The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-06-22
A MIGHTY UPHEAYAL.

One Thousand People Swept to Instant De-
struction-The Property Loss Estimated at
over $50, 200, 900.
From the Star and Herald, of Pana-
ma, we CLEAN the following details of the
disasters and destruction caused on the
South Pacific coast by the earthquake
and tidal wave of May 9, brief mention
of which has been heretofore made in
these columns:
The towns of africa, Iquique, Ponta de
Labos, Pabello de Plea, Chanavaya,
Huamalies, Teocapilla, Cobija, Megil-
Canaralal are nearly all destroyed
About 600 lives were lost. The destruc-
ton of property is estimated at 500, 00O,-
600, confined mostly to the coast of
Tarapaca, twenty three leagues inland,
and the villages of Picamatilla and Can
chones far in the interior, are more or
less ruined. The shipping of guano
from the southern deposits will be in
definitely suspended, as all facilities in
the way of launches, shutes, wharves,
water-condensers, and buildings of all
kinds have been swept away. The de-
struction of and damage to shipping has
been very great, and was attended by
very serious loss of life.
At Mallendy the railway was torn up
by the sea 300 feet, and at Ilo the rail-
way was also injured. At africa the
people were preparing temporary fortiti-
cations to repel the threatened assault
of the rebel ram Hauscar at the very
moment when the roar of the earthquake
was heard. The shocks were very
,N,,D,a,.o,,a o,,I ooroaJ ,pnp,aOoa Hornama
The sea was suddenly perceived to recede
from the beach and wave from ten to
fifteen feet high rolled upon the shore,
carrying all before it. Eight times was
repeated this assault of the ocean, and
four miles of the embanlSment of the
railway melted away like sand. Locomo-
tives, cars and rails were hurried about
by the sea like so many playthings, and
left in tumbled mass of rubbish. The
United States steamer Wateree, stranded
in 1868, was lifted bodily and foated two
miles north of her old position. The
cable buoy was moved quarter of a
mile northwards. Merchandise from the
Custom House and stores was carried
five miles distant.
The damage done was greater than
that of the calamity of 1868. The earth
quake had leveled the Custom House,
railway station, submarine cable office,
hotel, British Consulate, the 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.
Iquique, built of wood and cane,
tumbled down at the first onset The
lamps were broken, and the burning oil
spreading over the debris started gen.
eral conhagration. Three companies of
firemen were instantly at their posts, al
though it was difficult to maintain an
upright position, shock following shock
with dreadful regularity. To procure
water. the two best fire engines were sta
toned on the beach. Just then the cry
arose. "The sea. the sea !" and the
waves rushed in. The engines were car
ried out by the refux, and the fire con-
tinued unopposed. Three elements of
destruction were busy Mt one moment
fire, water, and the earthquake. The
affrighted people left the city to its fate,
flying to the neighboring eminences.
The fire destroyed large portion of the
town, the earthquake leveled nearly all
the rest, and water covers the ruins
which it took out in its rehux. The
water-condensers along the shore are
ruined. This is an irreparable loss for
Iquique, as no potable water is found
there Nearly 400,000 quintals of nj
trate at Iquique and the adjacent ports
of Molle and Pisaqua were destroyed. A
small loss of life took place, prob
ably ten in ALL Coasting craft
and small boats in the harbor were
broken to pieces. AS in africa, robbery
of goods lying in the streets was attempt
ed, but the guards of citizens took such
severe measures that the robbers were
speedily checked.
Away up on the pampas, eleven miles
from Iquique, the splendid nitrate estab-
Eshment, LA Neuva Carolina" was
completely destroyed.
The sufferings of the people of Iqui-
que were intense. The absence of water
and the destruction of their principal
stores added to their hardships. 1t is
estimated that the damage done in Iqui-
que will amount to nearly 1000, 900
soles.
Chanavaya, little town at the guano
NtDOblO 40 Il dDtllO ut'
Plea, with 400 houses. has only two
standing Here the earthquake was fol-
lowed by fire. There were no fire.
engines in the 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 were buried by the fall
ing earth. Among the shipping the
havoc was terrible.
The town of Tarapaca, two or three
leagues inland, and the villages of Plea
matilda and Canchones are 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
meters in depth, and the whole surface
of the ground changed. AT least 200
people were killed. Bodies were float
ing in the bay, and pestilence was
feared. At Huamalies, guano-loading
station, the damage inflicted was fearful
All the houses were destroyed. The
guano cuts have fallen in, and, as at Pa
bello, all the loading must be suspended
for at least two months. The wave which
succeeded the earthquake, and completed