Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-05-16

TOTAL DESTRUCTION BY EARTHQUAKE OF THE
CITY OF MENDOZA, IN THE ARGENTINE RE :
PUBLIC-NEARLY Is 900 LIVES LOST-REPOR-
TED DESTRUCTION OF TWO OTHER PoPULouS
CITlES-FRIGHTFCL SCENES, ETC.
The telegraph has already announced terrible earth
quake at Mendoza, South America, by which that city
destroyed and fifteen thousand lives lost The New
York Herads Valparaiso correspondent OF the 80 OF
April gives the folio wing sickeuing details
On Sunday, the 2ih, general gloom was cast over
this city by the by telegraph from the
capital that Bengno Bruno the mail rider, had arrived
from Mendoza that morning without mail bringing q o
distressing that there remained but heap OF runs
point the spot where few days before had STOOD
thriving and populous city of IL, 900 souls.
Bruno stated he arrived at Mendoza on the morning
of the 2Oh that at haEpast eight, p. m, briet hut
excessively violent shock of earthquake lasting but six
or eight seconds, destroyed every building public AZ
private in the city, aud that the number Who we're en-
abled to escape very limited. The streets being
narrow the buildings high and the inhabitants totally IN
used to such phenomena were parayzcd with terror
neglected TO seek refuge in the open courts OF their
dwellings until TOO late. The postmaster was buried be-
meath the ruins Of the pos,oce the governor was miss
ing and when asked why he brought no certificate that
the mails lost the messenger replied There was
no one left to write it, nor materials TO w'ite with"
The aspect presented by the city after the first shock
was terrific HOarse subterran. an thunders deaiened
the air animals OF all kinds rushed ranticaly through
the open spaces bowling the earth opened aud vomited
forth floods o. water while to crown the scene OF hor-
ror flames burst from the ruins and consumed nearly
the entire business portion Of the city, with It's dead lis
diving and its wounded On the 2Sth a number OF let
tiers we're received here and at Santiago by relatives and
friends of Ghleans residing in Mendoza, but the hope
until then entertained that the earlier accounts were
exaggerated gave way TO the dreadful certainty
that the calamity had yet been painted in coOrs su
centy vivid The earth still continued to trembe, the
few walls that had resisted the shock one by one fell
ill now no vestige Of building remains. The mountain
roads in most dat gerous condition. not only
count OF the huge of rock that have already fall
on and obsructed the road but because the vibration OF
the earth is still hurting them down from the nights above
into the valleys.
The gldcho, or natives Of the surrounding country,
fastened TO the spot not TO assist the needy or aid in res
cuing the wounded from lingering DEATH but to seek
for pnnder among the smoking ruins and to snatch the
little saved from the wreched survivors One gentle
man writing from thence after describing these horrors,
SAYS 81 believe that in few days shall have other
law here than the pognard."
The prison destroyed out Of one hundred inmates
ninety persisted The remaining eight who we're hard
ened villains formed themselves into = band Of free
hooters aud had gone, il thought, to the mountain
passes rob parties seut from Chile for the relief Of the
sufferers One woman was found robbed and murdered
by the road side She recognized as one who was
her way TO Mendoza to her family Tney too had
all persisted on the 20th
In the Jesuit church there preaching that night.
Toe services had just concluded, aud the congregation
was about dispensing when the shock came. The few
who had reached the plaza saved but the walls and
roof of the building fell inward with crash and priest
and penilent together hurried into eternity.
The latest advces from Mendoza represent the suffer-
ing he extreme there being neither food, clothing
shelter for the survivors, everything being buried be-
meath the ruins They also state that San Juan and San
LUIS two other populous cities Of the confederation,
have shared like fate the San Juan river having after
81 LhOcL left bod nd the utterly
destroying what the earthquake had spared The
not having been fully confirmed do not however vouch
for its correctness.
As soon this disastrous news was rendered beyond
question: the government and private individuals Wed
with another in energetic efforts 10 send INN date
relief their suffer ne brethren without waiting for the
completion of the work. On the 30h party of phys!-
clans and others left for the Of the disaster bear
ing medicines food and clothing aud accompanied by
small body Of troops