The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1877-06-19
Earthquakes and Tidal Waves Oh the
Coast::Of SOtuh America.

New York, June 1.-The Star and
Herald of Panama. has the details OF the
disaster and destruction caused on the
South Pacific Coast, by the earthquake
and tidal wave of May the 9th. More
than dozen towns were almost entirely
destroyed, and several others, far in the
interior. more or less ruined About six
hundred lives were lost. The destruction
of property is estimated ut twenty mill
ion dollars, The destruction Of and the
damage to shipping has been very great
The shocks of the earthquakes were very
numerous, and caused immense damage
The sea was suddenly perceived to recede
from the beach, and wave from ten to
fifteen feet high rolled up on the shore,
carrying all before it. Eight times was
repeated this assault of the ocean, and
four miles of embankment and railway
melted away like sand. Locomotives
cars and rails were hurled around by the
sea like so muny playthings, and left in
a tumbled mass of rubbish.
The damage done was greater than
that OF the calamity Of 1858 The PEG.
pie passed the night on the hills. Thieves
began to rob, when the troops fred upon
them, killing and wounding several.
Iquique, which was built of wood and
cane, tumbled down. At the first onse,
the lamps were broken, and the burning
oil, spreading over the debris, started q
general conHagrution Three companies
| of firemen were instantly Ut their posts
although it was difficult to maintan an
upright position, shock following shock
with dreadful irreguarity. To procure
water, the two best fire engines were sta
toned on the beach. Just then the cry
arose, " The sea the seal and the IT,
dial waves rushed in. The engines were
carried out by re1ux, and the fire contn
ued unoppcsed. Three elements of de
strnction were busy at one moment-fre,
water and earthquake. The atfrighted
people left the city to its fate, flying to
the ncighboring emnences. and the fire
destroyed large portion OF the town
The earthquake leveled nearly all the
rest, and the water covers ruins which il
took out in its refiux The water con
densers along the shore are ruined--an
irreparable loss for Iquique, as no pala
table water is found there.
Oharavaya, little town at the guano
loading deposit, known as Pobellon De
plea, with four hundred houses, has only
two standing. Here tho earthquake was
followed by fire. There were no fire.
engines in the town, and the sea came in
and xti4guished the flames. blt as it re
tired it carried off all that remained of
the place. Among the shipping the havoc
was terrible. The town OF Parapoco,
two or three leagues inland, and the vii
lage of Peca, Matilda, and Canchones,
were more or less ruined, the loss Of life
being reported as not great.
The earthquake was especially severe
at Charavaya; the earth opened fifteen
metres In depth, and the whole surface OF
the ground was changed At least two
hundred people were killed. Bodies wore
floating in the bay, and pestilence 10
feared The wave which succeeded the
earthquake, and completed the work OF
destruction, was nearly sixty feet in
height A mine, called Lapena' Blanca,
four miles southwark, fell in and smoth
cred two hundred workmen, Of whom
forty were Cornish miners. Cobijah. the
principal town on the Bolivian coast, has
lost three fourth of its houses. The
wave thirty five feet high, swept along tho
main business street, and left it as level
rs desert.