Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1861-05-24
CITY OF MENDOZA. SOUTH AMERICA, De
STR0YED BY An EARTHQUAK.
VALPARAISO, April 8. 1861


announce to YOU the utter destruction of
the city of Mendoza, in the Argentine e
Republic, bv an earthquake on the even -
ins Of the Goth of March last At that
date, at half past eight P. NJ, a slight but
prolonged vibration was felt in this city
and in Santiago simultaneously. Most
Of the churches were densely filed it
being near the close of Lent and some
alarm and confusion was created, but
no serious accidenst occurred and tran
guilty was soon restored.
On Sunday, the 24th, however, a gen
eral gloom was cast over this city by
the announcement by telegraph from the
Capital that Benigno Bruno the mail
rider, had arrived from Mendoza that
morning without a mail, bring the dis
tressing news that there remained but
u heap of ruins to point the spot where,
few days before had stood a thriving
and populous city of $4,000 souls.
Bruno stated that he arrived at Men
doza on the morning Of the 10th; that
at half past P. n. brief but exces-
siyelv violent shock Of earthquake, last
ing about 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
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, 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. or materials
to write it with
The aspect presented by the city after
the first shock was terrific. Hoarse
subterranean thunders deafened the air,
animals Of all kinds rushed frantically
through the open spaces hOwling the
earth opened and yometed forth floods of
water, while, 10 crown the scene of hOr-
ror flames burst from the ruins and con
sumed nearly the entire business norton
OF the city, with its dead, its dying and its
wounded
On the 2Sth a number of letters we're
received here and at Santiago BY relatives
and friends fChileanS 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 paint
ed IN colors sufficiently vivid The earth
still continued to trembe the few walls
that had resisted the first shock, one by
one fell, until now no vestige of a building
remains The mountain roads are in a
most dangerous condition. not only on ac-
count 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
heights above into the valleys
The guncnos, or natives Of the surrOun-
ding country, hastened to the spot not to
assist the needy or aid in rescuing the
wounded from lingering death but to
seek for plumber among the smoking ruins.
and TO snatch the little saved from
thence. after describing those horrors
says - believe that in a few davs we
shall have no other law than that of the
poiGnard
The prison was destroyed out of one
hundred inmates ninety-two perished
The remaining eight, who were already
hardened villains, formed themselves into
a gang Of treebooters, and had gone. il
was supposed, 10 the mountain passes, t
intercept and rob the parties sent from
tuiLc ioI ILlt FcIlcI OF the sufferers. Ont
woman was fnund robbed and mur4 cred
by the roadside She was recognized as
one who was on her way to Mendoza tC
see her family. They too had all perish
eG on the 10Th
In the Jesuit church there was preach
inc that night The services had iust
concluded, and the congregation was about
dispensing, when the shock came. The
few who had reached the plaza were
saved, but the walls and roof of the build
Inr fell inward with a crash, and priest
and penitent together were hurried into
eternity
The latest advices from Mendoza rep
resent the suffering 70 be extreme there
being neither food clothing nor shelter
for the survivors. everything being buried
beneath the ruins They also state that
san Juan and San Luis. two other popu-
lous cities of the confederation, have
shared a like fate, the san Juan river
having after the shock. left its bed, and
swept over the town. utterly destroying
what the earthquake had spared. This
news not having been fully confirmed
do not, however. youch for its correct
ness.
~ soon as the disastrous news was
rendered beyond question, the government
and private individuals wed with one an
other in energetic efforts 70 send immedi-
ate relief = their suffering brethren.