The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-06
Raan.BseFm I'm PeTu-Han M ~ il1l
. r,nilars washed AMaY. 4.

ltlma .sni q =, .hs New FORK Hesaa
& al proyerb sbas long been popular In Psru,
TINT no rainfall occurs along the coast ihe
believers lii this tradition, and their name
WINS legion. we're FAITHFULLY disappointed on
the night Of the 9th instant, when the cIluest
of Luna lard Cailao we're fairly flooded py
the sIrfpbines from the clouds. which fell IN
arch quantities as to cause q damage IN o lew
Sanrs OF more. than. half q millioao bard
dollars. The general idea Is that when FL
zarro landed In Peru one OF the officers 10 hls
fTnin pretended TO q certain knowIedge OF
architecture and to the clImaterict influences
ON different zones. Surprising that Lima
was exempt from all heavenly moisture, tnts
wnuIi.te sayant ad yised tirat the roofs OF the
dwellings should be constructed as hghty as
possible, In order 40 afford Tree yentliaeion,
no fears being entertained of wafefy vtsita-
tions, The Indication was adopted, ana Inc
hoi,ses were covered with slight canes, on
which was placed 81 eofnposition OF mua ana
refuse. Technically known as" l0rfa, 'Eanu
:thrn,,rh tfIe ir1terstices of which new AS
Imodeus could easily perceive the necufiafi-S
ties of the family circle. This COMPOUND On"
;fers no resistance to the rein, and, lndeed, I'D
:barricade was deemed necessary.
AT about q o'clock P. NJ. on the Gay
have mentioned, the sky assumed Threat
ening aspect, and few moments after the
streets bore eloquent evidence OF the strenelb
of the waterfall. People might haYe been
seef, In every Quarter Of the town hurryine-
10 their dwellings, or from thence 10 the
nearest shops, in search Of India.fuOoeI
cloth and other impermeabie sid. But: q
no avail, The rain poured down, Causing
"a much CONSERVATION as4would snow
atorm In Havana. The fragile roofs imme.
f1iately confessed themselves vanquished Dy
their unexpected enemy. and Woulo giauiy
have thrown up the sponge, bad they pos
sessed that desirable object, for the preser,
ration of the goods they were supposed,
10 ptotecs, The magnificent interior or the
Lima houses, furnished, as possibly are those
Of few capitals in the world, with the MOST
exfrayigant products Of the looms OF Brussels
and the most expensive articles from Parlsian
factories. speedily assumed n disheartenlng
asneet.. The water rushed uninterrupteuiy
through the fragile defences; the accnmuIa-
led fiIfh of centuries wss filtered through on
fhe velvet carpets. the silken curtains and.
ormnlu furniture OF the old palaces, raised
in accordance with the suggestions OF the
cono,,erer,s architect. Fathers, mothers, SONS
and daughters, aided by the inevitable
heather Chinee, an exotic plant Hour
isbine finely in Peru, organized INTO
battalious for home defence, and the lnstfu-
mrnts used against the foe were laughaDies
enoltpb. Under the streams of water falling
an their devoted heads were placed bath
tubs, spittoons, pitchers, basins, gta>sss'
fshbowlS, washstands, mats, ana extraOrul.
rlary-looking objects OF ChlnaWare. beus
and bedding were Of second Consideration
First the family crucitiS. or saint, was re-
moved to place of safety; secondly, inc
carpets and piano were placed under guard'
and ksly, the distracted. parents were m
duced to bestow some Of their attentioh Oh
the yardrobes Of their afflicted danghters.
The church bells tolled out the ptega'7d,
or the PRAYER to Heaven for cessation OF
the dire invasion; the people beSscd the
elements to change their attack; even an
earthquake would have been hailed as a re-
lief TO such an iDtliction. But the heavens
seemed pitiless. About l O'Clock III thc
morning the deluge. ceased, and then inc
miserable inhabitants Of the city found mat
there was no rest, no comfort 1or tneH liz
their dripping beds. The damage Is TWO
fold The public health has been seriously
endangered. Physicians say that coles ana
coughs are unprecedentedly general, and ne
place in the world is more fatal for lung SUI
ferers than Lima.
The injury to household goods is stupen.
dous. Many walls were undermined and
fell to the ground, burying all beneath the
1ebris. "All,' fortunately, does not imply
4 loss of life. In one establishment alone,
that of one of the most wealthy bankers of
The city, $50, 900 worth of sumptuo1s furni.
lure was utterly ruined. The Palace Of
Justice, where the Supreme and Superior
Courts hold their sittingS, was converted
INTO lake, and the litigants have been com.
oeIled to abstain from their legal qrarreis
until the floors are dry enough for the con-
inuance Of the business. The great library
vas drenched from the topmost to the bot
ON shelves. Many inestimable volumes OF
relating to the early history OF
Peru are now but masses Of worthless
pulp.
The streets were intransitable, and even at
;he present moment locomotion is danger.
,,ls over the muddy and slippery stones.
People in the United States, provided against
such events, regard q rain-storm with equa-
1imity, secure in their well-fortified homes,
while Peruvians, unacquainted with the fury
If tempests, look upon them with US much
I'VE Ms the denizens of New York would the
,hock of an earthquake. The parallel Is
correct. Rain in Lima and the fearful rock
NO of the earth 10 New York are compara-
iyely equally destructive. For earthquake
lima Is prepared and watchfui-l may say tot
he manor born; for rainfall New York has
,er patent roofing and her umbrellas.
The total damage will reach the neighbor-
rood Of half q million soses, or hard dollars
. hat the result will be as respects the health
u the population the records OF the ceme-
cry will declare. " sbS st's E-@azi