Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-06-19
THE DREADFUL EARTHQUAKE Ar SAN
SALVAD0R-LOss OF LIFE.

THE DREADFUL EARTHQUAKE AT SAN
SALVADoR-I0ss OF LIFE.
circumstantial account of the terrible
earthquake which occurred at San Salvador,
on the 10th Of Aprii last, is given 10 the GOV.
ernment organ of San Salvador, which we fnd
| translated in the New York HsSag1 The
| work of destruction was accomplished in ten
| seconds. The population of the city Is shout
$4,000. San Salvador in the eapitd Of the
| country Of that name in Central America IL
| has suffered greatly in past time from earth
quakes. Severe ones are recorded as having
| occurred in the years 1875, 1898, 1926, 1856,
| and 1898. Another, which occurred in 1882.
| shattered the city. and led the people 10 think
| of abandoning it. The volcano has also
| several times, thrown out sand and thr eatened
general devastation. But none of the earth
quakes alluded were comparable in violence
| with that now recorded. The event has in
spired so profound a terror, that the people do
not propose TO return again TO the same site
but to select new locality for their capitol
The night Of the 10th of Arril, 1854, will
ever be one of sad and bitter memory for the
people Of Salvador. On that unfortunate
night our happy and beautiful capitol was
made heap of ruins. Movements Of the earth
were felt on the morning of Holy Thursday,
preceded by sounds like the rolling Of heavy
artillery over pavements and like distant
Al n
consequence OF this phenomenon. but it did
not prevent them from meeting in the churches
to celebrate the solemnities of the day. On
Saturday all was quiet, and confidence was
restored. The people of the neighborhood as
senbled, as usual, 10 celebrate the Passover.
The night of Saturday was tranquil, as was
also the whole OF Sunday The heat, it is true,
was considerable, but the atmosphere was
calm and serene. For the first three hours of
the evening nothing unusual occurred; but at
half-past Line a severe shock of an earth
quake, occurring without the usual preiimi-
nary noises, alarmed the whole city. MANY
families left their houses and made encamp-
ments in the public squares, while others pre-
pared to pass the night in their respective
court yards.
Finally, atten minutes 10 eleven, without
premonition of any kind, the earth began to
heave and tremblc with such fearful force that
IN ten seconds the entire city was prostrated
The crashing of houses and churches stunned
the ears of the terrified inhabitants while a
cloud of dust from the falling ruins enveloped
them In pail of impenetrable darkness. Not
drop of water could be got TO relieve the
half-choked and suFocating, for the wells and
fountains were filled up or made dry The
clock tower of the Cathedral carried a great
part OF the edifce with it in its fall. The tow
ers Of the church of San Francisco crushed
the Episcopal Oratory and part of the palace.
The church Of Santo Domingo was buried be-
meath its towers, and the college of the As
sumption was entirely ruined. The new and
beautiful edidce Of the University was demol-
ished. The Church of the Merced separated
in the centre, and its walls fell outward to the
ground. Of the private houses a few were left
standing, but ali we're rendered uninhabitabIe.
II is worthy of remark that the walls left stand
ing are old ones; all those of modern eonstruc-
ton have fallen. The I-,t.;c edifices of the
anfo nd Aoif N,Sha
struction.
The devastation was effected, as we have
said, in the first ten seconds for although the
succeeding shocks were tremendous and accom-
panied by fearful rumbling beneath our feet,
they had comparatively trhing results, for the
reason that the first had left but little for their
ravages.
Solemn and terrible was the picture present
ed on that dark, funeral night. of whole
people clustering in the plazas, and on their
knees crying with loud voices TO Heaven for
mercy, or in agOnizing accents calling for their
children and friends, which they believed To
be buried beneath the ruins heaven
opaque and ominous; movement of the earth
rapid and unequal, causing a terror indescrib-
able; an intense sulphurous odor filling the
atmosphere. and indicating an approaching
eruption of the volcano; streets filled with
ruins or overhung with threatening walls a.
suffocating cloud of dust almost rendering
respiration impossible. Such was the specta-
Gle presented by the unhappy city on that
memorable and awful night
a hundred boys were shut up in the col
lege, many invalids crowded the hospitals,
and the barracks were full of soldiers The
sense of the catastrophe which must have be-
fallen them, gave poignancy to the first mo-
ments Of reflection after the earthquake was
over. II was believed thai at least fourth
part of the inhabitants had been buried be-
meath the ruins. The members of the govern
ment, however, hastened TO ascertain, as far
as practicable, the extent of the catastrophe,
and to quiet the public mind. 1t was found
that the loss of life had been much less than
was supposed, and it now appears probable
that the number of the killed will not exceed
one hundred, and of wounded fifty. Among
the latter is the bishop, who received a severe
blow on the head the late president, Senior
Duenas a daughter Of the president. and the
wife of the secretary of the Legislative cham
bers-the latter severely.
Fortunately the earthquake has not been
followed by rains, which gives an opportunity
to disinter the public archives, as also many
of the yaluables contained in the dwellings of
the citizens.
The movements of the earth still continue.
with strong shocks, and the people, fearing a.
general swallowing up Of the site of the city.
or that it may be buried under some sudden
eruption Of the volcano, are Fastening away
taking with them their household gods, the
sweet memories of their infancy, and their
domestic animals, perhaps the only property
left for the support of their families, excfaim-
ing with Virgil, Nos patriG fines ct dUicia
kshIaaRaus ARA.