The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-15

buried Pompeii can form an accurate IDEA OF sne
soil on which San Salvador was built.
The channels of the streams are worn down to
great depth through this light and yielding mate
rial and constitute immense ravines, which render
the approaches to the town almost impossible, ex-
cept at the places where gradual passages are cut
down on either side, paved with stone, and some
lines walled, to keep them from washing out and
becoming useless. Some of these approaches are
30 narrow that it is customary, when mounted, to
shout loudly on entering, so as to avoid encounter,
ing horsemen in the passages which are frequently
so narrow as to preclude either passing or
turning back. San Salvador has more than once
owed its safety, in time Of war, to these natural
Notifications, which COMPOUNDED the enemy with
their intricacies and difficulties while affording
means of defence TO the inhabitants.
The facility with which the soil above described
washes away has been the cause of considerable
disasters to San Salvador. During heavy rain of
several days duration, called a Temporal" which
occurred in 1852. Not only were all the bridges
which crossed a small stream, flowing through one
edge of the town, undermined and ruined, but many
houses destroyed in the same manner. One OF the
principal streets, extending into the suburbs, began
to wash at its lower extremity, and the excavation
went ON rapidly that effort could arrest it.
considerable part Of the street became converted
into huge ravine, into which the houses and gar
dens on either side were precpitated. The extern
sion of the damage was guarded against, when the
aims ceased by the construction of heavy walls of
Masonry like the faces Of fertilization. How Sc
bus an undertaking this was regarded, may be in
bred from the fact that its completion was deem
1tof sufficient Importance to be announced in the
hnual message Of the President.
san Salvador, like all other Spanish towns, coyer,l
q large area in proportion to its population. The
houses were built low, none being Of more than one
story, with very thick walls and designed to resist
The shocks of earthquakes Each built around an
inner court planted with trees and flowers, and FIRE.
guently containing fountain. To the circumstance
of the existence of these courts the people of San
Salvador owe their general preservation, in the late
catastrophe, as will be seen from the accounts
below given. They afforded ready and secure places
Of refuge from the falling dwellings.
The population of San Salvador was estimated, in
1852, at % 600. Including the little towns in its
environs, and which were practically part of it
sueh as Soyopango San Marcos, Mexicanos, &c.
its inhabitants might have been estimated at 80 000
II was the seat OF a Bishopric, with large and
beautiful Cathedral church; the seat Of the State
Government, and of large and flourishing Univer
sity, the buildings for which were only finished
about year ago. 1t had also a female seminary
several hospitals, and numbered some eight OF
ten churches. In 1852, very large and
beautiful cemetery, with fine facade, and
dependent chapes, was constructed. Two aque
ducts one of which is five miles in length, supplied
the city with water. II was also place Of con
siderable and improving trade. The late President
ST. Duehas, whatever may be said Of his politics
which were reac.ionaIy, nevertheless appreci
ated the value Of material progress and encouraged
II By all the means at his command. Unde
his auspices cart road was surveyed, and car
ried nearly, if not quite, to successful conclusion
from the city to its port on the Pacific, called Ii
Libertad. distance Of about twenty-five miles
This, in a country where the best roads are hardl.
quail 70 what we would here call cattle paths, wa
eltainly no uncomfortable advance.
The market Of San Salvador was well supplied from
he numerous Indian villages around it and not
Jay passed when there were not 800 or 900 peopl
Saifickins in the principal square. On feast days
and on the occasions OF the Fairs. such as that fall
ing on the anniversary OF the victory Of Alvarado
whence the city derived its name, the town over
flowed, not only with people gathered from within
q radius of fifty leagues, but with foreigners and
merchants from every part of Central America. Al
these Fairs, the accounts between dealers were ad
justed and contracts sales, and purcha made for
the ensuing year, the whole concurrence and hustle
contrasting strangely with the usual monotony and
quiet.
With the exception OF the central and paved
part Of the city, San Salvador was eminently sylvan
being literally embowered in tropical fruit trees
The red-roofed dwellings, closely shut in will
evergreen hedges Of cactus, Swallowed over by
palm and orange trees, with dense background
OF deep green, broadleaved plantains, almost
sinking beneath their heavy clusters of COLDER
fruit looked more like the retreats Of Paradise thar
anything which our cold, northern fancies could
picture as earthly abodes A ride, in the cool o.
the morning or when the dews of the evening be
gan to fall, and the sky seemed bathed in nolteI
gold, through the thousand welworn paths, arched
over with verdurc, to the little towns Of Mexicano
or San Marcos, nesting, with their picturesque
churches. in natural bower, was one Of thos
rare eDjoyments which compensate for the wear.
Journeys, the hunger the fatigue, and the annoy
M ces OF travel under the tropics. As Scott ex
claimed-of sights widely diferent-one such rid
is worth "ten years Of common life" and al
forda lasting source Of gratifying and pleasurab
recollection. One view Of such pictures of nature
under her lovclicst forms, remains JOY forever.
And in recalling them. it seems impossible tina
those retreats, SO quietly beautiful, are now abau
doned and desolatc-that the great square is de
serted. and that silence, unbroken even by the
fall Of water from the lately glitterng fountains
~eigns over the ruined and deserted but once busy
I'd beautiful city of :. Our Saviour ~
~ ho saan from tho foIIovinp account al th
ftastrophe of April 10, that the work of devasta
on was accomplished in the brief space Of tel
sconds. Fortunately premonitory shock had LEI
the wary inhabitants to abandon their houses, an
seek safety in the public squares and in the cour
yards Of their houses. Had 1t not been for this tn
loss Of life would, of necessity have been immense
A similar earthquake in New York would not leave
one person in thousand alive to tell the tale of ii