The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-05-17

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Total Destruction, by an. Earthquake,
an Of n ths c'sy e sfendora. a5iss,-
Accrrespondentffom Valparaiso, writing
on the 3D. OF April gives the particulars Of
one OF the most terrible affairs, il true, Of
the q e. The city Of Mendoza in the, Ar
gentine Republic, South America, With
$4,000 inhabitants, was completely de-
stroyed by an earthquake on the evening Of
th 10th Of March last. The mail carrier'I
from there describes the awful affair:
Bruno stated that be arrived at Mendoza
on the morning of the Goth that at hail
past eight P. NJ, a brief but excessively viol
lent shock OF earthquake, lasting but six Oh
eight seconds, destroyed every buildingl
public and private, in the city, and that t6d
number who were enabled to escape was
very limited. TIE streets being narrow
the buildings high, and the inhabitanta
totally unused to such phenomena, were
paralyzed with terror, and neglected to seek
refuge in.the open courts of their dwellings
until too late. The postmaster was buried
beneath the ruins OF the post Office. thu
Governor was missing, and when asked why
ne brought no certificate that the mails
were lost the messenger replied, "There was
no one left to write it, nor materials to write
with" sg9gf 100 a4a ~ q" fo1
III The aspects presented by the city after
the first shock was terrible. Hoarse sub.
terranean thunders deaiened the air. animals
OF all kinds rushed frantically through the
open spaces bowling, the earth opened and
vomited forth foods of water. While. to
crown the scene of horror, flames burt from
the ruins and consumed nearly the entire
business portion Of the city, with its dead,
its dying and it's wounded. sgd'
The earth still continued to tremble at
last accounts, and the few walls that had
resisted the first shock one by one fell, until
not vestage Of building remains. The
mountain roads are in most dangerous
condition, not only on account OF the huge
masses ofrock that have already fallen and
obstrncted the road, but because the vibra-
ton Of the earth is still hurting them down
from the heights above into the valley.
The COACHES, or natives of the surround
ing country, FASTENED to- the spot, not 10
assist the needy Of. aid in rescuing, the
wounded from lingering death, but to seek
for plunder among the smoking ruins, and
to snatch the little saved from the wretched
survivors. Il One gentleman writing from
thence, after describing these horrors, saws
believe that in few days we shall have
no other law here than that Of the poigs
nard." si5'oel q .nolsnoysg osaTsras0
The prison was destroyed but Of one
hundred inmates ninety-two persisted. The
remaining eight, who were already hardened
villains, formed themselves into a band of
freebooters, and had gone, it was supposed,
to the mountain passes, to intercept and
rob the parties sent from Chile for the re-
lief Of the sufferers. One woman was found
robbed and murdered by the roadside. She
was recognized as one who was on her way
to Mendoza to see her family. They too
had all persisted on the 10th. si; ssiy
81 In the Jesuit church there was preaching
that night. The services had Just conclu-
ded, and the congregation was about dis
persing, when the shock came. The few
who had reached the plaza we're saved, but
tho ualla and roof ~ .bo hr,;la;-,. en- :~-s
nth crs an ~. ia u.as Su l lei. inward
oetber vsra 1 bn o ;nt anu pen''en. 70
The , 49, sS.;..s. . tnsv H sts.lsy;
the sntssr;no 10 h. W. sauoAs lsPIesn.
neither food, clothing nor shelter for the sur
vivors, everything being buried beneath the
ruins. They also state that San Juan and
Gonfsderst;o hcve sbsrsS ill., I;s :. -. .n
San Jnsn rive. sf,e. tSa $500. a NC! .a.e' sus
and svent ovs, the go. ny ..ss, ~ l.s ~
what t6e esrtbouske lad i sns, SdS'lO 9rh?s
news not having been fully confirmed, I do
moi. however, voucn for It's correctness.
As soon as this disastrous news was rem.
dered beyond question, the government and
private individuals wed with one another il
energetic Efforts to send immediate relief to