Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-03-26
FoREloM.


rho Rartkauako a. FeFnosa --Awfal
scenes q TeFror and cenlnlien.
A ahanghae paper contains the fol-
lowing particulars Of the great catas-
trophe at Eormosa;
The quiet town Of Tamsni became
the scene Of much excitement on The
morning Of The 18th in consequence Of
a terrible earthquake experienced at
1920 A. N. No rumbling noise wan
previously heard; and the only intima-
ton We had was A slighk vibration at
first, which drove Us ont Of the house,
until 10 increased 80 much a. TO make uH
all stagger like drunken men. While
We stood reeling about, prepared to see
the house fall In, our attention was sud
denly attracted TO the next hill upon
which stands part Of the town Of Tam
sui), BY loud, crashing noise and q
dense cloud Of dust, which too truly
indicated that many houses bad been
shaken down. The people we're in Q
Wild state Of commotion, and rushed
about beWildered, like ants.
''rhe scene on the hill was awful;
villagers apparently pafalyzed. stood
looking al the debris Of their homes,
too frightsDed even 10 try and extri-
cate the unfortunate ones who were
buried alive beneath the ruins. The
mud walls Of the native houses ap.
peared to have fallen inward and
oFumbled az once. and with the rool
above debarred all chance OF saw.
ing the people alive. Hoes and
spades could not be found-the people
we're too alarmed or Indifferent to dc
anything. Two, on bed, were
got out dead. A woman
who might have been cooking,
was got O1t alive with her face feariully
burned; many more were severely
wounded. The shock came from the
northeast, going towards the south.
vest. Houses fell in regular order,
Just rs if artillery had been discharged
at them. The loss Of life at Tamsui ia
estimated at 80, bat Pa-tsien-na, .
small town distant a few miles, suffered
more, and il is reported 150 persons
were killed. Il was most merciful
dispensation of Providence that the
shock did not occur at night. Houses
on elevated sites suffered most.
"At Keeling We learn that the first
shock was fels at 9:45 a. M, and lasted
about 80 seconds. The earth cracked
slightly in front Of the custom-hOuse.
A great portion OF the town is down,
burying numbers in the ruins. A cloud
of yapor was seen to rise from between
the Palm and Keeling islands, which
was succeeded by the water OF the har-
Dor running ont eastwards, leaving it
as dry as Ruin rock for some Sec
onds. Everything was carried away
with the receding water. The sea then
returned in the shape of two large
waves. sWamping sampans and drown
ing the people therein, and junks were
carried away high and dry opposite
Keeling. The harbor was in state
of agitation the whole day; on the goth
it was hardly quiet. Instead of the
water being clear, as usual, it became
yellow and muddy. Enormous quanti-
ties of fish we're washed ashore and Sc
cured by the Chinese. The people ex-
hibited great indifference with regard
to the fate OF the sufferers, and would
not assist in extIicstiDg them without
q guaranty of some reward. When
the water left the harbor o man got
down from q junk, but before he could
reach the shore was overwhelmed by
the returning water. Numerous coal
boats were upset or sunk. An old
wreck of q junk, deeply imbeded for
years in the sand, was washed up high
on shore. Luckily no foreign vessels
were in port.