River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-06-07
ANEARTHouAKE AT SEA.
AID "a Tidal Wave which DestrO,

And Tidal Wiz VII. which Destroys
The following particulars of the tidal
wave on the South Pacific coast have been
received:
Callao was visited on the morning of
the 10th of May by a species of tidal
wave, or rather gradual upheaval of the
sea. which caused serious damage and ex-
ceeding alarm. The docks and piers of
Muelle Darsena were the principal suf-
ferers. together with some stores along
the shore line, which were completely car
ried away by the water. Vessels made
fast and living alongside the outer walls
of the dock were lifted fully eight feet
by the upheaval, but, strange to say, were
not damaged. Most of the steamers
riding at anchor in the bay slipped their
cables, fearing further danger, and some
of the larger vessels stood out towards
the offing. The United States store-ship
Onward left her anchorage, the officer
in command evidently remembering the
fate of her predecessor, the Fredonia, >
in the great tidal wave at Aaica in 1868.
A quantity of merchandise, temporarily
stored on the docks from ships in dis
charge. was ruined by the water. A
water lOlu llOll lko llAOOA
struck against the iron pillars of the dock
bridge and carried away several of them.
On the shore the greatest CONSERVATION
was apparent, many families flying for
safety to the high ground back of the
city.
At 10 o'clock in the morning all dan
ger seemed to have passed. The sea was
still womewhat agitated, but Iesuming
gradually its ordinary tranquility; but
the effect along the coast as far as we can
learn has been severe. At Mallendo 800
feet of railway which runs along the shore
was destroyed by the wave. AT lilo the
town and railway were also seriously
damaged, although no loss of life is re-
ported. The steamer Santa Rosa left Ari-
ca on the evening of the 9th, and reports
that when a few moments under way eX-
perienced shock of an earthquake, and
saw tidal wave setting in toward to
shore. At Arequipa a strong shock was
felt, but the project telegraphs that no
damage was inflicted on the city. From
the south we can receive no further in
telligence in time for transmission by this
opportunity. The fact of the cable not
working leads us to believe that some
great calamity may have befallen the
southern ports. In such case, at the guano
deposits of Pabillon de Plea and Guar1l-
los, where from eighty to one hundred
ships are loading, the catastrophe must
have been immense.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
The Panama Star has the following adj
ditional intelligence showing the extent
of the devastation: The steamer John
Elder arrived at Callao from Valparaiso
on the 18th. By her we have news that
the destructive tidal wave reported as hay
ing been experienced at Callao and ports
to the north thereof was known to have
extended as tar south as the northern
boundary of Chill, but how much further
south was not known, as communication
by cable had been interrupted. The
Elder reports the almost complete de-
struction of Antofagasta, Iquiqui, AFRICA,
Tambode Marc, Pabellon de Plea, and lilo.
Although severe shocks of earthquake
were felt, they caused but little damage.
The destruction of life and property was
owing entirely to the frightful upheaval
| and ingress of the sea.
A gentleman who arrived by the TruX-
lilo informs us that the fiourishing town
| vi IHulqul, tuC lplihNipal pun Aoi hANi't
shipments, is left as complete ruin now
as it was after the frighful earthquake
| and inundation of 1868.
At africa the sea washed over the hill
back of the church, and destroyed much
/ valuable property. The wreck of the
| United States steamer Wateree, WHICH was
carried inland couple of miles by the
tidal-wave of 1876, was again floated, and
carried a mile or two farther up the coast.
The lower part of Antopagasta, which is
part of the celebrated Caracoles mining
district in Bolivia, is reported completely
destroyed. The smelling and other
works near the shore were all swept away.
The shipping at Pabellon de Plea and
the guano deposits suffered severely, and
some half dozen fine vessels are reported
ashore and complete wrecks.
The sea in some places is stated to have
risen over sixty feet.
With the meagre and unsatisfactory re-
ports that have reached us it isimpossible
to form any fair estimate of the result of
this terrible visitation. But, making all
due allowance for exaggerated statements
we cannot but believe that the destruction
of life and property has been enormous.
| Whether the tidal wave extended further
south than Antopagasta and with what
RESULT it is impossible to know. We may
at any moment receive further particu-
lars by way of Valparaiso and the trans
Andine telegraph and Brazilian cables to
Europe. Between 600 and 500 lives are
said to have been lost