Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-09-19
AWFUL EAlsTsIQUAKE.
~. 900 Lives RcpOrt od Lost


NEW YORK, Sept. l2-The steamship
Guiding Star, from Aspinwall, brings the
following intelligence -
On the 18th ut., terrible earthquake
visited the cities along the coast of Peru and
Ecuador, whereby thirty thousand lives
were lost, and property valued at $500, 0,000,-
900 was destroyed. A rumbling sound pre-
ceded the earthquake, and the sea was ter
ribly agtated, and flooded the land for n
| great distance.
Arequpa, city of thrty.fvo thousand
inhabitants, has passed away, scarcely ves-
| tige of it being left. Only 400 lives were
lost there. africa, town of twelve thous-
and inhabitants was also destroyed, not a
house being left standing. In this town
500 persons perished. A tidal wave, forty
feet high, rolled with Terrific force on shore,
carrying ships further on land than was ever
before known. The United States storeship
Fredonia capsized, and all on board were
lost. She had on board naval stores valued
at S1,800,000. She was rolled over and
smashed to atoms.
Tho United States steamer Wateree was
carried half a mile inland, left high and dry,
| but only one sailor was drowned. Owing
| to her great distance from the seq, she can
never be got ailoat again.
The Peruvian corvette America was also
carried ashore, and thirty three of her crew
were drowned. The American merchant
man Rosa Rivera, the English ship Chan
cellor and the French barque Eduardo were
! also lost.
The towns of Iquique, Moquega, Locam-
bia, and Pisaqua were all utterly destroyed.
| Over 600 people perished at Iquique. The
Americans lost heavily, and nearly all are
totally ruined. The towns of Ibarra, San
| A Inn ta1 in
Where the town of Coaticach formerly stood
is now a lake. The people of those towns
were almost entirely destroyed. The towns
| of PanchO, Puellaro, and Cachiquajo were
! also destroyed. The dead bodies are so nu-
merous that the survivors have been forced
! to fee from the stencil of the putrefying
! bodies.
HAVANA, Sept. 12.-Advice nave been
received announcing that Peru and Ecuador
| have been visited with most terrible earth
! quake The shocks occurred on the 18th
of August, and lasted only five minutes, but
| in that time over $4,000 people perished
and 80, 900 were made homeless. The cities
of Areluipa, Iquique, Chala and Chincha
were entirely destroyed. The loss of pro-
| perty between Tacon and africa is estimated
at $l4 4,00000 The United States steamer
Kearsarge is rendering assistance to the
| sufferers.
| OFFICIAL REPORT OF TIE EARTHQUAKE.
WAsnINGToN, Sept l4.-Master o. White,
of the United States steamer Wateree, ar
| rived here this morning, as bearer of dis
| patches from Rear Admiral Turner, COM
manding the South Pacific squadron, to the
| Navy Department, giving the details of the
! earthquake, most of which have already
been published.
Mr.. White left africa on August 16. The
! report encloses others, from Commander
Gills, of the Wateree, and Captain Doty, of
| the Fredonia.
| Commander Gills reports that his vessel
was forced on shore at 7:20 p. NJ. But one
of the crew is known to have perished,
! though several are missing, they having
| been sent ashore to render assistance and
not having returned. The crew of the
Wateree remains on board during the day
time, but as there is continued recurrence os
shocks, the Peruvian. corvette America lying
| broadside almost directly in front of her, if
another heavy sea. should occur the Wat
cree would certainly be crushed. Precau-
tions have been taken to move the officers
and crew on shore at night. Admiral
! Turner's report is dated Calao, on board
the Powhattan, Goth August. lie would
sail next day for africa, and keep on strong
head of steam while there, SO as to be able
to put to sea at q moments warning on the
approach of any eminent danger. Admiral
Turner had an interview with the President
of the republic on the goth, and prolfercd
his services to take down provisions, stores,
and nurses to the extent Of the capacity OF
his ship. There is not vestige left of the
Fredonia. The last seen of her, she was
being carried entirely around the island OF
Alasaran, where she must have been dashed
to pieces on its shores 1t would cost more
than the original worth of the Wateree to
eXtrCate her from her present position and
the undertaking would probably be useless
The vessel is very much strained but still
perfect.
The bodies of Acting Master Organ, and
five of the crew, have been washed on shore
and Captain Gillis was making arrangements
for their burial. The following only of the
officers and crew of the Fredonia remain
alive: Captain G. w. Doty, Paymaster w
| w. Williams, Passed Assistant Surgeon F.
L. Dubois, Master at Arms Charles Seville
Quartermaster August Tanner. Capt. Doty
of the Fredonia informed the Navy Depart
ment on August 10th he thought it best tC
remain at africa to look out for the remains
of the crew of that vessel and give them
decent burial
1t appears from the official record that
the crew of the Fredonia consisted of thir.
teen petty officers and fourteen seamen, none
of whom were natives of the United States
They were originally from China, Germany
Denmark, British West India provinces
Russia, Sweden and Prussia.