Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-06-14
TEN THOUSAND LIVES LOST!
Tremendous Earthquake in the Island
of 81. Domingo.

OF ~. domingo.
By the polteness of Capt Morris, Of the
brig VIM Nelson. from Port au Prince, we
have (says the N. Y. Express OF Saturday.
lie Patriotic" Of the 1l:h May, published
at that place, which gives an account Of
shocking earthquake that occurred in that
island on the 7th May, at o'clock in the
evening.
The principal destruction Of life Of
which VIC have an account was at Cape
Hayhan, which town was ent'rly destroyed.
1t contains about $4,000 inhabitants, two
thirds Of whom are thought to be dead.
"a The approach Of the earthquake was
indicated tn Port au Prince by grea, heat,
and heavy clouds that covered the neigh
boring hills, and followed the direction of
the southwest to the northeast.
The vessels at anchor, some Of the
sailors report, experienced the shock before
they saw the houses agitated, which seemed
10 indicate that the shock came from the
west.
There were two shocks at Port au Prince
very distinctly felt, the first not so long
as The second, which last endured about
three minutes. Every person strove to get
out of the houses, and the streets were
filled with the affrightcd population. A
little longer, says the patriot, and Port au
Prince would have been the theatre Of
disaster similar to that of ITO, Of which
disastrous year the remembrance was rush.
ing into all minds
The Patriot also states that there is
hardly house or u wall that has not suffer-
ed littIe.-Some have become amostun-
inhabitable. The front, of the Senate
House, where the arms. of the Republic are
scul ptured, is detached and broken.
Ga the Saturday night succeeding and
on Sunday, there were other shocks.
Mass was interrupted, and the persons
present ran hther and thither, while many
women tainted.
On Monday morning at II o'clock there
was another shock. The weather all the
while was changeable, now extreme heat,
now rain, now fair, and no signs as if Of
a storm.
On Tuesday again there was another
shock, and since then, SAYS the Patriot,
sit seems to US that we walk upon quak-
ing earth"
SAINT MARCIA letter from this town says
that the earthquake was felt there with vio
lence. Many houses were seriously da-
mayed, and some destroyed, but no loss
Of life is mentioned.
AT GoANIvEs the shock was yet more
serious. The greater part OF the houses
were overthrow. A fire broke out at the
same time, and there was not a drop of
water in town. All the houses that were
not burnt suffered from the earthquakes
1t was in the streets that the writer of the
letter giving this account was inditing it.
The church, the Prison. the Palais Nalio-
nal, the Treasury and the Arsenal were
all destroyed.
The letter concludes at 8 A. M. bv say
ing
1T is only half an hour since tina, we
felt very great commotion. At present
we are ignorant Of the number of persons
killed or wounded. All the prisoners who
are not burned in the ruins are escaped.
God grant that Port-auPrince may no, have
experienced such disaster.
CAPE HAyTIAN.-Ihe torn of Cap.
Hayiian has entirely disappeared and Nth
ii tvo thirds Of the population! The ia
miles that couldescape are fled to Fossette,
where they were without any asylum cIo-
thing or provisions.
The president Of Iayti has given orders
to the physicians and officers Of the hospi-
tas 10 leave the city Immediately in order
to give succor TO he distressed. Other aid
of all kinds was about to be dispatched by
water to the distressed.
LATER.
In addition to the abouve disastrous in
telligence from the Cape, a courier arrived
from the city few hours previous TO the
departure of Capt. Morris, who stated that
a fire broke out after the earthquake, which
on Monday the 9th, destroyed the powder
magazine, and with il the miserable rem
nanl Of the Inhabitants who had escaped the
earthquake The town Of St. Nicholas
and Port Paix are also said TO be DESTROYED.
Other parts of the islard had not been heard
from when Capt. Morris left: but it is con-
iectured that aHthe towns Of the north are a
mass Of ruins.