The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-29
qRE EARTHQUAKES.
Additional Details of the
Terrible COnvuIsiOn.
Forty or Fifty Thousand Lives
Lost in Ecuador.
TIE COURSE OF RIVERS ALTERED.
COrpses Found Floating from the
Interior to the Ocean.
TEE CALAMITY IN ECUADOR.


TEE CALAMITY IN ECUADOR.
--~~~~-~~~~
Over Forty thousand Lives LOst-WhOle vii.
lagos Swallowed Up-Indians Refuse to
Assist the Whites-Corpses Floating Down
the River Mira to the Ocenn-Heavy Rains.
AsPINwALL, Sept. POLO p NJ.
The Pacific steam Navigation Companys steamer
Falcon arrived at Panama yesterday from Guaya-
gull and intermediate ports. The news which she
brings Is important only In so far as 1t more than
confirms the narrowing reports already sent to the
HERALD OF the frghtful destruction OF life and pro.
perry In the neghboring republic Of Ecuador by the
earthquakes Of the 10th OF August last The loss Of
life, heretofore put at from $4,000 to 1000 which
seemed exaggerated Is stated to be over 40 0oO
1t is in fact impossible to make correct estimate Of
the number OF human beings who persisted on that
fatal occasion.
The sad catastrophe occurring in the night swaL
lowed up whole pueblos, with their slumbering po-
puations, or laid the towns q mass OF shapeless
ruins with their inhabitants buried beneath and not
soul left to assist in extricating the crushed and
mangled mortals buried in the debris, but in,>whOm
life not extinct. The heartless IndianS Of the
neghborhood coldly looked on the scene OF ruin and
suffering, but refused to assist In saving the few in
whom life still existed and it was necessary to call
the troops to compel their assistance
or Cotacochi place Of over $4,000 inhabitants;
Ibarra, with $4,000, and 0tavalo OF 1oooo.three of
u
literally nothing is left but ruins; and OF the
10000 human beings who peopled these places 1t
these large cities, hardly town village In the
northern part OF the republic has escaped The
heretofore stated, is Slight in comparison with that
OF other cities in the north. Most OF the churches
converts and large public buildings are DESTROYED.
Der OF dead bodies have hoaed down the river Mira
from the afflicted districts towards the Pacific, and
that the remains OF over forty human beings have
been taken from the stream and Inferred
Heavy rains are reported from the interior Of the
republic.
Description Of the Chief Places Destroyed
August 16-Accomnt Of the Volcanoes Of
COfRcachi, Imbabura and PastO-InterestinG
Data.
The principal cities In Ecuador destroyed August
10 were Ibarra Otavalo and Cotacachi, all in the
province OF Imbabura. The first was capital of the
province.
IBARRA
is twenty-one leagues from Quito, on a beautiful
plateau 2.2ls metres above the 1t was founded
In 1906 by Don Miguel de Ibarra, Pres-
dent OF the Quito Council Of Audience. Its
streets were broad and straight; the houses commo
dious built Of brick adobes matched, and some
were two stories in height It's principal edifces
were Parish church, the Jesuits' college. the
churches and converts of st. Domingo, La MERGED,
ST. Augustin, St. Francis the monastery Of the Con-
ception, the government house and the hospi-
tai. 1t had, besides, beautiful cemetery. In
1858 Ibarra contained $4,000 people, The esti-
mated population this year amounted to about
16uvv. Vt whom ohout ia.n0n lost their lives
oTAvALo
lay east Of Ibarra, in plain between the Botan and
ST. Sebastian rivulets. 1t had considerable mum
Der of sewers and was very clean. Otavalo was
3,Oi7 metres above the sea. 1t was founded by the
Spaniards in 1884 the site OF town found there
at the Conquest 1t was built like Ibarra. The site
OF the city was highly picturesque. owing 10 the
beautiful private gardens, which were bordered with
mulberry trees, evergreen. II also had number Of
fine public buildings. In 1883 the population
amounted to $1,000 this year 1t must have numbered
10000, of whom about 1000 have persisted.
north of otavalo was city or considerable size,
built like the above. The majority OF the inhabt-
Handsomely formed. The women were unusually
handsome. In 1867 the three cantons surrounding
it IS calculated that about is oot were killed The
province OF lmbaoura was regarded as the most
Cane, oranges, lemons granates piantains the grana
dula "a fruit unknown In Europe or North America)
and several others The merino was raised there
and its cattle pastures were excellent. There were
two large cotton factories moved by water power.
The following Is sketch of the volcanoes supposed
to have caused the c0nvulsion:-
MOUNT COTACACHI
is the west side Of the Andes range II almost
concal In shape IL covered all the year round with
the purest snow. Its height Is $685. metres above
the sea. On the southeast slope is lake called Guy
other summit caved In, leaving the peak visible in
the middle OF the lake similar to an island IL Is Stu
ated sixteen miles westsouthwest Of lbarra.
MOUNT IMBABuRA
arises alone ont OF plain and Is separate from both
spurs OF the Andes. It's shape ls Irregular ana the
top is not always snow-clad. Its name means black
fish pond because when an eruption OF water takes
place from this mountain large Quantities OF tile
blackfsh are found In the W alter. The general OPT
Mon is that these fish grow In so me Internal pond for
mountain are filed with them. Several great erup-
lions OF water have taken place. but none OF them
did any harm. Its height s 100 metres above the
sea and It's situation nine miles southsoutheast Of
1barra.
MOUNT pAsro
The eastern spur of the Tulcan in the province q
Paste, Is 3 $50 metres above the From this spur
extend other clusters shaped like stirrups, along
towards the desert OF Mocoa They are rough and
low, seeming TO lean on Mount Guaitara. In CHM
balan another spur extends north-northwest, which
Comprises the volcano OF Pasto II rises above the
Others TO height OF 1900 metres over the sea.
Other little mountains run from its side like
TddH TO Guaitara, While on the opposite side
the volcano seems TO rest the table land
OF Paste. When passing along the western
slope OF the volcano multitude OF deep openings
from the town OF CosaCa, situate on q high plateau
that inclines towards the ravnes OF the Guritara,
can be seen an immense breach and ravine In the
Volcano through which run dirty streams OF water.
This must have been caused by the bursting OF some
Interior lake. such lakes are probably formed by
the rains that caught through the opening OF the
volcano. The Mount Paste was formerly known Us
the Mount de In Galera, owing TO u phenomenon
frequently visible on its summit. This quite
large cloud having the shape OF galley. The ap.
pearance Of this cloud was always q sure sign that
u would rain In two or three days. The aborignes
maintain that IL never deceived them IN this respect.
The last eruption Of Mount Paste took place In 1921