Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-06-16
Great Earthquake in China
WAsu1naron. Lnne 4. 1871.

WASHINGTON, June 4, 1871.
OUR Minister in China, Governor Low,
has forwarded to the Secretary OF State
the following translation of a report OF
the great earthquake in Bathang, made by
the Chinese Governor General of the
Province in which it occurred:
have ascertained that Bathang lies on
a very elevated spot, beyond the borders
of the Province, about $50 miles west from
Li-tang and more than thirty post stations
from the district town of To-tsien, on the
high road to Tibet. About IL o'clock in
the forenoon on the 11th of April, 1870,
the earth trembled so violently that the
government offices, temples, granaries,
stone and store houses and Notifications,
with all the common dwellings and the
temple of Ting-lin, we're at once over
thrown and ruined. The only exception
was the hall in this temple grounds, called
Ta-chao, which stood unharmed in its iso-
lation. A few of the troops and people
escaped, but most of the inmates were
crushed and killed under the falling tim
Der and stone. Flames also suddenly
burst out in four places, which strong
winds drove about until the heavens were
darkened with smoke and their roaring
was mingled with the lamentations of the
distressed people. On the 10th the flames
were beaten down, but the rumbling noises
were still heard under ground like distant
thunder, and the earth rocked and rolled
like ship in a storm at the mercy OF the
waves. The multiplied miseries of the in.
habitants were increased by thousand
fears: but in about ten days matters be-
gan to grow quiet and the motion to
cease.
The grain collector of Bathang says
that for several days before the earthquake
the water had overfiowed the dyke, but
after it the earth cracked in many places,
and black, fetid water spurted up in fu-
rious manner If one poked it the squirt
ing instantly followed, just as is the case
with the salt wells and fire well lin the
eastern part of the prOvinces), and this
explains how it happened that tre followed
the earthquake in Bathang.
As nearly as is ascertained, there were
destroyed two large temples, the offices OF
the collector of grain tax, the local magls-
trate and the colonel, the Tign-lin temple,
and nearly 700 fathoms of wall around it,
and 351 rooms in all inside; six smaller
temples, numbering 221 rooms, besides
/ $40 rooms and houses OF the common
people. The number of people, soldiers
and lamas killed by the crash was 2,29S
among them the local magistrate and his
second in Office. The earthquake extend
ed from Bathang eastward to Pang-chah
muh, westward to Nantun, on the south tc
Lin-tsah- shin, and on the north to the
salt wells of A-tumtsz, a circuit of ovel
400 miles. 1t occurred simultaneously ovel
the whole of this region. In some places
steep hills split and sunk into deep pits
in others, hills on level spots became pre-
cipitous cliffs, and the roads and Highways
were rendered impossible by obstructions
The people were beggared and scattered
like autumn leaves, and this calamity tC
the people of Bathang and vicinity was
really one of the most distressing and de
structive that has happened. The Cover
nor General twice memorialized the En-
peror respecting it, who granted aid to re
lieve the misery, reopen the roads between
the post houses, and rebuild or repair th'
offices and dwellings, as they are needed
Many are now resuming their occupations
and the roads are everywhere passable.