Worcester daily spy., 1861-05-08

THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE.

Terrible and Appalling Ruin-Destructlon of
the Cities of Mendoza and San Juan in the
Argentine Republic-Loss of Nearly $1,000
Lives.
VALpARAIzo, April 80, 1861.--On Sunday,
the oath OF March, general gloom was cast
over this city by the announcement by tele-
graph from the capital that Bengno Bruno,
the mail rider, had arrived from Mendoza that
morning without a mail, bringing the distress.
ing news that there remained but heap Of
ruins TO point the spot where, few days be-
fore, had stood thriving and populous city of
$4,000 souls.
Bruno stated that he arrived at Mendoza on
the morning of the 20th, that at halt past
eight, p. m, briet but excessively violent
shock of earthquake, lasting but six or eight
seconds, destroyed every building, public and
private, in the city, and that the number who
were enabled to escape was very limited. The
streets being narrow, the buildings high, and
the inhabitants totally unused to such phenom-
ena, were paralyzed with terror, and neglected
to seek refuge in the open courts OF their
dwellings until too late. rhe postmaster was
buried beneath the ruins of the post office, the
governor was missing, and when asked why
he brought no certificate that the mails were
lost the messenger replied "There was no one
left to write it, no materials to write it with "
The aspect presented to the city after the
first shock was terrific. Hoarse subterranean
thunders deatened the air, animals of all kinds
rushed intically through the open spaces
howling, die earth opened and vomited forth
floods OF water, while, to crown the scene of
horror, flames burst forth from the ruins and
consumed nearly the entire business portion
of the city, with its dead, its dying and its
wounded.
On the 18th number of letters were re.
ceived here and at Santiago by relatives and
friends of Chileaus residing in Mendoza, but
the hope until then entertained, that the earlier
accounts Were exaggerated, soon gave way TO
the dreadful certainty that the calamity had
not yet been painted in colors sufficiently yv-
id. The earth still continued 10 tremble, and
the few walls that resisted the first shock one
by one fell, until now no v!stage of a building
remains. The mountain roads are in most
dangerous condition, not only on account of
the huge masses of rock that have already
fallen and obstructed the road, but because the
vibration of the earth is still hurting them
down from the heights above to the valleys
below.
The gauchos or natives of the surrounding
country, hastened to the spot, not to assist The
needy, or aid in rescuing the wounded from a
lingering death, but to seek for plumber among
the smoking ruins, and to snatch the little
saved from the wretched survivors. One gem
tleman writing from thence, after describing
these horrors, says :-''I believe that in a few
days we shall have no other law here than that
of the poignard,"
The prison was destroyed; out of one hun
dred inmates ninety-two perished. The re-
manning eight, who were already hardened
villains, formed themselves into a band of free
hooters, and had gone, it was supposed, to the
mountain passes, TO intercept and rob the par.
., 6 &c A.
feIers. One woman was found robbed and
murdered by the roadside She was recog-
nized as one who was on her way to Mendoza
TO see her family. They too had all perished
on the Goth
In the Jesuit church there was preaching
that night. The services had just concluded,
and the congregation was about dispensing
when the shock came. The Jew who had
reached the plaza were saved, but the wall
and roof of the building fell inward with
crash, and the priest and penitent together
were hurried into eternity,
Ihe latest advices from Mendoza represent
the suffering to be extreme, there being nei-
ther food, clothing nor shelter for the survi.
vors, everything being buried beneath the ru
ins. They also state that San Juan and San
Luis two. other populous cities OF the Conted.
Grafton, have shared like tate, the San Juan
river having, after the shock, LETT its bed. and
swept over the town, utterly destroying what
the earthquake had spared This news not
having been fully confirmed, do not, how
ever, vouch for its correctness.
AS soon as this disastrous news was rem
dered beyond question, the government and
private individuals We'd with one another in
energetic efforts TO send immediate relief to
their suffering brethren. Without waiting for
the completion OF the work, on the Both a
party of physicians and others left for the
scene of the disaster, hearing medicines, food
and clothing, and accompanied by small
body Of troops.
The gloom and terror spread throughout
the republic of Chile by this awful calamity
may be imagined. Situated upon an emf
nently volcanic region, we have constant evil
dence OF the insecurity of our tenure OF ex-
istence. Separated but bv chain OF noun
tains from the scene Of destruction, and taught
BY sad experience the frightful and irresistible
force OF the unheralded earth storm, we re-
tire each night with feeling of terrible inse-
curity. This coast has been frequently visit
ed, in past years, by earthquakes. Chillan
has been twice destroyed; Conception once
while Valparaiso, Santiago and Copiapo have
suffered severely. No amount of human
foresight, no precaution avails against the
mysterious visitor who comes at dawn. al
MONDAY, or at midnight, and, in a few sec
onds, levels to the ground the prou,lest mon
nments of human skill.