Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-04-16

"Details eriss Terrible Rav.ses.

! the 9TH inst, telegraphs as follows:
Ihave just arrived here from Con-
stantinople, and find picture of des-
olation such as is rarely witnessed.
The town looks as fit had been ter
ribly bombarded. Hundreds ofhouses
are transformed into shapelass mass
of ruins, under which lie buried an
unknown number of vistims.
The majority of the remaining
houses are already cracked and roof
less, and may fall at any moment.
Nearly every building in the town
has suffered more or less. The in
habitants wander about anxious to
search for missing relatives and lost
property but are afraid to risk their
lives in the perilous work of clearing
away the rubbish. Many who are
willing to expose themselves to dan
ger are prevented by friends or the
police.
! Fear, grief and despair are depict
ed Oh every face. All have some sad
or tragic tale to tell. The first shock
was felt on Sunday afternoon at
about half-past one o'clock. Imme-
diately the houses began to fall, wild
shrieks were heard on every side, and
| then followed an awful silence of some
minutes. Terrified survivors gradu-
ally ventured iuto narrow lane and
reached open spaces.
Shortly atterward another terrible
shock completed the devastation,
when it remained quiet until sunset
when it again began to shake the is
! land throughout as severely as before.
| All night long shocks succeeded each
other at short intervals, and each one
was preceded by dull sorpds like sub
terranean explosions. Since that fire.
quent shocks have been felt. A few
minutes ago. while writing the pres
ent dispatch, distinctly heard an en-
plosion like the sound and felt the
earth tremble. but as am under can
vas | have nothing to fear. The old
Geonese fortress. containing 400
houses, inhabited by Musselmen and
Jews, suffered more than the rest OF
the town. Ground there sunk about
half a metre, and nearly all the houses
were immediately destroyed and sew
9 eral hundred persons must have per-
ishcd.
About thirty Mussulmans, armed,
were assembled in one of the houses
nol one whom escaped. The south
ern part nf the island is said to have
suffered more than this town. Hel
| Maiesty's gun vessel Bitters arrived
here this morning.
The captain at once came ashore
and after consulting with the governor
l of the island. organized relief parties
l for tending to the wounded and ex
l Treating bodies from the ruins. He
then went to Chesm and made careful
inquiries regarding the state Of the
town and its inhabitants. Tomorrow
he intends visiting the southern par
of the island, whereless has been don,
for the sufferers.
] visited the chasm this afternoon
, only about ten inhabitants were killet
but many houses are inruins and yer,
many more are dilapidated. Thu
c mayor assured me that three quarter
:, of the houses are in dangerous con
: dtion. The inhabitants are afraid t.
Il live even in those which are uninjure'
Y for ever since last Sunday frequer
l. shocks have been felt.
y Nearly all prefer to camp out as til
Is weather is fine; the hardship in thi
Is respect is not great. 1t is said thu
D. throughout tlle district not less tina
to $4,000 people are without shelter.
If kostro the work of extracting bOdi'
&c and attending the wounded Is progre
&c sing satisfactorily, but the sitting ODD
B. in the vicinity of many OF the ruiz
j. shows that the former operation is +;
at from complete.
ed On the other hand some wonderf
ly escapes have occurred. One woma
OF was buried under the ruins for fit
as two hours and at last was rescue