Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-02-17

has been sending forth fire. lava, an d
smoke since the Earthquake.
The ,own Of Chilpanzinge, half way
distant To The city of Mexico. was near.
ly destroyed.
FoRT YUBA CAL, Dec. 5.
We have hal Two most important @
vents the past week. One. The earth
quake, presume, announces itself. The
iirs, shock was felt here on the 29th of
Nov. at 20 minutes past IL o'clock. L.
was quite severe, aud followed by sue
cession Of more than dozen in III,
course OF day or Two. Several were
preceded by rumbling noise. The frs
rumbled down rocks from the mountains,
threw down the cliffs aud the banks al
he river. Par, of Chimney Peak fell,
aud dark cloud of dust on each side
was taken for volcano BY some. Soon
after the first shock, was locking 10 til
southwest ard observed heavy column
If steam rise 10 grea, highth and spread
ou, into cloud. The other Jets rose a,
short intervals after. The wafer in the
river rose with swell near foot, and
subsidized in few hours. The velocity
of the curren, was much increased, and
even the bed of the stream appeared To
have apparently subsidized.
| You know, perhaps. that we have
som ,imid people here, and they were
terribly frightened. The sen.inels aban
doned their posts and fled to the guard
tents. How they expec, to be benefited,
or wha, they feared. cannot imagine. -
There is very little danger even should
our brush houses fall. The hill on
which we are located is cracked of, but
do not think there is much danger of il
sinking or rolling oser. The frs, shock
was 50 stsere ,ha, it stopped my clock,
and threw down the books from their
shelves. There IS some difference OF o.
pinion as to the direction from which the
shock came. Ii those je.s of steam
rose from the centre, il must have been
from the southwest.
The Sacramento Union, in abiding to
the rains. says:
The city is literally flooded by the
immense fall Of rain; buildings have been
thrown down by The wind in all parts Of
the town, the river is rising, the leyee
bre aking, and an overflow threatened, and
the whole population in confusion, terror
and water. The courts all adjourned
and business of every kind was en,nely
suspended. The papers are filled with
details of the disasters by storm and
fioud. The authorities are using every
possible effor, to keep the leyee in T. pail
aud save the city from overflow. Il is
greatly feared that ii the storm does no,
abaie. and river recede. the levee, strong
as is, will break and finish the work oil
destruction by submereing the city.
From the San Joaquin Republican we
copy the foil owing:
Capt. Van,ine arrived in this cisy las
night. three days from Knights Ferry
lie declares that the roads in the in,eri
/ or are entirely impossible.
The majority Of the raneheros had
prepared for the food by driving then
ca tile 10 the mountains.
1
the river banks. have all been swep, off
The bottom lands are completely inunda
ted.
All the bridges und ferry boats on the
Ssanislaus, Toulumne, MERGED, and Mar.
iposa have been carried away.
The eastern part OF The city, of Stock
ton is under water. though no fears arr
entertained of general inundation.--
The food is still rising. owing I'd tht
backwaier.
Il is feared that when the bridge gave
way last night two men were on il, ont
Of whom is slill missing.
The latest aavices from Mary srille are
to the etfec, tina, the water was six and a
halt inches higher than It was ever be
fore known, and from the quantity vi
snow on The ouniains il was feared that
the flood was no, ye. at ITS height. A
,eamster named Downs had been drown
ed in the vicinity of Parks bar, while
attempting to save his horses.
The following report, made by Mr..
Ryan. an express messenger of Adams
d Co., is published in the Sacramento
Union. OF December 81.
On Monday, snow fell in Nevada and
Grass Valley 10 the depth OF three feet
On Thursday rain commenced and pour.
ed in torrents up To the hnur OF departure
of the stages. The rain being warm,
The snow melted very rapidly, and Deer
creek had already commenced rising.
GA the passage down from Mary sville
three men were seen on the root Of thei,
cabin, near Hook Farm, Justify calling
tor boat TO take them off. The water
was within three feet oil them.
Al Nicholas, many horses and cattle
we've observed wading through the wa
ter, which is every where above The nal
ural bank of the river.
A. Grass Valley, three buildings on
one square were crushed by the weigh
Of The snow.
THE WINTER IN THE MINEs.-Mr
Morrison arrived a, Sacramento from
Nevada, publishes a comDun ica,ion rel
atiye To The state OF affairs in that vicini.
y, IRON which We extract the follow