The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-10-31
ASIA MINOR.
Particulars of the Recentj Earthquake
SMYRNA in Ruins-A Tale of Terror
Christian Sufferers Afforded Little or
No Assistance.

LONDON, Oct. 30.-News received here is that
ever since the great earthquake of two weeks
ago, there has been constantly recul ring sue
cession of shocks in all directions from Con-
stantinople making circle of earthquakes of
which that city seems to be the geographical
centre, yet the centre has not been shaken in
the slightest degree. Following are the particu-
lars Of the earthquakes on the coast of Asia
Minor:
Soon after the sun came up the sky became
suddenly overcast, and great black clouds
rolled up from the eastern horizon with great
rapidity, in few moments forming a complete
inky canopy where there had been clear blue
There was very sudden depression of the
barometer, and many animals and birds be-
came alarmed and took quick flight. Then the
vibrations began to increase in violence and
frequency. Ten clearly defined shocks are
waves then became almost continuous, extend
ing from northeast to southwest. AS they
continued, building after building tottered.
and about IL o'clock, at which hour the shocks
for some unexplained reason, are always most
severe, there came most tremendous crash,
and the entire destruction Of the town seemed
imminent. The walls of Smyrna, which have
been standing since the days of the crusade
were completely demolished With them
many of the remains OF ancient Smyrna have
D0on uoSbkUyou no TollCS OI bu0 L6mpl6
within the castle enclosure are now destroyed,
and the stadium in which st. Polycarp suf-
fered martyrdom is lost to sight. The ruins of
the antique smosque, said to have been the
primitive church of Smyrna, which stood with
In the castle walls, have fallen.
Some distance to the south of the city the
ancient aqueduct which crosses the Meles
river. and which is intimately connected with
the name Of Homer, is entirely destroyed.
The palace of Hab Zoomar, the pasha, is in
min foil ma a41d 4fxFfpn nIton IN
the city only one is left standing uninjured.
AL the others have been either entirely or
partially destroyed. The large Roman Calh.
oic cathedral, which was somewhat damaged
two weeks ago, is now SO much injured that it
will require an enormous sum to put it IN re-
pair. All the mission houses have been al
most completely ruined. The stations along
the line of the Smyrna and Alden Railway are
all in ruins, and the tracks are twisted into
such shapes that it is thought new lines will
have to be run.
The destruction of property and life in the
outlying country and in the districts remote
from Smyrna has been very large. All along
the western coast OF the peninsula the shocks
were SO severe as to change the formation OF
the land in many places. Some Of the deep
bay, with bold projecting peninsulas and ISL
ands, have been almost Allied up by great land
slides which came tearing down the steep.
declivities with the water, sweeping before
them every habitation. Cos Island, Samos,-
western coast of Anatolia, in the Egean sea,
were all severely shaken up, and there was
large loss OF life and property on Samos and
Lesbos, while the other two suffered much
less. One Of the most curious things about
this severe action of nature was that of Chios,
whore the destruction was the greatest two
weeks ago. and which lies only few miles
from Smyrna and in close proximity to the
other islands affected, this time suffered only
a slight tremor. All along the Taurus range
tremendous chasms have been made. The
long ridges of black vocanic rock, in the
midst of which are many platforms and table
lands, and upon which the rock terrace rose
one above another and terminated at the crest
in conical summit, have been SO disrupted that
they are thrown into unacceptable shapes.
One of the peaks of the Bulghar-Dagh was
shaken off and descended into the valley with
tremendous force, gathering unto itself huge
masses OF earth until, before it spent itself, it
became great landslide. Part of the village
OF ,Mezetli was buried under it, and some
eighty or ninety Kards perished in their huts
The whole country around the Gulf of In
kanderun, was badly torn up and many lives
lost there.
Along the coast of Greece the shocks Satur-
day were very severe and caused great loss of
life and property, At Capan Viola many
buildings were thrown down, and some 80 per-
sons killed. while l25 more were severely in
jured. At Mistra some 20 people were
killed and double that number injured. Mo-
nembasia also suffered considerable loss in
both property and life.
ATHENS, Oct. 80 The suffering of the people
at and in the neighborhood OF Chesme in
crease daily Fever has appeared and thr eat
ems to complete the work OF the recent earth
quake. The Turkish physicians in attendance
are unskilled and careless They despse
Christian sufferers and offer them little or no
assistance. Urgent appeals for aid Lave been
raadesby the airesk authorities.