The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-05-24
FOUR friend,
ISRAEL WELSH.
The Destructive Earthquake In South
America.


The mails Of the steamship Northern
Light. from Aspinwall the 2jth ult.. came
20 hand in full last evening They fur
nish full particulars Of the late earth.
quake IN Chill, by which the cities Of
Mendoza and San Juan were destroyed
and l3,0OO lives lost A letter from Val
paraiso SAYS
The town Of Mendoza, situated on the
Eastern slope of the Andez. containing
bout 1900 inhabitants, was destroyed
10y an earthquake on the Goth Of March
About iorty-tive minutes after eight on
hat evening q shock was experienced
rom North % South, and at the same
time another from the South 10 North
which lasted about FIVE seconds. leaving
IN ruin every dwelling and public edifce
"a the place, and destroying upwards OF
eight thousand OF the population. The
accounts Of this dreadful affair are terri
Die. Whole families were swept awat
nto eternity in an instant. and the few
that escaped are left houseless, naked and
starving The catastrophe has thrown
gloom over the whole OF Chill. o. many
IF the leading fans iies OF Santiago. vi
had gone 70 reside at Mendoza on account
of their politics, had persisted.
Another letter gives the following par
ticulars
The shock was excessively violent, and
hough il lasted but six or eight seconds
destroyed every building. public and pri
vate. in the city, and tie number who
vere enabled 70 escape was very limited
The streets being narrow, the building
iigh. aud the inhabitants totally unused
o such phenomena were par4lyzed with
terror and neglected 10 seek refuge iu
the open courts OF their dwellings unit
TOO late The postmaster was buried be-
peath the ruins 81 the post office, the
governor was missing. and when asked
shy ne brought no certificate that tins
mails We're lost, the mes-euger replied
There was no one l0it 20 write ii, nor
materials TO write with"
The aspect pTesented by the city after
the first shock was terrific. Hoarse sub
gerranran thunder detfened the air
animals Of ali kinds rushed frantically
through the open space h0wllng, the earth
opened and vomiled forth hoods Of water,
while. 20 crown the scene of horror,
flames burst from the ruins and consumed
nearly the entire business portion of the
city with its dead, its dying and il
wounded
On the 2sth the earth stiIl continued 70
frembie the few walls that bad resisted
the first shock one Ly one ieu, until now
no Festiee Of a building remains. The
mountain roads are in q most dangerous
condition. not only on account Of the
huge masses Of rock that have already
fallen and obstrueted the road. but be-
cause the vibration Of the earth Is still
1urliug them down from the heights above
into the valleys.
The g1aeaos. Or natives 81 the surround
ing country. hasfened 10 the spot, not n
assist the needy or aid in re-cuing the
wounded from lingering death. but 70
seek for plander among the smoking
ruins. and 70 snatch the little saved from
the wretched survivors. One gentleman
writing from thence. after describing
these horrsrs says : Il believe that IN
few days we shall have no other law than
that of the pou.ard.
The prison was destroyed Out Of 100
inmate % persshed. Theremaining eight,
who were already hardened villains. form
ed thernselTes into a band Of freebooters.
and had gone. il was supposed, 70 the
mountain passes. 70 intercept and rob the
n.srt,e= sent from Chile for the relief Of
the sufferers.
In the Jesuit church there was preach
inr that night. The services had Just
concluded. and the ongreg CATION was
about di-rersing. when the shock came
The few who haa reached the plaza we're
saved. bur the wa9s and roof of the build
ing fell inwa&d with crash, and priest
and peniteut together were hurried into
eternity.
The latest adyices from Mendoza repre-
sent the suffering 10 Be- extreme. there be-
ing neither food. clothing nor shelter for
the survivors, everything being buTiea oe-
meath the ruins. They also stated that