The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-05-15
Washington, April Is, 1851.
Earthquake at Maori and Rhodes.

Accounts from Malta announce Succession OF
earthquakes which have been felt as well Of Nal
ia, a town Of Natoia, in Asiatic Turkey, as at
Samson, seaport in the Black Sea, within the
same province, and at the Island Of Rhodes, sit
uate at the entrance Of the Gulf Of Macri at
tended a, the first mentioned place and its imme-
date vicinity with great destruction Of life and
property.
The frs, shock was felt on the 18th of. Febru-
airy. between five and half-past five p. NJ, when
at Rhodes; the upper part Of the castle, which
is at the entrance of the town, fell with an awful
crash, overwhelming the Offices Of the Austrian
Lloyd's Steam Navigation Company. willis, the
Tower Of Arrays-Kule, which omn,ands the en-
trance Of the harbor, and several other parts of
the Notifications sustained great injury, as did
likewise many dwelling houses. some Of which
were shaken to their foundations on the rock
others cracked throughout. The oscillations
were from west to east. Slightcr shocks sue
ceeded almost daily up to the 9TH of March.
At Maori, on the main land. and It's innediat
neighborhood, the consequences have been most
disastrous and heart-rending. The whole Of the
houses, dwellings, and stores lately erected in the
town have been evelled 10 the ground; assures
have been formed in the very streets, from which
bituminous vapors exude continually, almost suG-
locating the inhabitants; many springs have dried
up, whilst in arid localities new ones have gushed
out, changing the whole features Of the earth 3
surface. -ss,s.-
The town Of Levissy, which contained fifteen
hundred houses, has not one left standing and
no less than six hundred human beings are rcck-
oned 10 be under The ruins, which number would
have been awfuliy augmented had the shock
been after nightiall, when the inhabitants retire
to their homes after the abors Of the day.
The village Of Chiorge has nearly met with
81. r.t, .to $50
having fallen into and blocked up the small por,
of Ekenglk, overwhelming all the dwellings round
about lis base. Another village, more inland
has been buried from the fall, in opposite direc.
iions. Of two hills, between which it was stu.
atcd
The survivors at Maori, alarmed BY the re-
rea,ed shocks which were still Occurring for five
days after. though Of much slighter nature, had
fled for safety on board small crafts and fishing
boats, carrying with them what property they
could from time to time dig out from beneath ,ht
ruins Of the storehouses, most of which has beer
removed to sim, Rhodes. and other islands.
! At Samson smart shock was felt on the 25tl
of February, but it caused no damage. Our
readers will remember that The famous eolossu.
OF Rhodes, which IN its day was reckoned one o.
the seven Wonders Of the world, was thrown
down by an earthquake 23l years before Christ
and fifty years after its erection, being Of thu
enormous weight Of 7i3 900 lbs. To some sucf
event i. no doubt also attributable the extensive
magnificent ruins Of many cities which exist il
Lycia and the valley Of the Xan,hus, Of which
Maori is the port, aud from whence the British
Museum imported the interesting works OF nr
which adorn its saloons, discovered, or more
properly speaking, recovered by Dir. Fellows
some ten years ago. -
Since the foregoing was in type we have seer
letters from Trebizond, another city Ct Asiaiit
Turkey, the ancen, Trspesus, down 10 the iifit
Of March, which make mention Of two smar
shocks Of earthquake having been experienced
ihereat Siovepipes got detached from the walls
Of the honses; doors flew open, and many tlt
tenements threatened TO fall about the ears OF the
inmates, but no accident Of consequence resulted
Earthquakes are Of very rare occurrence at TIM
seaport English Paper.