Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1854-06-24
A DREADFUL EARTHQUAKE AT SAN SAL
vADOR--IOSs OF LIrF

on the 16th Of April last, is given in Il
government organ of San Salvador, whic
we find translated in the New York Hefal,
The work Of destruction was accomplishe
in ten seconds. The population of The eli
isabout $4,000. San Salvador is the capi
of the country of that name in Central Anne
lea. 1t has suffered greatly in past time
from earthquakes. Severe ones are recorde
as having occurred in the years 1875, 1897
1895, 1856, ard 1898. Another, which oc
cured in 1899, shattered the city, and led tn
people of abandoning il. The volcano ha
also, several times, thrown out sand, ant
threatened general devastation. But none
of the earthquakes alluded TO were compara'
BILE with that now recorded. The event has
inspired so profound terror, that The people
do not propose 10 return again TO the same
site, but TO select new locality for their
capitol. ggf f.l r-i..i7a
Ruin OF the City OF San Salvador.
The night of the 10th of April, 1854, Will
ever be one of sad and bitter memory for the
people of Salvador. On that unforunate
night our happy and beautiful capitol was
made heap of ruins. Movements OF the
earth we're elt on the morning of Holy
Thursday, proceeded by sounds like The roll
ing of heavy artillery over paveinenis, and
like distant thunder. The people were lit
lie alarmed in consequence of this phenome
non, bu, it did no, prevent them from meet
ing in the churches 10 celebrate the solemni-
ties of the day. On Saturday all was quiet,
and confidence was restored. The people of
the neghborhood assembled, as usual TO eel
citrate the passover. The night OF Saturday
was traaqul, as was also The whole oil Sun.
day. The heat, it is true, was considerable,
but the atmosphere was calm and serene.-
For the first three hours Of the evening moth
ing unusual occurred but at half.past nine
a severe shock Of an earthquake, occurring
without the usual preliminary noises, alarm
ed the whole city Many families left their
houses and made encampments in the pub
lie squares, while others prepared TO pass the
night in their respective court yards.
Finally, at ten minutes 10 eleven, without
premonition Of any kind, the earth began TO
hesve and iremble with such fearful force
that in ten seconds the entire city was pros
tra,ed The crashing OF houses aud churches
stunned the ears Of the terrified Inhabitants,
while a cloud OF dus, from the falling ruins
enveoped them in pail of impcnetrabe
darkness. Not drop Of water could be go1
10 relieve the half-choked and suiiocaiing
for The wells and fountains were filed up o
made dry. The clock tower of the Calhe
dral carried great part of the edifce with i
in its fall The towers Of the church oil Sar
Francisco crushed the Episcopal Oraiory ane
part of the palace. The church of San;'
Domingo was buried beneath its towers
and the college of the Assumption was en-
iirely ruined. The new and beautiful edl
flee Of the University was demolished. The
Church of the Merced separated in the
ceutre, and its walls fell outward 20 ,h'
ground. OF the private houses few wer'
left standing, but all were rendered uninhab
liable. |, is worthy of remark that the wall
left standing are old ones; all these OF mod
ern construction have fallen The publ
edi6ces of the government and city share'
the common destruction. fst.
The devastation was effected, as we hav,
sail, in the first ten seconds; ior aiihoug
the succeeding shocks were Tremendous AM
accompanied BY fearful ramblngs beneat
our feet, they had comparatively triiiing re
suits, for the reason that the first had lei
but little for their ravages.
Solemn and terrible was the picture pre-
sen,cd on that dark, funeral night, OF Who'll
people clustering in the pazas, and on ihei
knees crying with loud voices to Heaven fc
mercy, or in agoniziug accents calling lc
their children and friends, which they be
lieved TO be buried beneath the ruins!
heaven Opaque and omnous; movemeI
of the earth rapid and uneque, causing
terror indescribable an intense sulphoror
odor filling the atmosphere, s. indicating a
approaching eruption Of the volcano; stree
filed with ruins or overbung by threaienIn
walls; suflocating cloud Of dust almo
rendering respiration impossible Such wa
the spectacle presented BY the unhappy cit
ON that memorable and awful night.
A hundred boys were shut up in the co
Iene, many invalids crowded the hospitals
,nd the barracks were full of soldiers. Th
sense of the catastrophe which must hay
befalen them gave poiguancy 10 the fir
moments of reflection after the eaithquak
was over. II was believed that at least
fonrth part Of the Inhabitants had been b.
ried beneath the ruins. The members
the government, however, fastened 10 asce
tain, as far as practicable, The extent Of Ii
catastrophe, and to quiet the public mind
II was found that the loss Of lie had bee
much less than was supposed, aud Il no
appears probable that the number oi The &
led will not exceed one hundred, and
wounded fifty. Among the latter is u
Ri.hop, who received a severe blow Oh u
head the late President, senor Duenas !;
daughter Of the President, and The vile
the Secretary Of the Legislative Chambers
the latter severely.
The movements Of the earth still eoniinu
with strong shocks, aud the people, fearing
general swallowing up Of the site Of 'he CIT
or that il may be buried under some sudd
eruption Of the volcano, are haslening ava
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