Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-06-22


cede from the beach, and wave from
ten to fifteen feet high rolled up on
shore, carrying all before it. Eight
times this assault was repeated by the
ocean, and four miles Of the embankment
Of the railway melted away like sand.
Locomotives, cars and rails we're hurled
about by the sea like so many playthings
and left in tumbled mass
Iquique was built of wood and cane,
and tumbled down at the first onset. The
lamps we're broken, and the burning oil
spreading over the debris started a gen
eral connagration Three companies of
firemen were instantly at their posts, al
though it was difficult to maintain an
upright position. Shock followed shock
with dreadful regularity. To procure
water the two best fre-engines were sta
toned on the beach. just then the cry
arose: 1.-THE seal" "The scar the waves
rushed in, the engines were carried out
by the reflux and the fire continued un-
appeased. Three elements of destruc-
tion were busy at one moment, fire,
water and the earthquake. The af-
frighted people left the city to its fate,
flying to neighborlng eminences. The
fire destroyed large portion of the town,
the earthquake leveled nearly all the
rest, and the water covers the ruins which
it took out in its rehux. The water.con-
densers along the shore are ruined with
irreparable loss for lquique, as no porta-
BILE water is found there. Nearly 400,-
600 quintals of nitrate at Iquique and ad
iacent parts of Molle and Pisaqua we're
destroyed. A small loss of life took
Aoh fov in o1l
the coasting craft and small boats in the
harbor were broken to pieces, as in Ari-
ca. The robbery of goods lying in the
streets was attempted, but the guard of
citizens took such severe measures that
the robbers were speedily checked.
Away up on the Pampos, eleven miles
from Iquique, the splendid nitrate estab-
lishment, La Nueva Carolina" was
completely destroyed. The sufferings
of the people of Iquique were intense.
The absence of water and the destruc-
tion of their principal stores added to
their hardships. The estimated damage
done in Iqmque will amount to nearly
1000, 900 soles.
Chanavaya, little town at q guano-
loading deposit known as Pabellon de
Plea, with 400 houses, has only two now
standing Here the earthquake was fol-
lowed by fire. There were no fire-en-
gines in town and the sea came in and
extinguished the flames, but as it retired
it carried off all that remained of the
place. In one of the guano cuttings
thirty laborers we're buried by the falling
earth. Amongst the shipping the havoc
was terrible. The town of Tarapaca,
two or three leagues inland, and the viii
lagos of Picamantllla and Canchones
were more or less ruined. The loss of
life is reported as not being great. The
earthquake was especially severe at
Chanavaya. The earth opened fifteen
metres in depth, and the whole surface of
the ground At least 200 people were
killed. Bodies were floating in the bay
and pestilence is feared. The people
passed the night in the hills Thieves
began to rob, when the troops fired upon
them, killing several.
At Huanillos, another gusno-loading
station, the damage inflicted was fear
! full All the houses were destroyed, the
guano cuts have fallen in, and, as al
Pabellon, all loading must be suspended
for at least two months. The wave
which succeeded the earthquake and
completed the work of destruction was
nearly sixty feet in height. Many yes
sells were lost here, together with several
of those on board. In short, everything
except a few huts at the back of the
town have been destroyed.
At Mexiliones the tidal wave was six
ty-fve feet in height. Two-thirds of the
town were completely obliterated. The
guano-shoots, wharves, launches, boats
water-distilleries, railway station, loco
motives, cars and furniture were al
swallowed up.
Six persons were drowned at Teocopil
la. Little or nothing remains of the
town. The mine called La Pena Blanca
four miles to the southwark, sank in,
smothering 300 workmen, of whom forty
were Cornish miners.
Cobija, the principal town on the Bo
livian coast, has lost three-fourths of it!
houses. The wave was thirty-fve fee
high and swept along the main business
street, and left it as level as desert
The wharves and launches were all car
ried out to sea.
AS soon as this lamentable intelligence
reached Lima the Government chartered
steamer and organized a relief commits
sion. They loaded the vessel with pro
visions, clothing, ETC., together with so,
600 gallons of water and dispatched he
on the 10th for the south. One hundre'
thousand soles in silver coin also formet
part of her cargo, to be Distribute
amongst the unfortunates.
Subscriptions are being made in Lin
and Callao for the relief of the distressed
Northern parts of Peru were damage
but little, although the sea was runnin
remarkably high. The Captain of tn
steamer John Elder reports that whe
twenty-three miles west of Antofagasta
coming at full speed, his ship was CON
pletely stopped by the shock of the earth
quake, and she remained almost station
ary for five minutes. The passenger
believing that she had struck, sounding
= were taken Immediately, but no bottor
was found at twenty fathoms.