The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-09-26
THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE

On the Is of Aug. q terrible earthquake visit
ed the cities along the coast of Peru and Ecua.
dor, whereby 81, 900 lives were lost, and proper.
ty valued at three hundred millions of dsllars
were destroyed
rumbling sound preceded the earthquake
and the sea was terribly agitated and flooded the
land for great distance. Arequipa, city OF
$4,000 inhabitants, passed away With scarcely a
vestige left. Only 400 lives were lost here. Ari.
ca town of % 900 inhabitants, was also destroy.
ed leaving not house standing. Five hundred
persisted here
The tidal wave. forty feet high. rolled with
terrific roar, carrying ships farther on the land
than ever before known. The United States
storeship Fredonia, was capszed and all on board
lost The Fredonia had 81 100000 wroth of ma
val stores. The vessel was rolled over and smash
to atoms.
The United States steamer W ateree was car
ried half mile inland and left high and dry.
Only one sailor was drowned. Owing to the
great distance inland, she never can get af1oat
again
The Peruvian corvettee Americaw was also carri-
ed ashore Thirty.three were drowned from her
The American merchantmen Rosa Rivera En-
glish ship Chancellor and French bark Edwards
were also lost.
The towns Of Iquique, Movuehua, Lerumba
and Pisaqua were all utterly destroyed, and over
600 persisted. At Iquique the American mer-
chants lost heavily. Nearly all are totally ruined
The towns Of Igarra, San Pablo, Atuntogui and
Imantad are in ruins. Whsre Cotacachi former
~ stood is lake.
The populations of the above named towns
were almost entirely destroyed. Punta, Pueb-
lanes and Cachiguanio were also DESTROYED The
dead are so numerous that the surviving inhabi-
tants have been forced to fly from the stencil of
the purifying bodies.
In Guayaquil the earthquake was felt, but no
damage was done.
Letters from Quito, dated 10Th, announce that
earthquakes continue st intervals of few hours
The President has issued proclamation to the
people to come forward and help the sufferers.
Letters from Lima, Peru, give additional de-
tails OF the earthquake and its effects.
The earthquake commenced at half past five on
the 18th of August. extending frem Bolivia to
the southern ports of Chill the coast, and over
100 miles inland The towns and cities mentions
ed in the dispatches of last night were literally
ruined, as all the buildings which were not de-
stroyed were SO badly damaged as to require de-
molition for prudential reason All public edi-
fees in africa were destroyed, including the Gus
tom House, which contained more than $4,000
600 worth Of goods. all of which are lost
The loss of the Fredonia and Wateree is de-
scribed as follows: They were both at anchor
In the harbor of africa, near each other After
the first shock had occurred on the land which
created great CONSERVATION on both vessels, Dr.
Dubois, Surgeon, and the Paymaster Of the Ere.
DOME took boat and went on shore to inquire
for the welfare of friends and to offer the seryic
es OF the ship. In few moments after leaving
the vessel great upheaving of the waters of the
bay commenced, and the Fredonia. parting her
chains, was dashed about at the mercy of the sea.
and finally dashed to pieces on a reef NOTHING
OF the vessel was saved. Her officers and crew.
numbering y, were lost Also, Mrs. Dyer, wife
OF the Lieutenant commanding. The officers
were Lieut.. B. Dyer, D. Organ, Master: J. G.
Cromwell, purser; S. Lunt Secretary to coInman-
der. The vesael had nearly $2,000,0O0 worth of
naval stores on board, all of which were totally
lost. The Wateree was more securely anchored.
but dragged her anchors, and the great tidal
wave swept her $50 yards inland, about two miles
north of Ruinedtown. She now lies between
two hillocks of sand, very slightly injured. 1t
will be utterly impossible to extricate her, and
Admiral Turner is only hopeful of saving her
battery and stores. Only one sailor was washed
overheard and drowned. Lieut.. johnson of the
Wateree, was ashore at the time, and while car
rying his wife N his to some place of safety
she was struck by portion OF falling building
and killed The Peruvian corvette America
shared the fate as the Wateree. but lost
three officers and thirty men,
Commander ellis, of the Wateree. after the
disaster, together with DR.. Window and DR.. Du-
Cois' "eie vi great SERVICE 10 the Inhabitants,
dividing their provisions among them, and saving
many lives by medical and surgical aid
A letter from africa, dated August %. saws
that two other vessels, the brig Charcaricolo and
bark Edwards, are also high and dry, tho former
losing eight men.
The scene beggars description. Railroad rails.
cars, machinery, gun carriages, household furni-
ture barrels, dead animals and mutilated corn.
seS, are lying about in confusion The city num-
bers !,OOO Inhabitants, and its multitudes stood
helplessly beggared on the beach. Three hun.
dred lives were lost. A confagraton burned
nearly all that was not demolished by the earth
quake. and drunken rabble robbed and desno;l-
ed what remained. Heavy cannon were carried
away up from the island battery, and now lie
buried in the sand. On the shore, the stencil il
sickening.
AT Lima there was not much damage done al
though the shocks lasted about four minutes. ere.
atihg the utmost CONSERVATION, the inhabitants
heeing to the open plaza, where they besoupht
protection from the Almighty.
Admiral Turner, with the frigate Powhatan
lett Lima with full cargo of provisions, and had
arrived at africa to succsr American seamen and
the inhabitants. She will also save the effects of
the Wateree "a
The kcarsarge had reached africa from Co.
Quiinoe, with provisions I've French mea-of
war also left Lima to aid the inhabitants ot
area and other places on the coast. who ara
starving. "''
American Minister Hovey, at Lima, was ener.
eetically aiding to the extent of his pewer. The
merchants and citizens of Lima are contributing
.! thousands of dollars, to &c up and load vessels
WIN clothing, provisions, &c, and the Govern