The Hawaiian gazette., 1880-10-06
Aalttaiiail Gazftte.
WEDNESDAY, OOTOBER 8, lssI


The Great Earthquake nc Manila
The following account Of the recent earthquake
at Manila, we clip from the Japar Gazsffe:
MANILA, July z0th.-Manila has again been the
scene of these frghtful geological phenomena thai
from time to time afilict these Islands: fortu-
nately the hour it occurred between ~ midday and
O'Clock in the afternoon OF the l6tn, saved Us
from calamity which compared with that of 1858
would have been terrible to contemplate. As now
write every hour we are feeling slight Shocks
and the general opinion Is they are far rom
finished, as from past experience we look for more
shocks for days to come, and perhaps may nave
heavy one to end up with. The sight is imposing,
and the effect it has upon the observer who has
felt the shocks. and wanders through the town
seeing the ruinous state that many buildings are
in one can but realize the danger that yet sur
rounds us on every side The frightened, termed
look of the people going through the streets, tine
slightest noise being sufficient to startle and set
every soul running out of the houses to the middle
of the streets and TO the squares, every slight
shock of the earth strikes terror into the soul OF
every one, each and eyery one expecting unnearu s
rushing out into the country, into the native hut
and last night heard that a native asked Tor ms
hut, about feet square, $40 night from family
who had escaped from fallen house, saving only
what they stood in. The terror that overcame the
inhabitants at the moment of the heavy shock 1t
is not possible to describe. The movement of the
earth was such as to deprive people OF the use OF
their feet even the coolest and bravest who did
not for a moment lose their presence of mind,
fnnd Il varv difiicult 10 keen ON their legs then
the laundering noise of the falling buildings the
dust rising in thick clouds where the ruins fell,
causad MANY reopie to cry out: Fire Fire This
cansed agony mon agony, and the terror-struck
natives principally the women) threw themselves
on the ground and, praying aloud, called upon
their God in the most heart-rending tones. It was
altoether SCENE the longest life can never efface
from memory. am irving to brace my nerves
and write plainly but with the earth moving from
YOUR feet every now and then it is hardly possible
10 do more than make yourself understood, 80
hone Won win make out the letter.
fhe loss of life and accidents TO persons may be
fortunately considered very small taxing into con-
sideratior the force of the shocks this Is owing
10 the hour at which it occurred. Had they hap
pened at night, nothing could have saved us from
general confagratlon, as all the houses being
lighted up and the majority with kerosene OIL,
none would have stopped to put out fallen lamp,
and thus we should have had fire set to every fallen
building
The first shocks were slight and gave time for
people to run out of the houses to places OF
security.
The length of time the shocks continued con
secutively was from seventy to eighty seconds
they were very much more severe than 1853, as
well as being much more prolonged had they
finished as in '63 with a rotatory motion, not a
house would have been found standing after the
shocks. To private property losses must be i'm
mense, as the streets are all more or less covered
with ruins from the buildings, and many houses
roofs have fallen in, while not stone or tile has
dropped in the streets--complete collapses. Many
are In such ruinous state that 1t would require
but very ordinary shock to bring them TO the
ground-the vehicles are not allowed to pass
through some of the most dangerous parts of the
town. and the authorities have been to the fore
with most praiseworthy energy; sending out the
troops and police to examine the interiors of all
dwelling houses for the wounded or otherwise;
the engineers to survey and examine the interior
of the houses ordering out the inhabitants where
danger existed, and taking all necessary precau-
lions, as to medical attendance, for those who
Up to the present time there are reported 10
dead and 20 wounded among the latter Mr.. Park
er, the bookkeeper of Messrs. Peele, Hubble Co.,
upon whom fell the ruins of the back part of their
dwelling house, breaking his arm In four places,
and SO severely wounding him in the face that 1t
is feared he will lose ono eye. Looking upon this
sad catastrophe from commercial point of view.
the losses in produce must be enormous, above all
in sugar. visited severol of the largest claying
and found them in a most ruinous
state The immense godowns of Chudian Buena-
ventura & Co.. are all RACED to the ground, and the
sugar they were filed all buried in the ruins.
Where we could see the posts of sugar houses most
of them appeared almost bottom upward this will
give an idea of the movement of the earthquake.
The loss outside of the value of the buildings must
be many thousands of dollars of course all clay
inc is stopped until they rebuild the godowns
Commencing from the Escolta and taking the side
or bank of the river, there is scarcely building
that has not suffered more or less, as far as the
heavier class of buildings reaches the end of San
Miguel The distillery chimney and portion of roof
have fallen the Luzon Sugar Refinery-the largest
godown fallen no damage to machine, loss slight
GUS state, and all the hands out in compound,
where they have erected temporary mat-huts, fear
ing to sleep under the tiled roofs.
The next sugar claying works to the Sugar Re-
finery has suffered fearfully, both in San Miguel
and their other works in Contuti, which are nearly
all to the ground this is the same firm that suf-
fered so largely from the Zamboanga fire last year.
Next comes the admiraIs office and dwelling
house the upper part has all fallen in, and the
admiral his wife and servants were all entangled
in the ruins with the exception of the lady refer
red to, no personal damage was however sustained,
All the handsome buildings along the San Miguel
road hove suffered, both roofs and walls. Barrette
& Co.'S enQineers' shop and large godowns are in a
runous state but happily their dwelling house has
stood well and sustained very little damage. You
will see by the papers the details of damage to
which Is estimated at about 81 100000 as
Is at pre- ent known 1t is to be hoped that the
authorities will in future not allow the style
hitherto adopted in buildings, bnt compel proprie
tors even in their own interests to change the style
of architecture for lighter and more secure build
1ngs II the Government were to commence on
their own buildings, the example would be praise
worthy
The view during the earthquake from the vessels
in the river. was, as described by an eyewitness
something to be seen to be appreciated The rock
inc to and fro of the buiIdincs was somethinp ter
rifc-the vessels moving about and humping each.
other as though in a heavy seaway the water of
the river bubbling up and mixed with the black
mud of the river. was all the color of ink; hun
dretis of people rushed off to the ships and remain
ed ali night In the bay the same bubbling ap-
pearance was observable on the water,and the
shock was distinctly felt ON board the ships; the
waters depth close in shore has been Swallowed
some four feet In some ulaces. Most of the En-
gIish houses have suffered the offices being com
5lete wreck. some eodowns having fallen in and
In fact ali buildiups have more or less the indelibIe
We may all thank Divine Providence that we