The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-05-10
DIRE lDFUL EARTHQUAKE
AT1HE CITY OF MEXIC0,

Mexican papers ol me lZ'" .r,.
the account of an awful Earthquake
partially desoIated the city Of Meaep on
the 7Ih ult.
At SO minutes past 3'clock, p. NJ says
the Sglo, (of the city of Mexco) the oscil
laioons began, slight at first, and then
stronger The direction Of the motion sp
.pesred TO be North and South. II lasted
about TWO minutes The shocks were ter
ribIe, nothing like them ever experienced
before, snd the condition Of The buildings
too surely proves the sbsence Of all exag
g Grafton.
We were by chance upon the great square
at he time, and we witnessed spectacle
no, easily forgolten,in an instant the multi
lude, bu, moment previous Tranquil and
lislless were upon their knees, praying to
the Almighty and counting with anxiety
the shocks which threatened to convert the
most beautiful city in the New Word into
vast theatre OF ruins. The chains sur
Ioundlng the porIico were violently agiIat-
ed, the flags Of the pavement yawned open,
Ihe trees benz fright(ulIy, the buildings and
lofty edlfices oscllIaled to and fro, the i'm.
mense arrow which crowns The summit Of
the cathedral vibraled with astonishing
rapidly, at 36 minutes past three the
movement had ceased,
|; is impossible to ascertain the desruc-
ion. Not house or door buI bealS The
marks Of this terrible calamity. Many oI
hem are cracked and greatly injured, so ne
are ,oltering, and others entirely fallen.
San Lorenzo, La .NlsericorIlia, Tompnsle,
Zepo, and Victoria streets and the Grand
street, have particularly suffered The
bride of Tezontae is demolished. The
Hospital Of Sain, Lazarus is in ruins, and
the chur ches Of San Lorenzo and San Fer
linand greatly injured.
The magnificent chapel Of Saios Teresa
no longer exists. At he frs, shock, the
cup pola, building Of astonishing strength
and great beauty fell, anc was soon follow
ed by lhe vault benea III the tabernacle and
The tabernacle itself
Fortunately all those in church so
much lrequenled, succeeded in escapng..-
At eight O'Clock last evening, sevonleen
persons had been taken from the ruins Of
other buildings aud carried to the Hos
piIal,
Al three quarters past six, and a quarter
past seven two more shocks were felt
They were, howeve. slight, and occasion.
Jed nothing but temporary renewal Of Ter.
r0r
The authorities did everything that zeal
and humanity could suggest, 10 carry help
T tn the victims, and restore the aqueducls
which furnish water to The city.
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New Discovery in Relation 10 Stone-
MS stated in The Sheffield Eng Mercury
that a scientific gentleman residing at Ips.
wich, Mr. Frederick Ran,ome, engineer.
has lately discovered method whereby me
hardest stone can be brought into consis>
'ence resembling common putty, so hasit
ca be cut and moulded into anv shane, lar
useful and ornamental purposes, without al
'enng It's general character and appearance,
for II becomes as hard, and in some inslan,
ces even harder, than when aubiected 10 lbe
process. Another pecuiarily of The process
is, that any color or variety of colors. can
be impaired TO lis solid substance 50
that an endless variety of shades lean be
produced, and as it ia capable OF being pol
'shed' i! efiecIualIy reSisIs the action of The
weather. 1t Can also be used as a cement
and can be brushed over The surface os wood
so as 10 render it fire proof.
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