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

THE DREADFUL EARTHQUAKE AT San SALIVA
DoR-FULL DETAu.s.--We publish to-day cir
cumstantial account of the terrible earthquake
which totally destroyed the city Of San Saliva
dor in April last The said city was the
capital of the State of the same name, and was,
during the confederation, the capital of the re-
public which comprised all the Independent
States of Central America. Our account of the
late earthquake is thrilling and graphic
narrative Of very remarkable event. Our
readers are indebted for this record to Mr.. Z.
George Squier, late American Charge 'Afaires
at Nicaragua. The facts are from private
letters from the spot, and from the official
accounts of the catastrophe, which, in the ORR
ginal Spanish, have fallen into the hands
of the writer, through the attention of
his friends in Central America. The several
years official residence of Mr.. Squier in that
quarter of our continent, his means Of informa-
ton, his thorough and Industrious explorations
over all the Central American States, his exact
knowledge of the physical peculiaritics of thos.
countries, and bis abilities as a historian, viii.
render his description and history of San Sal
vador, and Of the phenomena Of the late
calamity which levelled it to the earth. nan.
suaiiy inocI ossinS 10 tne Inteiiigent reader.
The disaster in itself is one of the most cx-
traordinary in it's kind in modern times. The
great earthquake at Lisbon was more destruc-
tive of human life, and near the volcanic eel
tres Of the mighty range Of the Andes in
South America there have been numer-
Gus destructive commissions of this character
during the last three hundred years but our
memory Of such scenes as left upon record
furnishes scarcely parallel to this earthquake
at San Salvador in the 9uickness, the violence
and completeness of its work Of destruction
The solution is furnished in the proxim' y of
the great volcano Of San Salvador, three miles
only to the westward Of the city. These VOL
canoes are the safety valves Of the liquid fires
which lie Immediately under the s.upner
crust Of the earth in various quarters of the
globe. When this confined lava cannot OBJ
tain sufficient vent through its volcanic chin
ney, the surrounding neighborhood is terribly
Shaken and sometimes great assures and
cbasms are opened in the ground as the
subterranean waves of liquid fire are
rolled along. Occasionally the vibrations
of an earthquake are felt for hundreds
of leagues away; even the symptoms
which we have now md then experienced may
be attributed to the volcanic regions of Mexico
and Central America. The city of Mexico has
lately felt, as it very often feels, the insta
bility Of its foundations. from the angry
rumbings of Popocatepetl, many leagues
away. A few years ago, volcanic cone was
raised above the surface of the Mediterranean
in the midst OF the sea, and it was doubtless
because StIomboli, Etna, AMI Vesuvius had
failed to do their duty. Happily, this side of
Oregon we are not troubled with volcanoes:
but the periodical eruptions of scheming poll
ticians, demagogues and fanatics serve to ex-
cite the country with fears of an earthquake
infinitely more dreadful and ruinous than that
of San Salvador.