Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-07-20
The Great Earthquake In Mexico.


The Grent Earthquake In Mexico.
TIE GREAT EARTHQUAKE OF JUNE 19-EFFEcT IN
THE CITY-THE DURATION OF THE sHocK-sEN-
Stations OF A NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ORIGIN
OF TIE EARTHQUAKE.
CRY OF MEXICO, June 80, 1857.
was on my way to my hotel, when sudden
" the earth rocked beneath my feet; was pre-
cipltatcd against the wall Of n house; the houses
commenced to crack and roll about like empty
bottles in water; the streets were rapidly filed
with Young and old-some in full dress, some in
no dresS-all making the most frightful ado:
some laying flat on their bellies, but most on
their knees, calling on all the saints in the Mex
lean calendar to save them, their wives or hus-
bands, their children, &c; horses, dogs, and
even the mules and the stupid asses in the
streets stood stock still, qulvering in every
part. A second or more gave me an IDEA oil
what was transporting, and recOllecting the eX-
cIamation of cHTgdIOr few seconds before,
that there was an earthquake, recovered my
self as was going headlong in the street on
the rebound, and betaking myself to a doorway
took out my watch and commenced making
notes of times and events. As laid hold of
one side of the door-which was the San Fran
cisco, near the corner of the Nergarn-the
houses in the street appeared to me to be rocked
about as if they were made of cork: and ut
the time were floating on stormy water. Win
vows CTdChGhJ pun hEIC IullSA luLOuEA
portals into the streets; altogether there APP
peared to me to be but little chance of get
ting through the trouble with whole body and
bones, SO made my way as best could over
the heaving pavement to the corner of the
street, moved thither by the general instinct
exhibited by all living creatures. crowd of
leperos, donkeys, horses, some ladies and few
gentlemen, soon formed my companions. When
arrived at the corner l was the only person
standing-all the rest were on their knees or
bellies; but few seconds brought seveaal who
also kept an upright pOsition-most of them
for bravado. AT the corner Icould see the Ma
tional Theatre, the Hotel Iturbide, the Progreso,
the Academy at the corner, and several other
large buildings. They were all heaving to and fro
in the most alarming manner. For my own part
l could not conceive how they were able to resist
one of the shocks, so violent were they and so
hcaving. But, fortunately, no house in the
range of my vision came down. The shocks
lasted for nearly three minutes, although all the
heavy swells passed within the space of two
minutes.
The first shock was light and unperceived by
me, although noticed by q cGrgalor whom was
passing at the moment, who was seated on
corner stone. l had time to cross the street af-
ter the first shock, and had gone some twenty
feet when the statement of the cdrgad0F turned
out true. After the heavy shocks there were
several lighter ones, which were very annoying
to foot passengers. The earth was contracting
into its place, and gave several disagreeable
twinges and jerks
The first shock came from the south-south-
east, and was followed by three from the same
direction, when the motion suddenly turned to
east and west, and gave US four heavy surges,
which were followed by others of less length
The whole affair created the most intense ex-
citement throughout this city, which admitted
no abatement for three or four days. The pre-
vious gossip which had existed regarding the
forced loans, banishments, &C., was suddenly
hushcd, and all were absorbed in learning the
truth of the calamity which had passed. For
the first night and day, the populace tlocked to
the squares and principal openings in the city
The first night, the Alameda and Grand Plaza
were filled with thousands of people who kept
watch for sleep they could not, on account Of a
drilling rain. a general impression prevailed
that there would be IL REPETITION within thirty
four hours after the visitation. Fortunately this
did not come.
The circuit of this earthquake is not yet ex-
acuy known, but already it is known to have
extended over an area Of six hundred miles. 1t
is also impossible as yet to ascertain where the
shocks came from. Some incline to the belief
that they originated in the volcano of Jorullo in
Michoacan, on account of the almost entire an
Inhalation Of the town of PatZcuaro; others think
the shocks were caused by some internal move
ments on the Pacific coast, near Acapulco, as
the village of Chlpancingo suffered severely
sixty houses having been thrown DOWN. Her
aid, 1Gth.