-07-03
From the New Bedford Gazette
EARTHQUAKE IN CHILL

Sliip SOidl3 Sdpts " HHlSIls dFTIV6Q at this port on Saturday evening, bringing an account of a most distressing earth quake n and about the city of Conception, in Chill. She left the port of Talcahua- na 9th of March. The first and most dis astrous shock occurred on the 20th Feb. Of the large town of Conception not building was left standing. Talcahuana and five small villages Tn the harbor were entirely destroyed. After 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 pletely overf1owed the land, sweeping away the ruins. Many persons were saved from . untimely death by the active crew of the Coral. The shocks continued, (three or four every day) up to the time the ship left. On the 22d, large portion of the Island of Caracana, at the mouth of the bay, was swallowed up. The 9th March t was sta- ted there, that from 25 to 30 towns, besides many small villages between Conception and the Cordilleras, were scenes of com plete ruin. From four to five hundred lives were lost just in that section of coun- try but the extent of the suffering Is not yet known, probably thrice that number have been buried in the ruins.
 The condition of the people that former ly inhabited spacious and convenient dwell ings, where now not even a brick is left to mark the spot, is one of the utmost suffer- ing. The poor people who lived in the country m small reed huts have suffered but little. Their houses withstood the shocks, and to them is preserved roof for shelter. Those who fled to the hills erected little shantees, on the spots of land least broken up, and were compelled to be constantly at work procuring the food necessary to satis- fy 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 fre-the earth open ing wide, giving forth the most terrific means, and laboring with internal fires Buildings tottering ln every direction and now whole blocks of brick dwellings rock from their foundation. In their fall they meet others, and all, as if locked in death, sink with tremendous crash, into the gap ing earth, leaving no trace of their exist ence save memory, and the smoke and ash es which arise from the confusion. The scene was one of the most thrilling and awful sublimity.
 When the first intimaton of the break ing up of the convulsed earth was receiv- ed by the inhabitants of the cities and towns, they were struck with horror, ran into the middle of the streets, and knelt in fervent prayer to God, to save them from the threatening destruction. Our informant, who was among the number, says that he saw families run from their doors, and just as they left their thresholds, their buildings mostly of brick, came tumbIing down after them. It Is most fortunate thing for the people of the country that the shock came at midday. Had 1t taken place in the night, they would have been compelled to flee for safety without even the one suit of clothing they now have, making the suffer- ing much greater.
 It is matter of history, that between inc years 1920 and 1885, i've great earth quakes occurred in Chli. That on the 18th March, 1857, destroyed great part of the capitol: that on the 18th June, 1730, drove the sea against the city of Con- ception, and overthrow its walls: and that on the 26th May, 175l, completely des- troyed that city, which was again inundated by the sea, and levelled with the ground all the fotjfesses and villages lying between latitude 30 or 4d south. The shocks con- iinued at intervals more than a month. Not an individual human life however was lost on this occasion, except some invalids who were drowned in Conception. In l75l 1t was rebuilt on the north side of the river Biobio, about league from the sea.
 The subjoined letter from d gentleman at Ialcahuana, received at the exchange News Room, contains interesting particu- lars:
 TALcAHUANA, March 1, 1885.
 ''On the morning of Friday, the 20th Feb. 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 morn ing was calm and serene, and will prove an ever memorable date to the many misera- ble souls, who fled to and are now inhabit- ing the barren hills. The first shock last ed about four minutes and half, causing the mountains and valleys to roll like the waves of the sea; during the severity of the first shock (which was so great that person could hardly keep upright l looked