The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-06-08
aUMoRs OF IN EARTRQUAKE.
Incidents of the Recent Shock in
.YalparaisO.

A correspondent of the Boston Journal,
writing from Valparaiso, april 10, describes
the recent earthquake thus:
We have had an earthquake, not one of the
first class magnitude, but still the strongest
was but little loss OF life, as far as have
heard, only one child being killed. SILL 1t vas
but one step removed from universal disaster
and ruin. Had it lasted but a few seconds
longer, or had it been one degree more severe,
the tale would have been told in universal
ruin, In cities destroyed, and thousands hurled
fn an instant into eternity.
Fortunately have to tell you of general
eopsternatinn, and Of scenes rather comic taan
~tragical. My roommate, who has beer
through many ain earthquake here and m
Peru, rushed out Of The room en- dtShG0tNs,
The house was swaying backward and Tor
ward like q tree shaken BY the wind. There
was but little noise. other than the creaklng
of the timbers, and the usual heavy rumbflng
that precedes and accompanies an earthquake
was wanting. The house in which live is
built against the hill, and there Is an.egress BY
the roof to the hill behind, which we have
often spoken Of as -being the safest refuge IN
case of o severe earthquake. Singularly
enough l did not feel the slightest alarm, pro-
badly through ignorance, as l ind that tkose
who have seen most O. earthquakes fear them
lu0ols ouI 10 lHQ c AhN .hA SAks 1 |.
best for me TO 60 too. Not caring, however,
TO appear in public without the customary
clothing, I vas making frsntsc efforts to put
on my pantaloons, but the room shook SO hal
Ftound-it. difficult to staHd. When at last ]
got on my pantaloons ] started for the COOL,
but by this time the shock was over, ana did
not really leave my room. AS the people OF
the.house slowly. returned TO their rooms, !
saw only pale faces and trembling LIMBS. Ut.
Baker, a dentist, who occupies the room DE-
low me-, had a patient in the chair. lie Fan
ior the hill with his patient following him.
The universal custom here is on the nret
synrptoHis of q shock to rush.at once lRto the
street, without. considering that in a morrow
street, lined by tall houses. it Is the most dan,
gerous of all places. The streets in nearly. all
paris OF the city we've filled by people rustllng
sion. with terror depicted on their counte-
nances. Many women tainted, and many
smote their breasts, crying out Mlserlcordia
Some were dressed, others partly dressed, and
many nearly naked. As soon as The shock had
ceased there was q natural inquiry as. TO the
amount OF damage done, and it was found tc
be Surprisingly smah.
The .cornice was thrown from q new build.
ing in the Plaza de la Municipaladad, aud 6
boy and a girl, who were passing at the time
we're Injured BY the debris, the latter 81
| severely that she died the next day. The
walls OF the MERGED Church were cracked II
several places, and, as service was being hek
| at the time, there was a great panic and rush
ing for the street, in which many womel
tainted, and others, in the rush, throwh do~l
aad severely bruised. A like scene occurred
in the other churches. Many houses IN Varl
Gus parts of the city were cracked but non
thrown. down. In the hospital many bed-rid
den patients found sufficient strength to rus
out Of doors.
Men in the BARRIERS shops rushed into tn
streets with napkins under their chins, som
partially shaved and others just lathered, an
the BARRIERS with either the razor OF brush il
their hands. Ayoung American dentist, En-
mons by name, Was filling a lady's tooth whel
the shock occurred. he rushed into the stree
With bis Instruments in his hands, the lady fo
lowing him with a napkin In her mouth: Cole
of the New York Herald, was playing billiard:
and rushed into the street with q cue IN. ni
hand and without his hat, more frightened, q
assured me, than he had ever been In his life
A few days before he was expressing q grea
desire to feel an earthquake. He says he Is er
tlrely satisfied; aud doesn't want any m0re.