The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-04-26
The Earthquake in Syria-Fifteen Hun
dred Persons Swept into Eternity.

London april - Dispatch to the New York Herald
A telegram from Constantinople, re-
porting the occurrence of a most fearful
and fatal visitation by earthquake in the
Eaet, reached this city during the morn
ing to-day. The dispatch states that the
city Of Antioch, in Syria, has just been
visited by an earthquake, causing ter.
rible loss Of life and almost general ruin
Of property. One-half OF the city was
totally destroyed, and l,500 persons
swept from existence suddenly. A rum.
bling noise, of almost unearthly sound,
pervaded Antioch at an early hour this
morning. The people became alarmed
and startled. They were not permitted
"A moment for reflection as 10 the cause,
when the town was visited by three sue
cessive shocks of earthquake and earth
waves, the force OF which caused the
buildings to vlbrate and rock 10 and fro.
Houses commenced TO topple over, and
the inhabitants rushed hom the falling
buildings terror-stricken and shrieking
in dismay. They endeavored to force
their way from the town to the open
country, but very many of them persisted
in the attempt. The river Orontes rose
and swept over the lower portions of the
city. The two bridges which spanned
the river have been carried away, and
great portions of the city were thrown
down. Great distress prevails in that
portion of the city which has not been
demolished, and the inhabitants are
sadly in need of the assistance which is
being forwarded TO them rapidly from
the cities and towns more adjacent 10
the scene of disaster.
The city of Antioch-or, as it is now
called, Antakiek, now again, for the
fourth or fifth time, destroyed 10y an
earthquake, was in ancient times one of
the most famous in Syria, and at one
period was even more wealthy and
splendid and populous than either OF
its great rivals, Aleppo and Damascus.
1t is situated on the river Aazi (the an
cient Orontes), about twenty miles from
its mouth, and thirty.four miles west OF
Aleppo. 1t was founded about 800 B. c.
by Se.eucus Nicator, and named by him
in honor of his father, Antiochus,
fifteen other cities, none of which have,
however, so successfully survived the
attacks OF time, enjoying, at about the
same period, a like distinction. Situated
directly in the track of the caravans
from Mesopotamia and Persia, in a
beautiful valley at the foot of the noun
tains, which rise at this point from
narrow fringe of low.lying shore, with
abundance of water and singularly
fertile soil, the city soon became won
deriully prosperous, and the wares of
Bagdsd and Mosul, of Cashmere and
Benares, halted in caravansaries on their
way to the bazarS of Byzantium and the
markets of Rome. One cause of its
wealth and greatness was no doubt the
energy and industry Of the colony of
Greeks, of Athenian ancestry, by whom
it was peopled, and. who had been re-
moved froLa the neighboring city of
Antigonium by Seleucus. II was for
several generations the favorite resi-
dence of the Seleucid Princes and be-
came the capital of Syria. Splendid
palaces and baths and amphiteaters and
temples were built by the munificence
of its rulers until il was as celebrated
all over the Eastern world for the gran
deur of its architecture as for the wealth
and luxury and devotion to pleasure OF
its inhabitants. No doubt it fairly
earned the compliment of being termed
+" Antioch the Beautiful and the Queen
of the East" At the height Of its
splendor it numbered 100000 inhabi-
tants, and was the scene of almost unin.
terruptcd spec tacles and fetes.
It's suburbs ware especially noted for
their beauty. A ring of verdure sur.
rounded its walls of reddish stone, and
at its gates were the sacred fountains
and groves of Daphne, and the world.