The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-06-17
RICHM OND, VI:.
SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE II, 1854.
THRILLING ACCOUNT OF THE
GREAT EARTHQUAKE IN SAN
SALVADOR.

We find in the New York Herald the subjoined
general account ofthe recent earthquake in San
Salvador. translated from an Extraordinary BuI
| le;in' OF the Governernment, which has been re
| moved to the city of Cojutepeque
From the "Bolstin Z Extrao ordineris del Gobierno
del Salvador of May
RUIN OF THE CITY OF SAN SALVADOR.
- Quis talis fando
Temperet q iacimis.-VIRGIL.
The night of the 10th of April 1854, will ever be
one OF sad and bitter memory for the people oj
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 pavemenis, and like
distant thunder. The people were little alarmed
in consequence of this phenomenon but it did not
prevent them from meeting in the churches to cee.
brate the soemniies OF the day. On Saturday all
quiet and confidence was restored. The people
OF the neighborhood assembled as usual to cele-
brate the Passover The night of Saturday was
| tranquil, as was also the whole of Sunday. The
heat 1t is true wac considerable. but the atmos-
phere was calm and serene. For the first three
hours of the evening nothing unusual occurred ;but
at haltpast nine severe shock of an earthquake,
occurring without the usual preliminary noises,
alarmed the whole city. Many families left their
houses and made encampments in the public
squares while others preparedto pass the night in
their respective court yards.
Finally, al ten minutes to eleven, without pre-
monion of any kind the earth began to heave and
treble with such fearful force that in ten seconds
the entire city prostrated. The crashing OF
houses and churches stunned the ears ofthe terr;.
ed inhabitants, while cloud OF dust from the fall
ing ruins enveloped them in pail of mpenetrable
darkness. Not drop OF water could be got to re-
ieve the halfchoked and suffOcating for the wells
and fountains were filed up or made dry The clock
tower of the Cathedral carried great part of the
editce with it in its fall The towers of the church
OF San Francisco crushed the Episcopal Oratory
and part OF the place. The church OF Santo Domin-
60 was buried beneath its towers and the college
Of the Assumption was entirely ruined. The new
and beautiful edice ofthe University was demolSh-
ed. The Church OF the Merced separated in the
centre, and its walls fell outward to the ground
OF the private houses few were left standing, but
all were rendered uninhabitabe. II is worthy of
remark that the walls left standing old ones; all
those of modern construction have fallen. The
public editces of the government and city shared
the common destruction.
The devastation was effected as we have said in
the first ten seconds; for although the succeeding
shock were tremendous and accompanied BY. fear
full rumblings beneath our feet, they had compare
lively triing results for the reason that the first had
left but little for their ravages.
Solemn and terrible was the picture presented on
that dark, funeral night, of whole people cluster
ing 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 A
heaven opaque and ominous; movement of the
earth rapid and unequal, causing terror indes-
scrlbed an intense sulphurous odor filling the at
mosphere and indicating an approaching eruption
ofthe vosano; streets filled with ruins or overhung
by threatening walls suffocating cloud of dust al
most rendering respiration impossible. Such was
the spectacle presented by the unhappy city that
memorable and awful night,
hundred boys were shut up in the college, many
invaids crowded the hospitals and the barracks were
full of soldiers The sense of the catastrophe which
must have befallen them, gave to the pognancy to
the first moments of reflection after the earthquake
1t was believed that at least fourth part
of the inhabitants had been buried beneath the ruins.
The members of the government however, fastened
to ascertain as Tar as practicable the eXteut 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,
aud of wounded fifty. Among the latter is the Bish
op: who received q severe blow op the head; the late
President Senior Duenas, a daughter of the Presi.
dent and the wife of the Secretary of the Legislative
Chambers-the latter severely.
Fortunately, the earthquake has not been followed
by rains, which gives opportunity to disinter the
public archives as also many of the valuables
tanned in the dwellings of the citizens.
The movements Of the earth still continue. with
strong shocks, and the people, fearing general swal
lowing of the site of the city, that it may be
buried under some sudden eruption of the Volcano,
are fastening away, taking with them their house
hold goods the sweet memories of their infancy and
their domestic animals, perhaps the only property
lett for the support of their families eXclamng with
Virgil Nos patriG fines ct duIcia lin9uimus ARIA"
Appended TO thls Is proclamation OF the Pres%
dent Of San Salvador, Jose Maria San Martin, to
his " felow-citizens." He says:
speak to you amidst the ruins of cur beautiful
capitol under the weight of the heavy disaster which
overlook us on The fatal ght of Sunday the 10Th of
pril. fearful earthquake destroyed in the brief
space of ten seconds all the buildings of the city
plunged infinite number of families in misery and
has driven them abroad to seek shelter elsewhere
Comprehepdng the full extent of the calamity
which has befalen the people of the city, the gov
o1,r ~.
glect no means to secure such property has been
saved from The ruins, and to maintain public tran
guilty and order. In doing this they not only rely
upon the cooperation Of the people residing the
capitol but depend upon them to neglect means of
afording relief to the sufferers The government
relies upon the general patriotism and public spirit
to build up anew the city Of San Salvador, in soue
place offering better conditions than the present site
earthquakes. invoke the Al-Power rful to lend his
divine aid to this consummation, and influence the
minds of the people of the capitol that they shall
not disperse IN such manner as to make their new
concentration Impossible F a
Towards the conclusion of his proclamation the
President says
People of Salvador!-In common with my fellow
citizens, have lost ALL and obliged. at the head
Of numerous family, to leave the beloved city of
nay home, and seek an lun elsewhere, but pray
10 Heaven to keep me from murmuring and feel
atefill to the Almighty that he has preserved my
ife and the lives of those whom hold more pre-
;lous than my own.
The City Council Of Cojutepeque have vacated
III the public edifces, transferred the government
stancas of agHardicnte aud tobacco to the open
'quares, so as to give room to the homeless fugi-
ives. They call upon the people to open their
louses, and to give food to the suffering, and re-
uire that the prices Of provisions shall be kept at
heir minimum. To this end they have suspended
III city taxes the entry and sales of provisions,
md have taken other prominent and efficient means
0 afford relief This example has been followed
y the departmental capitols Sta Ana and Suchitoto
JOKE AND TRAGEDY.-In New Orleans on
he 9th inst a man named Schlossinger was shct
nd killed by q man named Ladd. The difficulty
etweea the parties originated in mock duel at
be Lake, in which schlossinger was made the
'ictim of joke. He and Ladd had some centro
ersy in regard to it. which led to hard words, aud
nally Schlossinger struck Ladd, who immediate
= shot him. Ladd gave himself up to the officers,
tating what be had done.
CHoLKRA-There was but one death from
u,a.. rannrtaJ In tha N.s villa Caxatta nf A.,