Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-05-07

The Valparaiso correspondent of New
York paper writes on the Sd ult., and gives
more particulars of the horrible earthquake
in South America, already mentioned by
telegraph:
With feelings of deep regret have to an
nouDce to you the utter destruction of the
city of Mendoza, in the Argentine Republic,
by an earthquake on the evening of the Goth
of March last. At that date, at half-past
eight P. NJ, slight but prolonged vibration
of the earth was felt in this city and in San
tisgo simultaneously. Most of the churches
were densely filled, it being near the close of
Lent, and some alarm and confusion was
created, but no serious accidents occurred,
and tranquility was soon restored.
On Sunday, the oath, however, q general
| gloom was cast over this city by the an-
nouncement by telegraph from the capital
that Benigno Bruno, the mail-rider, had ar
rived from Mendoza without mail, bringing
the distressing news that there remained but
heap OF ruins to point the spot where, a few
| days before, had stood a thriving and popu-
| lous city of fifteen thousand souls. ..
| Bruno stated that he arrived at Mendoza
on the morning of the Goth; that at half past
| eight p. M, brief but excessively violent
shock of earthquake, lasting but six or eight
seconds, destroyed every building, public
Der who were enabled to escape was very
| limited. The streets being narrow, the
buildings high and the inhabitants 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-o Office, the Governor
was missing, and when asked why he
brought no certificate that the mails were
lost, he replied, "There was no one left to
write it, nor materials to write with" E.
The spectacle presented by the city after
the first shock was terrific. Hoarse subter.
ranean thunders deafened the air, animals of
all kinds rushed frantically through the open
spaces bowling, the earth opened and vom-
lied forth floods of water, while TO crown
the scene of horror, flames burst from the
ruins and consumed nearly the entire busi-
ness portion of the city, with its dead, its
dying and its wounded.
On the 2Sth number of letters were re
eeived here and al Santiago by relatives and
friends Of Chileans, residing in Mendoza, but
the hope, until then entertained, that the
earlier accounts were exaggerated, soon gave
way to the dreadful certainty that the ca
lamity had not yet been painted in colors
sufficiently vivid. The earth still continued
to tremble, the few walls that had resisted
the first shock, one by one fell, until now no
vestige of building remains. The noun
tam TOdOb are IN u IuObI uduBcTOuS COuulIlOu,
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 hurling them down from the
nights above into the valleys.
The gauchos, or natives of the surrounding
! country, fastened to the spot not to assist
the needy or aid in rescuing the wounded
, from lingering death, but to seek for plum
, der among the smoking ruins and 10 snatch
the little saved from the wTetched survivors
One gentleman writing from thence, after
describing these horrors, says: Il believe
that in few days we shall have no other
= law here than that of the poignard."
> The prison was destroyed; out of one
, hupdred inmates, ninety two perished. The
: remaining eight, who were already hardened
= Williams, formed themselves into band o
! fIeebooters and had gone, it was supposed
to the mountain passes, TO intercept and rol
the parties sent FROM Chile for the relief o
the sufferers. One woman was found robbed
and murdered by the roadside. She was re
cognized as one who was on her way to Men
doza TO see her family. They too had al
peTished on the goth.
Q In the Jesuit Church there was preaching
that night. The services had jast concluded
and the congregation was about disperinp
when the shock came. The few who ha
reached the plaza were saved, but the wall
and roof of the building fell inward with
IS crash, and priest and penitent together wer
3 hurried into eternity.
: The latest advices from Mendoza repre-
d sent the suffering 20 be extreme, there bein
Il neither food, clothing nor shelter for thl
g survivors, every thing being buried beneat
v the ruins. They also state that the San ] uaI
4 and San Luis, two other populo1s cities Q
d the Confederation, have shared a like fate
/ the San Juan River having, after the shock
o. left its bed, and swept over the town, nj
= In daofraxysd xUhaf the aarthnuaxa hal
l. spared. This news not having been full
st confirmed, do not however, vouch for il
Df correctness.
= AS soon as the disastrous news was.rer
dered beyond a question, the GOvernmeI
and private individuals We'd with one al
other in energetic efforts 70 send immediat
n reliet 10 their suffering brethern. WithoV
| waiting for the completion Of the work, o
n the.20th, party Ofphysicians and others le
1 for the scene of the disaster, bearing med
q cines, food and clothing, and accompanie
/ by q small body Of troops.
r The gloom and terror spread throughO'
% the Republic Of Chill by this awful calamit
"a may be imagined. Situated upon an EN-
a nently volcanic region, we have eOnstal
q. evidence of the insecurity Of our tenure
Of existence. Separated but by a chain
NJ | mountains from the scene Of destruction, ar
"A taught by sad experience the frightful al
d irresistible force Of the unheralded cart
al storm, We retire each night with a feeling
N terrible insecurity. This coast has been II
re quently visited, in past years, by cart
re quakes. OhiliRh has been twice destrOye
no Conception once, while Valparaiso, Santa
and COpiap0 have suffered severely.
amount Of human foresight no precaut
)At avails against the mysterious visitor, "
lc- comes al dawn, az MONDAY, or at miiniq
lla and In few seconds, levels 10 the grou
the pIoGdsEt cscagzaGR.s Of hamAA Elzills