The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-06-09
The Earihauakc In China.
NEARLY TinnE THOUSAND rMinsr7' Sohpi

AND PEOPLE KILLED.
WASHINGTON, June 5.--Our minister
in China, Governor Lowe, has forward
cd to the Secretary of State the follow
ing translation of q report of an earth
quake in Bathang, in Szchuen, made by
the Chinese governor general of the
province in which IL occurred:
/ have asccrtancd that Bathang lies
on very elevated spot, beyond the
borders of the province, about 2G0 miles
west from Li-tang, and more than thir-
ty post stations from the district town
of Ta.tsien, on the high road to Tibbet.
About II o'clock n. m, on the 1lth Of
April, 1870, the earth trembled so vio-
lcntly that the government offices, tenn
pies, granarles, stone and store houses
and Notifications, with all the common
dwellings and the Temple of Ting Lin,
were at once overthrown and ruined.
The only exception was tho hall in shis
temple grounds called Ia Chao, which
stood unharmed in its isolation.
a few of the troops and people escap.
ed, but most of the inmates were crush
cd and killed under the falling timber
| and stone. Flames also suddenly burst
out in four places, which strong winds
| drove about until the heavens were
| darkened with smoke, and their roar
| ing was mingled with the lamentations
of the distressed people. On the 18th
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, ut the mercy of the waves. The
multiplied miserics of the alll clcd 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 Mt Bathang says
that for several days before the earth.
quake the water had overllowed the
dyke, but after it the earth cracked in
many places, and black, fetid water
spurted out in furious manner. II
one poied it the squirting instantly fol-
lowed Just rs is the Case with the salt
wells and fire wells in the eastern part
of the province); and this explains how
it happened that fire followed the earth
quake in Bathang.
AS nearly as is ascertaincd, there
were destroyed two large temples, the
offices of tho collector of grain tax, the
local magistrate, and the colonel, the
Ting.Lin temple and nearly 200 faith
oms of wall around it, and 3jl rooms in
all inside; six smaller temples number
ing 22l rooms, besides 1919 rooms and
houses of the common people. The
number of people, soldiers and llamas
killed by the crash was 2,29S, among
whom where the local m agistratc and
his second in Office.
1.-THE earthquake extended over Q
circuit of 400 miles. 1t occurre d simul-
taneously over the whole of this region.
In some places steep hills split and sunk
into deep pits; in others, hills on level
spots became prccipitous cliffs, and tho
roads and highways were rendered i'm
passible by obstructio ms.
The people were scattered and beg
CARED like autumn leaves, and this
calamity to the people Of Bathang and
vicinity WAS really one of the most dis
tressing and destructive that has hap
pened. The governor general twice
memorialized the emperor respecting
it, who granted aid to relieve the mis-
cry, reopen the roads between the post
houses, and rebu lid or repair the office
and dwellings as they were needed
Many are now resuming their occupa
tions, and the roads are everywhere
passable."