Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-06-30
The Enrihnnnke AZ Grenada.

Inc EartnVuahe nv Nrenada.
Later accounts from New Grenada. scout
America, confirm the story Of the grea
earthquake Of the 18th Of May, and the los
Of life is doubtless much above the sixtee
thousand at first reported. The principa
shock lcyellcd every wall in San Jose d
Cuta, killing eight thousand persons out O
population Of ten thousand in a twinklinr
and wounded many others. The inhabitant
received premonitions Of the disaster a
carly as the 10th. when there was a smar
shock, which lasted twenty seconds. an,
was followed 10y another, later in the day
The earth trembled uucomfortably on IN,
evening Of the 18th, but the morning of tn,
18th opened sercnely At half-past eleven
when the body Of the people were a, IN,
dinner-table, the crash came, without mo
mcnts warning. The earth rocked bach
and forth for fifteen seconds, the pcopl,
meanwhile rushing into the streets only &c
be overwhelmed by cloud of dust. A
deathly silence followed, but, after about tive
minutes, the wind carried off the dust. un.
covering the thousands who had been suffo.
Gated 10y it. Fires broke ont in various
parts of the town, and then came several OK.
plo,ions-the EARTH meanwhile, quiverinp
and inspiring the survivors with the fear of
another heavy shock All who were able
moved to the suburbs, where, however. they
gained little in comfort, for the rain began
falling in torrents at night, and the danger
of another shock seemed not to be past.
About everything left 10y the earthquake
and the fires was appropriated by robbers,
who plundered the custom-house and the
stores and set fire to many buildings.
That section of country embracing The 70.
gions where the Columbia and Venezuela
join the Columbian portion of South Amer
lea. including the state of Santandar, is al.
most wholly in ruins. The town of Cucuta,
better known as Rosario, was demolished,
and in its immediate vicinity volcano
sprang into existence, in ridge known US
FL alto de Ia Giracha." Cucuta was the
largest and most importantcity in the yicin-
ity of a large extent of cultivated territory
Situated near the boundary of the republic
i'm latitude seven degrees thirty minutes
north, and longitude seyenty-two degrees
ten minutes west, it commanded an extern
siyo trade from the interior, and was among
the oldest corporations of the continent.
having been founded in 1884 by Juan de
Marter It's population was eighteen thou
sand. During the past half century it had
grown into large depot for the shipment
OF coffee and cocoa, through Venezuelan
ports, or down the Magdaleua river to Pan
anna The shock lasted but forty seconds.
aud yet during that brief space of time, not
one building was left standing.
The volcano, so suddenly created, threw
ont huge balls of fire, which caused a fearful
and terrific increase of the destruction other
wise consequent upon the trembling Of the
earth Numerous towns of less extent suf-
fared severely, though they were not so com
plotely destroyed as Cucuta whore the fun
force of the shock was certared, extending
from thence in a gradually decreased ratio as
lar as BoSota, where, though, apparently its
effects were harmless. Among the most iln-
portaut Of these towns we're San Cayetano.
whose population was four thousand, which
was partially destroyed; Santiago, containing
two thousand people suffered more exten-
sively, being almost wholly leyelled with the
ground. But one-third of the town of Gran
alote is left standing, its population having
been three thousand Arboeda, with pop
ulatiou of five thousand, San Christobal Of
fifteen thousand, aud Cucutila, Of five thou
sand, though somewhat less afflicted, were
nearly half-demolshed Altogether, the en-
tire section Of country visited with this aw-
ful calamity was one of the most cultivated
Of the Andes valleys and foothills. Great at
tentiou had been given to the cultivation Of
coffee, cocoa, and other commercial staples,
through which the inhabitants had amassed
wealth. Their homes aud plantations are
now in ruins, and at least thirty-fye thou
sand people have, in less than a minute. been
reduced from positions Of afluence and com
petence to want and destitution