Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-06-24
Earthquake ut San Salvador.

Earthquake ut San salvador.
We copy below from the "BulIitn Ex-
traordinsrio del Salvado," Central Amer.
Ca oil May I'd, some particulars of the
destruction of that town, by an Earth,
xake, in addition 10 the facts hitherto
communicated. 1t will be read with in
terest.
The night Of tie 10Th Of April, 1854,
will ever be one of sad and bitter mem.
ory for the people of Salvador. On that
unfortunate night our happy and beuut-
ful capital was made heap of ruins.-
Movements of the earth were felt on the
morning OF Holy Tuesday, preceded by
sounds like the rolling OF heavy artillery
over the pavement, and like distant thun-
der. The people were little alarmed
in consequence of this phenomenon, bu,
it did not prevent them from meeting in
the churches to celebrate the soemnities
of the day. On Saturday all was quiet,
and confidence restored. The people of
The eighborhood assembled as usual, to
celebrate the Passover. The night of Sat.
urday was tranquil. as was also the whole
of Sunday. The at, its true, was con-
siderable, but the atmosphere was calm
and serene. For the first three hours of
the evening nothing unusual occurred,
but Al half past 9 Il severe shock of an
earthquake, occurring without The usual
preliminary noises, alarmed the whole
city. Many familiar left their houses,
and made encampments in the public
squares, while others prepared to pass the
night in their respective court yards.
Finally at ten minutes to eleven, with
ou' pre'nonition of any kind, the earth be-
gan to heave and trembIe with much fear.
ful force, that in ten seconds the entire
city was proslrated. The crashing of
houses and churches stunned the ears of
the terrified inhabitants, while cloud of
dust from the falling ruins enveloped
them in pail of impeneIrable darkness.
Not drop of water could be got to re-
lieve the haIf-choking and suffocatng, for
the wells and fountains were filled up or
made dry. The clock tower of the Ca,he.
dral carried great par. of the edfce
with it in its fall. The towers of the
church of San Francisco crushed the
Episcopal Oratory and part of the pal
ace. The church of Santo Domingo was
buried beneath its towers, and the COL
lege Of the Assumption was entirely ru-
ined. The new and beautiful edfce of
the University was demolished. The
Church Of the Merced separated in he
centre, and its walls fell outward to the
ground or the private houses few were
lef! standing, but the walls left standing
are old ones; all those of modern construc.
ton have fallen. The public edifces of
the government and city shared the com
mon destruction.
The devastation was effected rs we
have said, in the first tell seconds; for al
th,ugh the succeeding shocks were tre
mendous and accompanied by fearful rum
blings beneath our feet, they had compar
a,iveIy ,rifing results, for the reason lha
the first had left but little for their rava
gcs.
Solemn and terrible was the picture
presented on that dark, funeral night, o.
whoe people. clustering in the bIazas
and on their knees, crying with loud vol
ces to Heaven for mercy, or in agonisine
accents calling for their children ant
friends, which they believed to be buried
beneath the ruins! A heaven opaqu,
and ominous; movement Of the eartt
rapid and unequal, causing terror indie
scribable; an intense sulphurous odor fill
ing the atmosphere, aud indicating an ap
preaching eruption Of the vslcano; streets
filled with ruins or overhung by threat
ening walls; a suffocatlng cloud of dus,
almost rendering respiration impossible
Such was the spectacle presented by th,
unhappy city Oh the memorable and aw
full night.
A hundred boys were shut up in III,
college, many invalids crowded the hos
pitfalls, and the barracks were full of sol
diers. The sense Of the catastrophe which
must have befallen them gave poignancy
10 the first moments Of reflection after tn,
earthquake was over. 1t was believe,
that at least fourth of the inhabi,ant
had been buried beneath the ruins. Th
members of the government, however
hastened TO ascertain as far as possible
the extent Of the catastrophe. and to qui
ct the public mind. 1t was found tha
the loss Of lie had been much less thai
was supposed; and it now appears proba
BILE that the number of the killed will no
exceed yne hundred, and of wounded I'll
,y. Among the latter is the Bishop, VIII
received a severe blow on the head; III
late President; Senor Duenas; daughte
of the President: and the wife of the Sec
re,ary Of the Legislative C Chambers tn
latter severely.
Fortunately, The earthquake has no, bee