Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-10-20
The South American Earthquakes.
ECUADOR IN RUINs-oFFICIAL LETTER TO
4 SECRETARY SEWARD.

l
Washington, Oct. 4.-The follow
Ing correspondence is published by
direction of the Secretary of State:
i LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, }
LIMA, Peru, Sept. IA, 1868. {
To the Hon VIM. I'll. Seward, Sec
etary of State of the United States.
Sir: In my dispatches Nos. IA and |
As dated the 22d and 28th of Aug. |
espectiveIy, | gave you a slight ac-
cunt of the terrible catastrophe
which, on the 18th ultimo, laid DESC
late large part of Peru, and now
again it is my painful duty to inform
y,u that a large and most prolific
part OF the republic of Ecuador is i'll
ruins, caused by similar shock at half
past one O'Clock on the morning OF
the 18th of the same month. This
earthquake seems to have had its cen
tel in the province of Imbabura, near
the volcano OF Ocampo, about sixty
mics north Of the city of Quito. Eight
towns with the adjoining haciendas
and population are said to be destroy
ed, numbering from 10000 to %, 900
inhabitants The cities OF Otavato
and Cotacachi, containing respective
ly about 10000 and 5000 inhabitants
and both situated on the shores of
the Lake Mojanda, are said to have
been swallowed up with the entire
population, and their sites have be-
come part of the Lake. The city of
lDarra, with population OF l3,O0O,is
totally destroyed, only about 5000 Of
the inhabitants escaping, and the town
of Atuntaque leveled with the earth,
/ burylng all its inhabitants In its ruins.
Nor are the injuries confined to the cit
les and towns, but all of the hacien-
das OF the provinces, the richest III
Ecuador, growing sugar and grain,
and producing large numbers of cattle
and sheep have, as it were, been swept
out of existence. Quito did not suffer
in the same ratio, IN the loss of life
but its walls and houses are destroy
ed, the most of its inhabitants, includ-
ing the English Charge d'Affaires, Mr..
Hamilton, with his large family, were
driven to the open square or plaza in
the center of the city, and he, more
fortunate than the others, is now en-
Joying the great luxury of tent.
while thousands of the best citizens
are without shelter. To highten the
gloom, dependency, and misery of all
the terrific thunder storms of the trop-
les seem to have redoubled their for
ces, and have literally deluged the
whole country. The losses in Imba-
bura will cause great suffering in Qui-
TO, as nearly all the necessaries of
lie for that city were drawn from that
province. The difficulty of conveying
! food from Guayaquil will be very
: great, as the journey requires II days
of severe travel, with mules, carrying
: small burdens, over rugged and pre-
clpltOus mountains, deep gorges, and
: narrow passes If relief in some form
: is not speedily given, many of the sutf
! ers will be compelled to reach the sea
&. shore or perish. Extracts from pri
= vale letters and public documents
= published in the Lima jnnr"ala = :
the destruction, destltutlOn to which
have referred. Indeed, these shock:
I have almost ruined the republic OF
d Ecuador The mentioned represen
g tationS have been fully corr0borateC
5 10y the statements of His Excellency
; Don Antonio Flores, pIenipotentiars
!. OF Ecuador III Peru. In Peru, also
= as have heretofore informed you
}. proud and rebellious Arequipa is lev
: eIcI with the dust; africa swept from
: the sea shore, with but one soitar,
Y house remaining, while the district an(
t city Of Moguena, with its rich villages
a vineyards, and haciendas are but tn
:, wrecks OF things that were. Had til,
e earthquake in Peru taken place a
;, night time, as it did in Ecuador, tn
Il loss OF life would have exceeded 100
It 600 souls. As it was, the loss 10 Pc
. ru is less, but the loss of property ia
T. greater. Want, hunger and famin
+ III these now unhappy countries ar
A strlding through all classes in tn
t. midst OF the unburied dead, and gel
t eraI paralyzation of thought and al
): ton seems to pervade the land. Thi
rs Is no doubt caused by the continuoU
ID shocks since, and the great fear o
~ other calamities, and to add to th
"a CONSERVATION of the weak, fearful an
es helpless, robbers in some localitit
IN are said to be sacking and pillagin
RS everything within their reach. | tax
great pride in informing you that Res
he Admiral Thomas Turner, Capt. NJ
eS Dougal, Commander James I'll. Gill
ry James S. Thornton, Austin Penel
he grast, and other officers and crews {
their commands in our navy, near Il
scenes of danger, have done all tn
- noble hearted, brave sailors could {
he to alleviate the sufferings of all wit
"a in their reach. The generosity Of o
his country in days gone by, has left
we record that will never be forgottC
lin Greece, Poland, Hungary and IreIa
yht with no greater, if not far less, clail
ed for aid of CHARITY, have found that
no. the United States there were feeli
nat hearts and open hands for those W
the deeply suffer. Will not our genero'
she hearted countrymen add Peru and /
yht uador to their noble list? Our q
ed. ernment, | know, can do no more tn
Id, has been done by our navy; but
on most earnestly urge and entreat tt