New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-06-05
Ii | l. T..
The Earthquake at Valparaiso.
Correspondence Of The Tribune.

correspondence VI ht AiAphHV-
VALPARAISO, Tuesday, April %.
On Wednesday morning, the ID of April,
at 10 minutes before :. The inhabitants OF our city
were awakened by terrible earthquake CRY OF
horror and distress arose from mulutudes who, IL
night dresses and bare feet rushed INTO me streets
TO ayold being crushed beneath falling houses Not
that many houses FELL but to and feel them rock
ing to and fro violently, and 10 hear the walls crack
ING around. one expected 10 see them come down.
The violent heayme of the earth continued minute,
and after that for an hour The earth trembed silently
and every nov and then heayed a groan and sigh
that made al things totjer
Fortunately had a garden IN which TO take
refuge but The CITY OF distress IN the streets reached
us and We have no power 10 describe the sensation
that this and the heaVing and grooming of the earth
forth, and tiles from the roofs rafting of-tieS that
may Kill. II they strike onC-ls dreadful But Oh. the
hOrnd, understandable sound beneath apparently the
ground on which We stand, Is worse Stll-t IS terri
bic We think, however thai the sound OF this
earthquake Was less appalling than that of Dec 9th
Then we though OF internal regions and realized
fully cur naglnragS N cndhoodS days OF the sounds
poor Christian heard IN The Valley Of the Shadow Of
Death. As soon "a could venture ~ the street.
door, We saw the teTTOr-Stucken people standing IN
groups trembling, not daring 10 reenieT the houses
tnCm which they had fed Many passed conveying
TIE sick on beds 20 he public square, and one pale
CmdCla'ed woman We saw, the picture OF death,
WANING IN the middle OF the street supported Oy an
aged woman Who seemed herself 10 need support
We invited 10 our house 10 breakfast and dine Seve-
raj OF cur distressed neghborS who dared not enter
their own dwellings One Otthem, Spanish lady. said
70 Us JGS' after shock IA the evening " IL seems
10 me time that The Virgin should withhold her hand
from pull>hlng u thus acknOw Lodging that sin IS
TIE cause OF suffering. and yet giving 20 q woman
rather than 10 God the power Of furnishing H. In
the afternoon We walked out TO see some OF the
effects 81 The earthquake / have forgotten 70 say
that our house Was much di>agure. The walls
rent irOm top 10 bottom hundred places and the
tiles broken and thrown Cd. A hous, opposite 10 rs
was thrown entirely 10 the ground and IN our walk
a scene OF dllapdauon was on every hand The
houses In the AmtndTal where We lived. were an
more or less injured some entirely unrO0fed the
chlmneyS OF others fallen N. the walls broken within
and without. mortar filing The houses and the streets
Much furniture and glass were DESTROYED. HEAVY
articles OF furniture, such a. pianos, sofas, book
cases, etc. were thrown ont INTO The rooms One
house on the SIDE Of of the hills having two chill
dren In II. tell down the hill INTO another house.
without lnJunng the children But, amid al this
calamity We have great cause for gratitude that
lew hVeS were lost We have heard only Of two,
that seem 10 come too direct 10 admit Of doubt. The
papers here deny any deaths
THIS was The Scyerest earthquake that has been
felt here SRce ls2s. The shocks continued 70 oC fire.
Quen', twelve or more on anayerage during the day
for ten days Many persons dared not sleep within