St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-11-10
q G.:EAT UPHEAVAL.

History in Isuins-The Neighboring Hills
Violently Shaken and the Face OF the
Country Changed-Great Loss of Life,
and Untold Suffering the Result-The
Entire Population of Asia Minor in a
Condition of Terror.
CoNSTANTINoPLE, Oct. 20.
The earthquake shock experienced at
Smyrna yesterday was far moro serious
than was reported-in fact no idea at all of
the disaster has been conveyed to the
United States by the meager reports sent
out. In fact this has been the case concern
ing the series of upheavals of nature that
have been going on in this quarter Of the
world.
Ever since the great earthquake Of two
weeks ago there has been constantly re-
curing succession of shocks in all direc-
tions from this city, making circle of
earthquakes of which Constantinople seems
to be the geographical center, yet the CEN
ter has not been shaken in the slightest de.
gree. The reports which have been brought
every day by Arabs from the desert, Chris
tians on their tours, and sailors coming in
on ships, have created considerable alarm
here, and some of the Inhabitants Of the
city have made preparations for hasty
flight from the sections where buildings are
put up closely together. There seems to be
little ground for fear that any disaster will
result here from the earthquake.
The shocks seem to have followed the
mountain chain extending from Java be-
meath the sea to and through Asia Minor,
and thence on to the southern part of Rus.
STA, continuing westward through Southern
Europe to Gibraltar and the sea coast.
The dispatches sent from here by the
agent of Reuters Telegram Company about
the disasters have been meager and unsatis.
factory. Those wired to the Central News
Company were somewhat fuller, but
neither have given any idea Of the real ex-
tent of the earthquake and the enormous
damage to property resulting therefrom.
Rumors have been received here that Sc
we're earthquakes have been felt in Europe
during the past week, and it is thought that
IL such have occurred, as is highly proba.
BILE, they have been caused ny the greater
eruptions in Java, which seem to have been
the terrible beginning Of phenomenally
long series of similar disasters which have
not yet reached their height.
Hundreds of Europeans and Americans
are coming in from all over Asia Minor
and some from other sections, all fright.
ened by earthquakes, and flying in fear of
their lives.
Advices from Smyrna say that all
through Anatolia the inhabitants have
been leaving their homes and seeking
places of greater safety; that their fears
were well-grounded the developments of
the past forty-eight hours show. Saturday
might the shocks, which have been of daily
occurrence for the past fifteen days, became
quite severe, and before daylight nearly all
the people in the shaken district had left
their homes. Soon after the sun came up,
the sky became suddenly overcast, and
great black clouds rolled up from the east
with great rapidity, in a few moments
forming complete inky canopy where
there had been clear blue. There was very
sudden. depression of the barometer and
many animals and birds became alarmed
and took quick fight. Then the vibrations
began to increase In violence and FREE
quency. Ten clearly defined shocks were
said to have occurred before nine O'Clock.
The waves then became almost continuous,
extending from northeast to southwest
As they continued building after build
ing tottered, and about eleven o'clock, at |
which hour the shocks for some unex-
planned reason are most severe, there came |
a most tremendous crash and the entire de-
struction of the city seemed imminent. The |
walls OF Smyrna, which have been stand |
ing since the time OF the Crusaders, were
completely demolished and with them
many of the remains of ancient Smyrna |
have been destroyed. On the Castle Hill |
some large fragments Of ancient columns
were thrown down and smashed into small |
pieces, and many of the handsome monu-
ments in the great Turkish cemetery were
also broken. The remainder Of the old |
walls built around the old castle on the hill |
are gone and the remains of the old castle
itself are now only heap of marble frag-
ments and small stones. The relics of the I
temple within the castle enclosure are now
destroyed, and the station in which ST. 4
Polycarp suffered martyrdom is lost to
sight. Numerous columns, busts, cornices
and other fragments built in the walls of
the Turkish town are broken into bits. The
ruins Of the Antique mosque, said to have
been the primitive church of Smyrna,
which stood within the castle walls, have
fallen.
Some distance to the south of the city the
ancient aqueduct which crosses the Meles
with the memory OF Homer, is entirely de.
stroyed. The palace of Hob Zoamar, the
Pasha, is In ruins. or all the mosques and
churches in the city only one is left stand.
ing uninjured; all others have been entire
ly or partially destroyed. The large Roman
Catholic cathedral which was somewhat
damaged two weeks ago is now 50 much in.
jured 1t will require an enormous sum to
repair it AL the mission houses have been
almost completely ruined, and the mission
aries In Constantinople and elsewhere will
have to contribute to the support OF their
brothers in distress till relief can be had
from England and America.
The British military hospital is shaken [
down, but the few patients under treatment
had been moved before the great crash
came. OF the many coffee-houses near
Caravan bridge, over the Meles, only two
are left standing; the Office Of the French
was completely ruined, and the
publisher will be unable to resume bust /
ness.
The stations along the line Of the Smyrna ,
q Alden Railway are all in ruins, and the
tracks are twisted into such shape that it !
is thought new lines will have to be run. !
The iron palisade surrounding the barracks
on the shore is thrown down and the bar
racks themselves very badly damaged.
Some of the city officers removed the head / ]
Of Apollo from over one OF tho gates and the I
Roman eagle from over another on Satur. {