The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-12-05
Z A E~ARrHQuAKE
The Story Of the Collapse Of the City q
Conception:

FRI t.I-7 lLNH 4A-s -N. sHn
There is at present stopping in this
city an aged gentleman, who has spent
the greater part of seventy-fiv five years
Of On unusually adventurous life abroad.
The gentleman's 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 earthquakes
in the United States, a Call reporter
visited Mr.. Holcomb and asked him to
relate some of his experiences during
South American shocks. II will tell
you, said he, "of the destruction ofthe
city Of Conception. The day was q burn.
ing one. In the afternoon a slight
shock of earthquake occurred, but
nothing was thought Of it. As night
approached the heat appeared to be-
come more intense. / retired to my
hammock early that night. I do moi
know how long I slept, but I was
awakened by the cries Of many
people. l arose to find the city
in confusion. I looked At my
watch. II was half-past IL. The
people we're preparing to leave the town
and seek the highlands Of the noun
taIna, Great distress prevailed among
famllles; members were missing and
were sought for with vail. ma ismen-
tations. The heat had become g thai
It was like sitting in an oven and I'M.
dergolng q gradual baking.
Il remember / packed what ~ayaiIa.
bles l could find in my yalise and pre-
pared to join in the general migration.
but departure had been delayed too
long. ! q no sooner placed my foot
upon the main street of the town than
there came o distant rumbling from the
west. It increased in sound till it re-.
sembled the approach Of q band OF
Eorsemen over q wooden bridge. Al
the same moment thezearth seemed "a
me to rise perpendicularly and crash
against the sky. / heard the shrieks
that went from the fleeing people a.
was tossed like a bauble ~ the rocking
earth. I recollect no more. When j
recovered consciousness ii was ye.
night, and I heard the groans Of wound-
ed people IN agony all about me. Even
as opened my eyes the earth trembled
underneath me. with the restless mo-
ton of the sea. \.
that night I lay in that spot,
agonized by fears and terrors indie
scribable. is was useless to move or
attempt to do anything in the darkness.
There were shocks of mora OF leas se-
verify every few minutes. and Al each
sniyer passed ! heard grpanus Of pain
ana expressions Of fear on every
side. ! hailed the first flush Of dawn
IN n east with q fervent PRAYER 81
gratitude. The nj rose, over tie cor
dilleras like q circular plate Of brass
and revealed q dreadful scene. The
own OF Conception lay in ruins and
hundreds OF its people we're dead.
Great assures and openings n aarth
were visible here and there. from vhioh
volumes OF gaseous matter pp1irad
- =. 10y many were swallowed up
M..ne nssures and openings viii never
@Ths suffering and DESTRUCTION, 4 the
Guy oI conception was only q mite In
comparison with what took place in
Eyener parts OF the province. Az Telcar
nuana, III seaport Of the browne.
some seven miles distant from CtsS a.
clon, 9 tidal wave over fofs1scc4
neight rolled in from the ocean sl0ordei.
ueed the place. Thousands were
swept away. The n1i.-.:s1AA1. -