The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-16
COTOPAxI IN FLAMES.
Inc soicaho Bursts Forth In nm Eruption
and Destroys Lives ana Property.
IN. Y. Herald

On the 25th Of this month the volcano
OF Cotopaxi gave unmistakable symp-
toms OF an Eruption. A dense cloud Of
asnes completely concealed the peak.
and In the evening the lightninR-like
flashes OF the subterranean fires. as
they fitfully pierced or were reflected in
the ashy cloud, added to the majesty
and terror OF the scene. The first rays
OF dawn OF the morning Of the 26th
showed the mountain covered with a
thick black garment. At s o'clock q
hoarse noise was heard, distant at first.
but. gradually approaching, until th
entire population were in motion, one
and all dominated by the feeling that
something dreadful was about to take
place. At 10 o'clock there was mo-
longer any doubt that the always in
creasing noise was forerunner Of an IT.
ruptlon. On being assured Of this, sew
out to observe the quantity Of water and
the direction 1t would take. We soon
saw enough to make US fear that the
enormous quantity of water vomited
out by the volcano would totally destroy
the city. On this I put spurs to nv
horse and rode back to the town, in
hopes OF being Of use in assisting some
OF the unfortunate inhabitants to ascend
the "Calvario," their nearest, and per-
haps only safety in case Of inundation.
Nor was l mistaken in my prognostlca-
tions, for the torrent was sufficient to
have destroyed the city had it's course
not been turned in the most unexpected,
unhoped for manner.
Streams Of water poured from all the
craters at once on the Callao side.
sweeping away everything in their
course down to the "potreros" of San
Augustin. Another irresistible torrent
followed the course of the Saquimala
river, destroying everything before it.
ruins; the very soil is gone. Or the
place OF Signor Larrea nothing Is left.
The river carried off 500 head Of cattle
which were at pasture in the fields.
The Alaques river overfloWed and
caused great damage. The Cutuchi
overflowed the ''potreros" of Rumipam-
ba and ran into the Pumacunchi, carry
ing everything before it. The splendid
machine shop went down like a card
house at the first rush of the waters
| SO did the various mills, except the
molina de Boveda," celebrated for it's
resistance to former floods. In a word,
| this entire district was like sea, and
| the inundation would have destroyed
| the city had not one portion OF the
| flood overflowed the Sicsicalle by way Of
the Cutuchi, and another portion
| turned Off by Yana-yacu, the latter be-
ing the food which ran down through
the "Salto," injuring many stores and
houses in the Arcu-chaca suburb and
Aluviones street.
It is too soon to determine with any
certainty the destruction Of property,
but the total loss of life will reach, il 1t
does not exceed, one thousand persons.
| At least two thousand head OF cattle
have been destroyed, and of smaller
animals the loss is much greater. had
forgotten to state that in the midst of
the roar Of the waters and the crashing
of houses the volcano poured out enor-
nous quantities Of cinders, which grad
ually darkened the whole face OF the
heavens and left us in the profoundest
obscurity from o'clock in the after
/! noon until 10 at night. To-day the whole
| face Of the country is covered with ashes.
and, In addition to other rniseries, we
have hunger staring us In the face.