The Nevada Democrat. [volume] (Nevada, Calif.) 1854-1863, 1857-02-18
NIeXIcO,

On the goth of Dec, in the morning, an earth
quake, which lasted about thirty seconds, was
felt in Mexico city. On this phenomenon, u,
also on that of an extraordinary snowfall in thai
city, and terrible hurricane in Vera Cruz, we
subjoin the following details from the Progre,so
of Vera Cruz, Dec. 30:
On the 20th inst, there ragged on our coast a
furious north gale which lasted for twenty-four
hours, and caused considerable losses and dam
age among the shipping. Among the disasters
figures foremost the shipwreck of the national
steamer lturbde, which deeply affected all the
inhabitants of Vera Cruz, in whose very sight
the catastrophe took place, without being by
any possibility able to prevent it, The steamer
had three anchors fastened with very strong
chains; and although she was seen vigorously
struggling against the waves, nobody thought.
up to the moment of the disaster, of the prOba-
blity of her being torn off from the ,anchorinc
ground. But having lost two of her anchors by
violent shock from another ship which was
thrown against her by the force of the waves.
and the one anchor left her not being sufficient
to maintain her, she was driven by the current
upon the reef known under the name of La La
vendera. There, in fifteen minutes more or
less, she was broken to pieces, and disappeared.
with eighty-nine persons on board, beneath the
waves.
Ofall those on board only seventeen were
in provident;al manner, saved-succeedng
after clinging for many hours to some timbers
floating on the sea, in reaching the coast.
or the other shipwrecked vessels, there are no
other losses to be lamented than those of their
hulls and cargoes, with the exception of the
Nerth American schooner Nenuphas, whose pilot
suddenly died probably from a fit of aponleyv
She was one of the sailing packets of the New
York line.
The steamboat Calhoun found itself FORTY
miles off the coast when the hurricane swept the
sea, and for ten hours was drifting around the
reefs, struggling against the waves. before be-
ing able to overcome the wind and the currents
ana TO get free of her dangerous position
Once this object was obtained. she resisted In an
admirable manner the Storm as we are inform
ed by persons who were on board of her. and
who do not doubt that they owe their lives To
the excellent qualities of the ship The Calhoun
mas suffered great damage in her upper works:
ior heavy sea tore away the lower cabin. leav.
ing the upper one entire, supported by the pil-
lars upon which 1t rested; but the hull of the
snip and her machinery were unhurt, thus Civ
ing tne lie, once more, to the rumors of her in
security spread by persons who perhaps were
- NioNlSu1llS buub line. The sea
which tore away the cabin of the Calhoun car
RED OIL two servants and the butler. who did not
Ire-appear. Another misfortune happened on
board the ship in consequence of the storm, A
spanish passenger took away his own life bv a
pistol shot, he believing the steamer would be
lost without help, and preferring to lose his life
mat way rather than be drowned
La Nacion, newspaper of the CITY of Mexico
speaks in its number of the 2lst ult. Of the snow
storm there thus Last night, at half.past nine
clock, a heavy snow storm began. which last.
ed several hours. Never have we seen This me-
nomenon. so common in attitudes higher than
ours, In Mexico before 1t also excited rto
n,lgh degree, the curiosity of the Inhabitants Of
The capital. The thermometer of Reaumnr was
one degree above zero, and maintained ;tseiS
mere during the whole night The fat roofs Of
Inc houses, the streets, the hills which snrronnd
me city OF the lakes, and give her SO beautiful
N 4, aspect, the public walks, all reminded ne
ms morning of the first snow storm We sv uS,
witnessed, which was last fall, in the Tnited
states and in Europe. Mexico citv nrasenteS
mis- morning truly picturesque sight for the
:reen leaves of our eternal spring formed q
ively contrast with the flakes Of snow Which,
lressed them in an attire to which thew w VaCe
lot accustomed 'H'y were