The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-06-12
Further Account of the
Earthquake and Tidal
Wave on Southern
Pacific Coast.
Great Destruction Of Prop
erty and Serious Loss
of Life.
Heavy Floods in Nebraska.
Heavy Floods in Nebraska.
Failure in Boston Dry
Goods Trade.
Lightning Speed ofthe Fast
Trains.
The Great Tidal Wave.

The Great Tidal Wave.
NEW YORK, June 1.-THE Star ana
Herald, of Panama, received to-day, has
details OF the disasters and destruction
caused on the South Pacific coast BY the
earthquake and tidal wave OF May 9th
The towns of africa, lnlqui, Psnts de
L4bos, Habelloe, DE Plea, Chsnayona,
SusnslIss, To CopIllo, Cobljs, Mejilones,
De Balria, Autof4gasta and Chsralsl
are nearly sll destroye ed. About six
hundred lives were lest. The destruction
OF property is estimated at $4,000, con.
fined mostly to the coast, although the
town of Tarspsco, twenty-three leagues
inland, and the villages of Picamstilla
and Carrohsnez, far in the interior, are
more or less ruined. The shipping of
Gusno from southern deposits will be in
definitely suspended, as all the facilities
in the way OF launches, chutes, wharves,
water condensers and buildings of all
kinds have been swept away. The de-
struction of and damage to the shipping
has been very great, and was attended by
very serious loss OF life.
At lilo the railroad train was injured.
At africa the people were preparing
temporary tortltcatlon to repel the
threatened assault of the rebel ram,
Hauscar al the very moment when the
roar OF the earthquake WAS heard. The
shocks were very numerous and caused
immense damage. The sea Was sud
denly perceived to recede from
the bescn, and a wave from ten to
fifteen ieet higa rolled upon the shore,
carrying all before it. Eight times WAS
this assault OF the ocean repeated, and
four miles Of the embankment of the rail-
road melted away ike SAND. LOCUnu-
lives, cars and rails were hurled about
like SO many playthings and lett tum-
bled mass OF rubbish. The United States
steamer Waterce, stranded by the wave
OF 1865, was lifted bodily aud tiosted two
miles north of her old position. The
cable buoy WAS moved quarter OF n
mile northward. Merchandise from the
custom house and stores was carried i've
miles distant. The damage done WAS
greater than that OF 1868. The earth
quake has levelled the custom house,
the railway station, submarine cable
office, hotel, British consulate, steamer
agency and many private houses. The
people passed the night on the hills. The
thieves began TO rob, when the troops
fired on them, killing and wounding
several.
Iauiqui, built of wood and cane, ,tum-
bled down at the first onset. The lamps
were broken and the burning oil spread
over the debris started general con-
tlsgration. The lhree companies OF hre-
men were instantly NJ their posts, and
although it WAS difficult 10 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 seal" and
the waves rushed il. The en-
zines were carried out by the rehuX
and the fire continued unopposed. Three
elements of destruction were busy st one
momeht-irc, water and the earthquake.
The atfrlghted people left the city TO Its
fate, fyir Z TO the ueIghbring emnenceS
The lire destroyed large portl)n OF the
town, the earthquake leve.ed nearly Gil
the rest, and the water covers the ruins,
which 1t took out IN the redlx. The wa
ter condensers along the shore ale ruined,
an Irreparablc loss Tor lquiqui, ss no
palstabe water Is found there. Near
iy 100000 quinta.' OF nitrate
at loulqui and adjacent points OF the
u
small loss of lie took place, probably tea
persons IN all. Tne cossvng craft and
small boats in the harbOr were broken TO
rleces As in Africa, the robbery OF
goods lying in the streets Wa attempted,
but the guard of citizens took such Sc
we're measures tbsl the robbers were
speedily checked. Away up Oh the Pan
ipos. eleven miles from lquiqIl, the
-plendid nitrate establishment OF La
Nuena Carolina WAS completely de-
struved. The sutferIngs Of The
people OF IQuiqui were intense. The
absence of water and the destruction OF
the principal stores sddrd to their hard
ships. Itis estimated that the damage
done in Iquiqui amounts to near
4 600, 900 .oles. Chanovaba, and little
town q. glsno loading dePos't known
As Pabelou De PIcs, with forty houses,
has only two standing. Here the earth
Quake was followed Dy IRE ard there
were no fire engines IN the town and the
sea came in and extingulshed The tanes,
but as II retired 1. carried
of al, that remained OF the place. In
one ofthe guapo cuttings thirty lsborers
were blr.el by falling earth. Amongst the
shipping tie havoc Was terrible. Inc
town of TsrspscO, twenty or thirty
leagues INLAND, and the villages oil Plea
Ma,ills and Canchose were more or less
ruined. The loss OF life Is reported Is
not being great. The earthquake was
especially severe st Chsnsvshs Inc
esr,h opened fifteen metres in depth,
and the whole surface OF the ground
changed. A. least two hundred people
were killed. The b)dies were + Jsting IN
the bay, and pest !ence was
fesred. At Husnstilos, smother gusno
loading station, damage was dsne
fearfully. All the houses were destroyed
the guiana cuts having fallen IN and s.
at Pabsllon. al loading must be suspend
ed for AZ least two months. The wave
which succeeded the earthquake and
completed the work of destruction Wss
nearly 90 ieet il height. Many vessels
were destroyed here together with sew
ersl of those on board. In short every.
thing except few huts at the back OF
the town have been destroyed. At Mex
eltonss the tidal wave was 6o feet highi