The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-11-04
PERU.
TERRIBLE CONFEDERATION AT IouIoUE-THREE-
FoURTHs OF THE CITY DEsTRoYED-Loss
ABOUT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS

TERRIBLE CONFEDERATION AT IoUIQUE-THREE-
FoURTHs OF THE CITY DEsTRoYED-Loss
ABOUT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS.
PANAMA, Oct. q, 1875.
letter dated Lima, October 10 gives the following
details of the burning of Iquique:-
The greatest material calamity suffered by Peru
since the fearful earthquake OF 1868 occurred Iquque
on Wednesday morning last the 7th of this month.
Flames discovered issuing from the house occu-
pied by the German Club only a few squares distant
from the sea- and before the doors of the burning
dwelling opened the light breeze from the south
west was scattering destruction and ruin throughout
the devoted city The fire first noticed at two
O'Clock in the morning. and before threefourths
of Iquque had vanished in smoke Twenty -four blocks
Of houses, stores, banks, &c, consumed Iquque
was built almost entirely of wood the sidewalks are
even constructed of the MATERIAL the ground is
impregnated with nitre. By pouring water from the
ocean on the burning blocks little good was DONE as
the salt water falling the earth only served TO kinde
the FIRE hidden by the saltpetre. Consequently the
flames swept like hurricane over the city.
From the terrible velocity Of the progress
OF the fire little could be saved The
houses fell like pasteboard palaces before the
force of the confagraton, but thoroughly dissent
mated the alarm that deaths or personal in
juries reported. The damage done is immense
S. 900 will not it, In Iquique insurance
could be obtained from the very of the ground
and the of the materials used for building pur
poses Hence all is dead loss
BURNED BUILDINGS
The principal ediices burned the branch Of the
National Bank the books and cash of which saved
the Town House, the Iquique and Commercial hotels
the house occupied by the Pacific Steam Navga-
ton Company, the market place, the favorite
club house of the city, and, in fact, the prnci-
pal buildings Of the town The Custom
House, the railway Offices, the London and
Mexico Bank, together with the Anglo Peruvian,
capped, owing to their position regarded the wind
Many families houseless and deprived of all means
of obtaining the barest necessities Of life. But
had the news reached Lima than the President
sent cablegram to the "Estanco" Agency to furnish
the authorities in the port with 5000 soles for the
alienation of the suffering people.
General Prado called his principal adherents to his
!. house and raised like amount, which was also ro-
mitted. Mr.. Gibbs, the American Minister collected
1000 soles from his fellow countrymen in Lima, he
subscribing considerable sum, and this was likewise
placed to the credit of the ruined. Other efforts
being made to raise relief
LOSSES.
One of the most painful features of the misfortune is
that many merchants had taken advantage of the
duced tariff established by the Custom House and had
despatched large amount Of merchandise nearly Gil
Of which is destroyed The kilograms received
here and the hurried dispatches written from Iquique
to Lima not sufficient to give clear idea of the
real damage done The bodegas, warehouses, in
which large quantities of nitrate slowed close to
the sea- saved but many deposits of coa-a costly
article in Iquque-are were, smoudering at last adj
vices. A gloomier state OF affairs hardly be
imagined. Business has been stagnant and dan
gerous for two years past from the non-exacon of the
Estanco law, and the proprietors of the 0fcinas
and the merchants find themselves absolutely bank
rupt, their liabilities, owing to the disaster being in
fntely in excess of their assets
BETWEEN POLITICAL PARTrsANs.
terrible fight took place between the partsans Of
Admiral Montero and those of General Prado, and
several OF those engaged left dead and wounded
General Prado expected TO have the majority Of votes
in Lima Pierola's whereabouts is doubtful, and
Arequipa is again feverish The military forces in
Lima have been sent out Of the way, TO leave
fair field for the battles of elections when the critical
day comes, and which must now be over.