The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-07-09

Destruction OF San lose de gucufa. An
soIons bfa-Eight Thousand Human
Bsings Dead-Horr.bIe scenes OF suf-
fcring and nismay.


lfrom the New York Herald.
MARACAIBo, May 20, lS75.-On IN,
morning % the 18th inst. this communit,
was startled by The appalling news u III
entire destruction, by an earthquake. o
the city Of san Jose DC Cucuta. ia Tolom
bia, on the 18th inst, AZ ll:30 n. N Th'
first shock. accompanied By loud subter
ranean decorations. leveled every wall n
the city. and buried under Us ruins il
that single instant u time some 5000 hu
man beings out ora population Of 10. OOl
souls, and Of those then spared many have
since died Of their injuries, and other. re.
main seriously affected ia mind. The ac-
count given By the unhappy beings. who
have He'd the doomed spot and are daily
arriving here, j. narrowing Va the extreme.
The first care or the few saved. after they
could collect their shattered senses, Was
TO succor those whose shri, Ks for aid
filled the air on every side; but their ef-
forts IN many cases were rendered futile
by the continued trepidatiOn of the earth.
by the explosion OF pow der aud fireworks
storedin rsany parts Of the city. and by
bands OF robbers, who royed over the
ruins. robbing the dead ard numbering
those they tncied had saved any thing.
Thus all who have reached here from
Cucuta have landed here in the clothes
they wore on that fa.al day. as few or
none We're able To save even their wearing
apparel.
The following details are furnished by
ore OF the survivors:
SAN JOSE DE CUcuTA
had for many years made very rapid pro-
gress. increasing in wealth aud population
until II had become one Of the most inn
portant cities OF Colombia. OF lite wears
new aud important enterprises had been
started. necessitating the construction of
new buildings for mercantile and olhcr
purposes. and OF large number Of fine
residences. In a moment Of time these
have all been destroyed. Ii was situated
on The boundary OF the Republic. and was
founded by Juan de Martin in 1884. IL
WAS a port OF entry, II an inland town can
be- called port. and here wa. the estab.
li-hed Custom. house. The population Of
the city al the time Of the dis ster Is esti-
mattel az about II 90; IN had large com
merclal business and was tie great depot
for coffee and caca for shipment either
through the Venezuelan port or down the
Magdalena.
AT 5:3J O'Clock in the afternoon Of sun
day. The 10th. a strong shock wa obSerI-
able, lasting twenty seconds. 4 little later
anot or trembling Of the earth took place.
which gradually died away through the
space OF five minutes. AT 5l5 the same
day the entire population was brought 10
it feet b. a s'rong shock. which lasted for
some time. During the 18th anu the fol-
lowing night occasional trembiings were
experienced. On the morning % the 18Th
every thing was serene. and the cay adj
vanced without any thing new. with no
OF the awful fate which
awaited the doomed city.
The hour OF half-past eleven arrived A
great part Of the citizens were al table.
The earth commenced shaking wi h great
force. and from all sides the people rushed
to the streets with despairing cries for mer-
cy- For fifteen seconds the movement
continued. the city moving like great
ship without ballast. lnstanlaneou.v a
cloud Of tie dust enshrouded the streets
and houses. impeding th, vision and call
ing forth renewed cries of horror and APP
E-esls for mercy from the populace. These
Were OF short duration. however As the
dust S0on became 80 thick " to i'm EIDE
and. az If by the touch Of an
enchanter's wand. an awful silence su,-
ccsded. Many who might have o,eu saved
from the ruins OF the falling buildings. fell
victims 20 SulocariOn. Not longer than
TWO minutes Gid this terrible situa ION con-
'inue. wind rapidly carried the dust
cloud, revealing
TIE TERRIBLE SCENE.
What was a few moments before beau |
iful city. Instinct with Ike and happiness.
was now the hideous tomb OF thousands. I
The rain was coIspete. 1Ontempla-
ion Of the few who survived the awful |
I - Tor i.t
sight Of the ruins and the dead which lay
beneath them. Crazed with horror, men. /
women and children ran about crying for |
help and 20 their friends Who lay dead |
near at hand. Here mother frantic-Liy
allied 70 her child there the child, hoT-
riBly disngurcd, perhaps. walled out for
& parent. Husbands. wives, SONS, uaugh-
ers. fathers and mothers were running
about in wild dismay. Some hours passed |
before quiet was restored and a realization
)i the event obtained. The tremblings of
he earth continued. and 10 add to the
horrors OF the situation, fires broke out in |
various localities amid the ruins. The 20
earful day was followed by still
MORE HORRIBLE NIGHT.
The survivors had moved to the suburbs |
)f the city. where encam pmcnts were e. |
abolished. The rain commenced to tail In |
and amid the impenetrable dark
ness the groans OF the wounded filled the |
lir, varied only by the sharp detonations |
proceeding from explosive materials amid |
he ruins. The coming Of new day |
howed that not more than two thousand l
alive. Beneath the fallen houses \
~ from eight 10 ten thousand dead.
Immediately the sad news reached here \
! subscription was raised by the merchants !
a money and clothing, which Was libcr-
lily responded to by all and the United
states consul, as agentof the Atlas Steam
nip Company and the OrinOco Navigation
COMPANY. having rendered the use of the
teamers Pico and Uribante. they were
hat same evening dispatched with All am
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