Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-06-12
The SOUTH PACIFIC CA.
LAMITY!
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF THE
GREAT EARTHQUAKE AND
TIDAL WAVE
Three Elements of Destruction at
Work at Once!

CeiVed to-day, nave the details or Il
disaster and the destruction caused on
the South Pacific coast by the earth
quake and tidal wave of May 9th. The
towns of africa, Iquique, Ponta, Della
hos, Pabellon, Depica, Chanavaya,
Huanillos, Toccpilla, Cabija, Mill
lones, Deboliva, Antafagasta and
Chanaralal are nearly destroyed.
About 800 lives were lost. The de-
struction of Pabellou j. estimated at
$40, 900 900, confined mostly to the
coast, although the town of Tarapaca,
twenty-three leagues inland, and the
villages of Picamatalla and Canchnes,
far in the interior, were nor or less
ruined. The shipping of guano from
southern deposits will be indefinitely
suspended, as all facilities in the way
of counches chutes, wbarves, water
condensers and buildings OF all kinds
have been swept away. The destruc-
ton and damage to shipping has been
very great and was attended by very
serious loss of life. At MOllendo the
rail way was torn up by the sea three
hundred teet and at lilo the railway
was also injured. At africa the peo
pie were preparing temporary fortifi
cations to repel n threatened assault OF
the rebel ram HauScar AT the very
moment when the a of the
earthquake was heard. The shocks
were very numerous and caused
immense damage. The sea was
suddenly perceived to recede from
the beach, and a wave from ten to fit
teen feet high rolled upon the shore
carrying all before it.. Eight times
was repeated this assault of the ocean,
and four miles of the embankment of
the railroad melted away like sand.
Locomotives, cars and rails were
hurled about by the sea like SO many
p%laythings, and left in a tumbled mass
of rubbish. The United States steam
or Wateree, stranded in '6S, was lifted
bodily and floated two miles north of
her old position. The cabled buoy
was moved a quarter of a mil, north
ward. Merchandise from the custom
house and stores were carried five
miles distant. The damage done was
greater than the calamity of '6S. The
earthquake had leveled the custom
house, railway station, submarine
cable Office, hotel, British Consulate,
steamship agency and many private
dwellings. The people passed the
night on the hills. Thieves began to
rob, when the troops fired upon them,
killing and wounding several. Iqui.
que, built of wood and cane tumbled
down aC the first onset. Lamps were
broken, and burning oil spreading
over the debris started a general con-
fiagration. Three companies of fire.
men were instantly at their posts, and
although il was difficult to maintain up
right positions (shock following shock
with dreadful regularity to procure
x-atA. thn txuE hast Grn AnDinna VtorD
stationed at the beach. Just then the
cry arose, 1.-The sea, the seal" and the
waves rushed in. The engines were
carried out by the reflux and the fire
continued unopposed. Three elements
of destruction were busy at one mo
ment-ire, water and earthquake. The
afirighted people left the city TO its
fate, flying to the neighboring emf.
nences. The fire destroyed a large
portion Of the town, The earthquake
leveled nearly all the rest, and the
water covered the ruins, which it took
out in its re1ux. The water condens-
ers along shore are ruined, an irrepair-
able loss to Iquique, as no palatable
water is found there. Nearly 400 ,00(
quintals of nitrate at Iquique and the
adjacent ports of MollendO and Prisca.
qua were destroyed. A small loss oil
life took place, probably ten persons il
all. Coasting crafts and small boats in
the harbor were broken in pieces,
Away upon the pampas, III miles from
Iauique, the splendid nitrate establish.
ment, La Nueva Carolina, was com
pletely destroyed. The sufferings OF
of the people OF Iquique were intense
The absence OF water and the destruc-
ton of the principal stores added to
their hardships.
The estimated damage done in
Iquique will amoun to nea 8 ,000,-
600. Soles Chanaty, a little town at
Guano, the leading deposit known as
Pabellon Depica, with 450 houses, has
only two standing. In n of the
guano cuttings thirty laborers were
buried by the falling earth. Among
the shipping the loss Is terrible. The
town OF Tarabsca, two or three leagues
inland, and the villages of Peca, Matilda
and Canchones are more or less ruined.
The loss of life is reported small. The
earthquake VAS especially sever at
Chanavaga. The earth opened fifteen
metres in depth, and the whole surface
of the ground was changed. at least
200 people we're killed. Bodies were
floating in the bay and pestilence was
feared. At Huanillas, aguano loading
station, the damage inflicted was fear
full. The wave which succeeded the
earthquake and completed the work OF
destruction was nearly 80 feet IN
height. Many vessels were lost here
together with several ofthose on board.
At Mexillones the tidal wave was 65
feet in height. T~wo.thirds of the town
was completely obliterated. At Tropila
little or nothing remains of the town.
A mine called Lopena Blaca, -four
miles to the south ward, sank in,
~smo,hering 200 workmen, Of whom ~
were Cornish miners. Cab ia, The
principal town on the Bolivian coast,
has lost three. four,hs OF it's houses. A,
. as the lamentable Intelligence pOt
10 Lima the Government chartered
a steamer and orsaniz.d u relief com
mission. A vessel loaded with pro-
,i-iOns, clothing, etc., together With
fifty thousand gallons of waller, WAS dis
patched on the 18th for the South.
On- hundred thousand snles In silver
coin Also formed "A part of her cargo 10