Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-10-31
The Earthanake at Mendoza.

The twentieth of March, 1861, had
been sultry and oppressive day, and
as the night approached the half-suffo-
Gated inhabitants of Mendoza, issuing
from their houses, went in search of
cooler air, or sat at their open doors to
catch each breath that passed, while
the more devout among them assem-
bled in their churches to offer UP
their evening prayer, when, without
q note of warning, terrible destruc-
ton swept over the devoted place.
The earth shook and opened in yawn-
ing chasms, foundations tettered and
houses fell, burying beneath them
nearly the whole population. In less
time than it takes TO describe sill was
over, and from 1900 to $4,000
people. had persisted ia the ruins
which still exist as records
of the dire calamity, and tell,
with force that words could not
express. how terribly complete it was.
Scarcely was the earthquake over
when fires broke out in different
places among the debris of fallen
houses, and ragged for many days be-
fore they could be extinguished. Ma
ture had done almost her worst, but it
was reserved for man to add the last
touch of darkest shadow to picture
already full of misery. With cru
city and inhumanity scarcely TO be
credited, bands of plunderers from
other places rushed to the scene, as
vditures to a carcass, and occupied
themselves with endeavorins to Sc
cure what spoils they could
instead of helping the few
still surviving but imprisoned
sufferers to escape from their living
tombs ere the consuming flames had
reached them After the catastrophe
the government tried to induce the
scanty remnant OF the population to
abandon the site of the Inflated city
and begin the building of a new one
at some distance from it; but associa-
tons proved stronger than the teach
ings of experience, and a new Men
doza has arisen alongside the ruins of
her unfortunate predecessor, evolved
from a state of chaos and confusion
into one of beauty and prosperity.
Fine public buildings, private dwell
ings that indicate the greatest comfort
and convenience, gardens with their
fruitful vines and fig trees, walnut
trees, and popuiars, both Lombardy
and Carolina, grace the public streets
and walks; but above all, the pleas
ant promenade more than half a mile
in length, with its streams of running
water flowing on both sides, beneath
the canopy of shade afforded by two
double rows of well-grown trees. Add
to this the mountain torrent which
rolls past Mendoza along its bed of
rounded stones and gravel, from the
mighty Cordillera, whose slopes reach
almost to the city. All these combined
10 make lovely spot, but in spite of
this, it is impossible to divest the
mind of the sad memories con
nected with the locality. Your host
while he entertains you, accounts the
hairbreadth escapes he had himself,
while many members of his family
persisted. The coachman, driving
through the town, tells similar dismal
tales of friends he lost, and points to
particular spots among the ruins
where some exceptionally appalling
incident occurred, while the hair
dresser, not to be outdone, as he cuts
your hair, pauses at intervals to tell
with tae garrulity of his calling,
more horrors of that dreadful day.
Across the Pampas-Crawford.