New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1884-10-22
Encouragement Of the helm. Wash
InOtOu Star.
A Quake That Was . Quake.

There is at present stopping in this
city an aged gentleman. who has spent
the greater part Of seventy five years Of
an unusually adventurous life abroad.
The gentleman name is A. D. Hol-
comb, and he is now on his way east to
end his days, as he says, amid the
scenes Of his youth, after an absence OF
q quarter Of a century. In view. OF the
interest recently excited in earth-
quakes in the United States, Call re-
porter visited Mr.. Holcomb and asked
him to relate some of his experiences
during South American shocks. 81
will tell you, > said he, s.of the de-
struction of the city of Conception.
The day was burning one. In the
afternoon slight shock Of earthquake
occurred, but nothing was thought OF
it. AS night approached the heat APP
peared to become more intense. re-
tired to my hammock early that night.
/ do not know how long I slept, but
was awakened by the cries Of many
people. I arose to find the city in con-
fusion. / looked at my watch. It wa
half past II. The people were prepar-
ing to leave the town and seek the
highlands of the mountains. Great
distress prevailed among families;
members were missing and were sought
for with walls and lamentations. The
heat had become SO that it was like sit
ting in an oven and undergoing a
gradual baking.
II remember ! packed what avail.
ables ! could find in my valise and pre-
pared to join in the general migration.
But departure had been delayed toe
long. / had no sooner placed my foot
upon the main street Of the town than
there came a distant rumbling from the
west. 1t increased in sound till it re.
sembled the approach Of band Of
horsemen over wooden bridge. Al
the same moment the earth seemed to
me to rise perpendicularly and crash
against the sky. I heard the shrieks
that went from the fleeing people as
tossed like bauble by the rocking
earth. I rccollect no more. When
recovered consciousness it was yet
night, and I heard the groans 81
wounded people in agony oil about me.
Even as / opened my eyes the earth
trembled underneath me with the rest.
less motion of the sea.
'.All that night I lay in that spot
agonized by fears and terrors indescrib
able. 1t was useless to move or at.
Tempt to do anything in the darkness
There were shocks Of more or less Sc.
verify every few minutes, and as each
shiver passed / heard groans of pain
and expressions of fear on every side
l hailed the first flush of dawn in thu
east with fervent prayer of gratitude
The sun rose over the Gordilleras like 8
circular plate of brass and revealed 9
dreadful scene. The town of Concep.
cion lay in ruins and hundreds Of its
people were dead. Great assures and
openings in the earth were visible here
and there, from which volumes Of
gaseous matter poured forth. How
many were swallowed up in assures
and openings will never be known.
''The suffering and destruction at the
city Of Conception was only mite in
comparison with what took place in
other parts of the province. At Telca-
huana, the seaport of the province, some
seven miles distant from Conception, q
tidal wave over forty feet in height
rolled in from the ocean and deluged
the place. Thousands were swept
away. The following day the shore
was strewn with corpses and masses Of
dead fish. San Francisco Call.