Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-06-15
Great Earthquake in China
wAsHIseTos, June 4, 1871

wAsHINeros, June 4, 1871.
OUR Minister in China, Governor Low,
has forwarded to the Secretary of State
the following translation of 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 260 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 18th of April, 1870
the earth trembled so violently that the
government offices, temples, granarles
stone and store houses and foruhcauons
with all the common dwellings and the
temple of Ting-lin, were at once over
thrown and ruined. The only exception
was the hall in this temple grounds, called
Ta-chao. which stood unharmed in its $50
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 distan,
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 tc
cease.
The grain collector of Bathang say
that for several days before the earthquake
the water had overfiowed the dyke, bu
after il the earth cracked in many places
and black, fetid water spurted up In a fu
rious manner If one poked it the squirt
ing instantly followed, just as is the cas-
with the salt wells and fire well Tin tn
eastern part of the provinces), and thi!
explains how it happened that fire followed
the earthquake in Bathang.
As nearly as is ascertained, there wer'
DESTROYED two large temples, the offices o
the collector of grain tax, the local magis
trate and the colonel, the Tign-lin temple
and nearly 700 fathoms of wall around it
and 351 rooms in all inside; six smallel
temples, numbering 221 rooms, besides
1 SAG rooms and houses of the common
people. The number of people, soldier
and lamas killed by the crash was 2,29e
among them the local magistrate and hi
second in office. The earthquake extend
ed from Bathang eastward to Pang-chah
muh, westward to Nantun, on the south y
Lin -tsah. shin, and on the north to tn
salt wells of A-tumtsz, circuit OF owe
400 miles. 1t occurred simultaneously owe
the whole of this region. In some place
steep hills split and sunk into deep pits
in others, hills on level spots became pre-
cipitous cliffs, and the roads and highway
were rendered impsssable by Instructions
The people were beggared and scattere
like autumn leaves, and this calamity I
the people of Bathang and vicinity wa
really one of the most distressing and de
structive that has happened. The Govel
nor General twice memorialized the En-
peror respecting it, who granted aid to rt
lieve the misery, reopen the roads oetwee
the post- houses, and rebuild or repair tn
offices and dwellings, as they are needed
Many are now resuming their occupations
and the roads are everywhere passable.