Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-10-29
Earthquakes.

IL
mountain was that which took place on
the 26th of August, 1883, when the Is
land and volcano Of krakatoa, IN tne
Strait of Sunda, vanished beneath the
sea. In the afternoon of that day there
came suddenly a tremendous burst OF
subterranean thunder, and Immediately
the volcano of KrakalOa threw forth an
ink-black cloud which Overspread the
sky. In few moments large fertile
section of the island of Java was turn
ed into a barren waste by a violent
earthquake, and many persons were
killed. Terrible explosions took place
in the mountain, Its great sloping sides
were blown out into the water, and the
volcano, together with the lslano upon
which 1t had stood for unknown ages,
crumbled away and disappeared. When
the merning sun arose the ocean nowed
over the spot where the mountain had
stood, and the surface of the sea for
three hundred miles around was cover
ed with floating ashes and pumice-
stone, while choking smell of sulphur
pervaded the air.
There is no portion of the earth s sur
face where shocks Of earthquakes are
not occasionally felt, but, except IN vol
canic countries, the ground trembles so
slightly that no damage is done.
The inhabitants of those lands where
great earthquakes occur never know at
what moment their homes may become
a heap of ruins. The shock comes sud-
denly, and il often happens that after
hearing the rumbling noise the people
have no time to rush into the street be-
fore they are caught and crushed by
falling walls.
Some terrible earthquakes have taken
place on the western coast Of South
America. In TAG, Lima, a beautiful
city in Peru, was entirely destroyed. In
less than four minutes about three
thousand houses and many large, mag
nIicent churches became a heap of
shapeless rubbish. At the same time
a great tidal wave swept in from the
Pacific Ocean and completely carried
away the seaport of Callao In the
morning there was only barren sand
bank where the night before had stood
a populous town.
Lima and Callao were both rebuilt,
and for more than hundred years
Peru was disturbed only by slight
shocks. But in August, 1853, terri
fic earthquake destroyed nearly every
building in the large city Of Arequipa,
which stood at the foot of M;sti, a vol
canic mountain which for ages had been
cold and silent. Immediately after the
shock the summit of MiSti burst out in
smoke and cinders, and huge pieces of
rock were hurled down its sides.
1t was at this time that great tidal
wave swept on to the Peruvian coast
two hundred miles south of AreQuipa,
destroying the seaport of africa, and
carrying inland several great vessels,
among which was the United States
war Steamer "Wateree'' So great was
the force of this terrible rush of waters
that the huge vessel of war, with its
heavy guns and equipments, was thrown
half a mile into the interior of the
town.
In March, 1872, the inhabitants of
the city of Caracas, in Venezuela, were
startled by Il loud report like the sound
of a thousand cannon, and Immediately
the ground arose in great waves. Build
ingS rocked and fell, and in few mo
ments nearly ten thousand people We're
killed. Shortly afterward the volcano
of the island of st. Vincent broke out
in a great eruption. This volcano had
been quiet for centuries II is SAID that
on the day the eruption took place a
little negro boy was herding cattle OH
the mountain. Stones began to fall
around him. He thought some mis-
chieyOus companion was pelting him
from the cliffs above his head. But he
soon discovered that it was not bad
boys, but the mountain itself which
hurled the stones. Soon the mountain
began to roar and tremble, and for
three days poured out showers of ashes
and lava.
Many portions of Europe and Asia
have also suffered from great earth
quakes. The complete ruin of Lisbon
by terrific shock was one of the sad
dest events Of the last century. Not
alone the coast of Portugal, but a vast
extent of lard and sea, was shaken by
this earthquake. The great rock of
Gibraltar trembled like an aspen leaf,
and stream rose in many place from the
Atlantic Ocean.
In central and southern Italy many
notable earthquakes have taken place.
One of the most severe OF modern times
occurred in March, 1888, when the
pretty town of CasamicciOla, on the is
land of Ischia, was ruined in a moment.
At one O'Clock one sunny afternoon its
inhabitants We're tranquil and happy.
Five minutes later their homes were
nothing but heaps of stone and rubbish.
1t is singular fact that the tower of
the church remained standing, bearing
aloft the great clock, the hands OF
which had stopped at the instant the
fatal shock occurred.