Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-06-28
EARTHQUAKE AT MENDOZA.

A correspondent of the New York
World, dated Buenos Ayres, April Sd,
says:
"One of those terrible commissions of
nature which so frequently visit the slopes
of the Andes, has lately fallen with fear
full effect upon one of the most flourish
ing provinces of this Confederation
The once fair city of Mendoza is RACED
to the ground by a frighfal convulsion OF
the earth. Her massiyely-walled con-
vents, churches, and edifces have min
gled their dust and ruins with those OF
the meanest huts. The details which |
have gathered from the most authentic
sources and translated, are as follows;
On the evening of the goth of March
at IL o'clock, with a serene sky, and
without any appearances OF storm with
the exception of a heavy atmosphere,
the earth broke out with a powerful deto-
nation, burying under the ruins the 2O00
houses which the city contained, and no
less than 6O00 of ita Inflated inhabitants.
Not house remained standing Such
was the violence of the first shock which
lasted from two to three minutes that the
earth appeared to have lost its equilibri-
UNI and when it ceased, a wild mass Of
wreck, desolatiOn, and woe occupied the
site of Mendoza and gave evidence OF
the fearful throes of matter which occur
when the earth takes breath. For two
days, at intervals, slight tremblings were
felt. Many assures were opened in the
earth, but the greater part of them clos
ed again. After the shock twas noticed
that in many parts subterraneous waters
had arisen to the surface, but had alone
left vestiges of their presence. For a
league around the city there was not a
wall, not even ruin, left standing. Ev-
erything erected by man was overthrow.
| More than five thousand women, with
rent costumes and hearts lacerated, uni
ted in the plaza of the city during that
horrible night, and on their Bonded knees
raised their voices to Heaven petitioning
for "mercy to Mendoza" and proclaim
ing with the most heart rending express
sions that if it was a chastisement OF
Providence, the women of that people
should be absolved, for never had they
advocated barbarity, but had execrated
from their souls the assassins of San Ju-
an. It will be remembered that the
horrible massacre of four hundred of the
citizens of the province of San Juan
took place very recently, at which large
detachment of troops from Mendoza as
sisted, and subsequently united with the
troops of San Luis in the sacking of the
city of San Juan, much of the plundel
finding its way to Mendoza.
To add to these horrors of desolatioI
and woe, the Gauches from the suburb
entered the city and commenced pillagint
everything which came in their track
loading horses and mules with the plum
der which the earthquake had left to theil
rapacious hands.
What remained of the population o
Mendoza retired to the public park, anC
there formed kind of oncampment, bu
on the 23d ult. such was the infection pro
duced by so many corpses in putrefaction
that the governor gave orders that al
should desert that which was once the
city of Mendoza.
The direction of the earthquake wa:
from west to east, from which it is infer,
red that it must have been very strong
in Chill. Some travellers who came from
Chill experienced an extremely violent
commotion followed by shower of ashes.
From numerous towns upon the slopes
of the Andes we have no news, neither
from the provinces of San Juan and La
Rioja. 1t is feared that from these prov
inces we shall have other disasters to de-
plore."