Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-04-12
The California Enr,honaI,e.


YIsALIA, March 3O.-From Col Whipple, who
has just arrived by stage from Lone Pine, we
learn the following particulars of the terrible
earthquake which visited that section on the
26th inst About halfpast two A. NJ. the inhabi-
tantS of Lone Pine were awakened by loud
explosion, followed by terrible upheaval and
shaking OF the earth from south to north. In
an instant the whole town was in ruins, not a
building being left standing. Col. Whipple,
who was in the second story of an adobe house
says he had Just time to jump from his bed and
get to the doorway when the house appeared to
crumble 10 pieces beneath him, and he was
buried among the ruins He succeeded in eX-
Treating himself from the debris suffering
from several painful but not dangerous wounds.
The scene which enSued beggarS description
Screams and groans rent the air in all direc-
lions. Nearly the whole populace of the town
was buried beneath the ruins-crieS for help and
screams OF pain from the wounded filled the air,
while from the ruins those who escaped were
calling for help to rescue fathers, brothers,
wives and children, which were agonzing TO
hear The first shock was followed quickly by
three Others. Over three hundred distinct shocks
were felt between halfpast two O'Clock and sun
rise in fact, the earth was in constant shake
and tremble for over three hours. A chasm
was opened extending thirty-fiye miles down The
valley, ranging from three inches to forty feet in
width. Rocks were torn from their places and
rolled down into the valley Everywhere
through the valley are seen evidences of the ter
rible CONFUSION OF nature.
fitty-two houses were thrown down, and fifty
four persons, or more than one-sixth of the
population of the town, were buried beneath
the ruins. The cries OF those who were crushed
in the falling buildings were borne out upon the
clear mountain air with terrible dstinctness,
and struck terror and dsmay TO the hearts of
the relatives and friends who were more for
tunate and had escaped. The most terrible nm
toni,
second to destroy the few houses that were sti
standing. The citizens immediately commenced
The work OF removing the dead. 1t is horrible
to nave TO say that at this fearful time, when
the air was rent with shrieks of the suffering
and dying, there were those so base as to carry on
the work OF robbery and pillage Yet such is the
case. man who was sleeping, Ybacito,
butcher, escaped with his life, while his com
pdnlon was killed at his side, and be stole all
the money on and yaluables On his dead friend
before he left him. The effect Of the heart
rending calls of suryiyOrs-"Oh where Il my
wifeP ON where is my brother2" cor Vfaga
are my childrenW "Help me % find nv chill.
dren may be better imagined than described
Every man who was able ~ stand worked at
digging them out wherever there were cFlcs f0Y
help until long after daylight
ihe Work o. rescue vent on TIL nine gIci0ck
at which hour twenty three collins were con.
twen;y-three dead bDdes we're ORE.
pared for their final rest In The ir0ubIed eafth
thirty VI the wounded had been ezifirafed snd
cared for Of whom, II e. feared, FIVE NAV vel die
Colonel Nhlpple says Mr. Goldman fold him
abOut siz A w., that be had counted agI sc.,rr,
ate and disiinct shocks. There were four die
linet kinds of shocks. The effect ri one he de.
sffiDes - II an enormous monster hell situated
exactly beneath the town had been exploded
ana came W almost ~ their feet with a dan
tHuH1 ana a. q reached the surface produced a
iefnhc vibration; another was quick. violent
rgs
sign but its motion; tie third was preceded by
q sound IKE the long roll which drums beat h.
lufe battle. Then the noise died out and the
chill came on. The fourth was like a 2Jg-pOund-
or faIOtt, hred from mountain side, the noise
seeming to scale the mountains 10 their faqe
ana Wheh this passed over q terrific trembling
commenced. The prOfOundest sympathy IS felt
mere Tor tue sufferers. A meeting Of our citizens
is now being held at the Graham house. and
about 500 have already been subscribed, and
PROVISIONS, blankets, &C., will be at once for
warded. Everything in the town was DESTROYED
that was pcrishablc, such as food and all the
goods ~ the stores. Exaggerated accounts had
preceded Colonel Whipples arrival here about
an enormous aperture being opened 200 feet
wldej j. Is not twenty. A crack IS made through
inc valley some thirty miles long, northward
| rom Long Pine, but is not very extensive.
| There has been no volcanic demonstration.
| Cerro GOrdo was badly damaged, many bnild.
! lngs cracked, some few thrown down no persons
| oadly injured. Swansea was also totally de.
| stroyed, buildings all down 10 the pround and
| furnaces all thrown down. Col. 1rerallos al
the Swansea works, was killed. No other casn.
atty reported as yet The superintendent Of the
| swansea company sent twenty men TO Lone
| Pine, and sixteen were sent from Cerro Gordo
to assist in eXtricating the bodies from the
| runs. All accounts agree in placing Lone
| Pine over the centre Of commoton. Beforq
| each shock could he heard an exDlOsion which
sounded Immediately beneath their feet Over
| SIX hundred distinct shocks were felt within
6lly-elght hours after the first. There is much
desttution among tue inhabitants of Lone Pine
and vicinity, many having lost all but life. Col
| Whpple was selected TO proceed to San Fran.
cisco for the purpose Of procuring aid for Inc
| destitute, Persons anticipate finding immense
chasms In the mountains east of us ns soon Ms
the snow disappears enough to admit of inyesti
cation. In the vicinity of Mount Whitney
residents describe the explosion as of n par,iol
heavy artillery fired Immediately beneath tbei,
feet, which run along the mountain range. nortlI
| ana south, until lost in the distance Rumor.
OF volcano in active operation, being seen
| from the summit OF GTeenhOod mountain, sixty
| miles southeast OF here, are in circulation; bnt
| their authenticity is considered at least dub
| Gus. The Indians in that vicinity have all left
\ fearing the recurrence Of general conyulsion
I of nature, which, according TO tradition, oc
| cured there some hundreds of years AGO. and
created what is known as Owens River valley
but what was before Ichain Of mountains.
Elisee Reclus, the geographer in accordance