The Montana post., 1868-09-18
THE EARTHQUAKES IN SOUTH
AMERICA.

trophies. an earthquake, has just visited
the coast of Peru and Ecuador. laying
in ruins two considerable cities and
eleven smaller towns and destroying
thirty-two ,thousand people We do
not wonder that the wires bring US an
interrogation point to place after the
figures. for that thirty-two thousand
people. living in a narrow strip of coun-
! try, should pass from life to death in an
I hour. perhaps in few moments. seems
next TO impossible. And vet il is not,
and we have too many reasons TO place
faith in the figures of the dispatches.
Principal among these reasons for beleiv-
ing the report is the fact that the catas
trophe announced is not unprecedented.
II is recorded that Antioch, in Syria,
was visited by the most terrible earth-
quake that the world ever knew in the
year 525, and which resulted in the
death of 10000 persons. That of Lis
bon. in 1865, almost instantly destroyed
10000 persons, and at Naples, in 1857,
a terrible earthquake killed about 80
600 people. In this same portion of the
country in which the terrible disaster is
now reported. catastrophes of the same
nature have recently occurred, among
them that which resulted in the almost
total destruction Of Quito in 1859, and
during which, many thousand lives
were lost, and another which occurred
along the western border of the Argen-
tine Republic and which laid the city of
Mendoza in ruins and caused the death
OF $4,000 people. There is, therefore.
nothing improbable in the statement of
the telegraph with regard TO the num-
ber of lives lost, especially if we consider
the towns which have been DESTROYED.
The principal OF these was the city of
Arequipa. the capital .ol province of
the same name. situated in the southern
portion of Peru, and which. according To
the telegraph had $4,000, but according
10 other authorities. had So 900 inhabi-
tantS- This city, which was regularly
laid out aud which vas well entitled to
be regarded as one of the finest towns
in South America. was elevated
$500 feet above the level of the sea
and was fortv miles back from the Pacific
coast Being thus situated. il could not
have been destroyed by being sub
merged. as our readers might infer was
the case, from the general tone OF tho
dispatches. On tue contrary, the simple
agitations of the earth's crust were
sufficient TO throw 1own the very strong
one story buildings, with their vaulted
roofs and heavy walls of stone, and to
bury the hundreds of people reported
destroyed. in the ruins. This town was
situated in one of the most volcanic re-
gions of the continent, being only four
teen miles southwest of the crater of
Areqnipa, a mountain 20.300 feet in
height, which never ceases its fiery ac-
tivity. This being the case, the city of
Arequipa has been subject to frequent
shocks of earthquake. and has. on four
previous occasions. been laid in ruins by
them, viz in 15S2. 1000, 1904 and 1925. !
This town was considerably engaged in
the manufacture of gold and silver |
cloth, and cotton and wooden stuffs, and |
carried on an extensive trade with |
Buenos Ayres. 20 which it sent brandy, |
wine. -four. and other articles. Among
its public buildings were a cathedral, |
several churches. hospital. three nun
neries and six converts. all of which |
were probably laid in ruins. The next
town in size after Arequipa that was
destroyed was africa, situated on the |
coast, in the province of Moquegua, and
about two hundred miles south of the
first named city. Although the town
was once city of $4,000 inhabitants, il
is now little more than an entire port for
Tacna, the Capital of the province, with
which Il is connected by railroad.
the telegraph gives its recent
population at $4,000, other authorities
place IL at only $500. a more probable
igure, since its exposed situation would
have caused much greater loss of life
han that stated. had il possessed large
number of inhabitants. ..t.. 97a
OF the other towns mentioned as
laving been destroyed, the greater por-
ion were situated in Peru, and were of
minor importance Ibarra, however,
vas located in the southern portion OF
and had population of 800
This earthquake, which has produced
uch sad havoc was OF great extent, and
must have been felt along the entire
western coast of South America, and as ]
ar north as California. In fact, we had ]
iotice, some three weeks ago, from the
after State. that great convulsions OF ,
.atura were taking Dlacs this notice .