St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1868-09-18
Terrible Earthquakes in South
Inle5ica.


large cities in the southern portion OF
Peru. The shock, Havana dispatch
says, only lasted five minutes, but in that
time from $4,000 to 10000 persons
were killed; but terrible as this state
mcnt is, that of the Herald's correspon-
dent Is worse. He says:
"a rumbling sound preceded the
earthquake, and was succeeded by a
rocking motion of the earth which warn
ed the Inhabitants of their danger. All
along the southern coast the sea was ter
ribly agitated, causing the ships to drag
their anchors and flooding the land for
some distance. The wildness of this
scene of destruction has never been
equaled.
Arequipa, city of 30, 900 Inhabitants,
its houses built solidly of granite, has
passed away, scarcely a vestige being
left The strength Of the houses being
SO great as to resist the shock for a time,
many of the people were enabled to es-
cape, but 400 are said to have persisted
in the ruins.
The town OF africa, containing Il, 600
inhabitants, was also destroyed, leaving
not house standing. Here, as before
the strength of the houses gave many OF
the people time to escape, 800 only be-
ing engulphcd and killed in the ruins.
The water ruSe to such 4 hight
that i tidal wave 10 feet high roll
ed with a terrific roll and Tesistless fury
upon the ships in the harbor and precipi-
lated them on the main land, far beyond
ANY point ever before reached by sea.
The /. :. storeship Fredonia was cap
f'rcdonLt had ON board II 800, 600
worth of naval stores. The loss of
property between africa and Tacin is es-
timated ut Sl4.OOO,OOO. The vessel
WAS rolled over and smashed to atoms
by the advancing tidal waves and all Oh
board were thus drowned before she was
released from the mighty grasp Of the
sen. The I. =. steamer Watercc was
carried fully hat mile inland and left
high and dry, only one sailor of her crew
being drowned. The injuries to the YES
sci were comparatively Slight, bat from
the GREAT distance she was carried inland
it will be found impossible TO ever get
her atiOat again.
The Peruvian cory cite America was
also carried ashore. in the same position
~ the Watcrce. II,r loss WAS three If
ii"er~ and thirty sailors and marines.
tn Am,.,,:.n ...,.c...:..;.lGU Eu-a RI
era. the English snip Charcvilor and
The French barIIe Eduardo We're all
lot.
III" towns of Iquilu7. Mnlaegua. L.
culnin ard PcluiAra were also utterly
destroyed Over 600 persons were
drowned in the destruction OF Iquiquc,
aud many persons later were pcri>hlng
tor want ut water The government G.
Inmates the damage done To cities and
private property at three hundred mill
ions OF dollars The total number of
i've, lost 10y tins shocking event has been
-timItel at over 2OOO
Money aud AID havr ALREADY been dis
patched To the scene OF the calamity. aud
a subscription has been opened in Lima,
while citizen, are engaged in baking
bread and sending il free 10 the ruined
people. American merchants doing
business in this section have lost heavily.
most OF them bein. totally ruined.
II addition tu the fearful caIamitics
above reported, intelligence has been re-
rrivcd OF even more fearful succession
of shocks in Ecuador. Ga the 10th ult.
in the provinces OF Pachincha and In
barana, a tremendous earthquake, I'M
cIua!rd in the history of Ecuador, oc-
cured. The towns of Ibarra, capital of
the province of lmhahara, san Pablo.
Atuntaqm and Imantad. are in ruins
W here Catacachi formerly stood is now
l lake. The populations of Iharra. OF
;ryala and Catac1rhi are almost entirely
destroyed Towns adjoining Onto, a
Parurh", Pucilaro and Clchiguanio.
have been also entirely DESTROYED The
number 81 deaths in Quito has been
small, but in other towns il Is calculated
Int u"; less than 2O.O60 persons have
been Killed. The dead are - numerous
hat tn" surviving inhabitants have been
,"rccd 10 fly from the stencil of purifying
bodies
Ia Guayaqril the earthquake was felt
n various time, between the 18th and
lGth. but did no damage From Quito
it Is learned that the total loss Of fife has
been c,timatcd AT 5000 Letters fl, in
lnito. dated 10Th ult.. announce that
the earthquakes continue ut intervals of
4 few hours 1t has been Impossible, a.
vt, to arrive at any plausible conclusion
As to the causes of the terrible phenomc-
lon. Some attribute it to the volcano
ot Agualongo, and others to Clyamba.
The president has issued proclamation
70 he people To- come forward and help
The sufferers. The Archbishop HAS pub
ii>hed 4 passionate addressed to his flock
t" contribute their aid to the unfortunate
PEOPLE of the country"
y dispatch to the associated press
givcs the following further particulars Of
;hc earthquake: .
'Lc.tcr- fr,m Lima, Peru, give addi-
tional details "t the earthquake and its
fleets. The earthquake commenced at
) d! O'Clock on the 18th of August, ex-
tending from Bolivia 10 the southern
ports of Chill, on the coast, and 100
miles inland. The towns and cities
in the dispatches of last night
are literally ruined, or all the buildings
which were not destroyed are so badly
damaged rs TO require demolition for
prudential reasons. All the public edi-
iices in africa We're destroyed, including
the custom house, which contained 81
600, 900 worth of goods, all of which
are lost.