The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-21
THE EARTHQUAKES IN SPAIN.
The Horror of That Christmas Night De-
scribed by One of the Sufferers.

scribed by One of the Sufferers.
Gable Special
The dearest idea Of the horror on that Christ
mas night, when the first two shocks in quick
succession occasioned nearly all the Distress was
gwen me by Northumberland of the Ninth
Curassiers whom met at the Kings headquar
ters at the Albania baths. This officer said he
had permission to spend the Christmas holidays
with his family at Albania, and had a few friends
to dinner After dinner the friends left and he
sat talking with his wife and children, FIVE in
number. when suddenly one end Of the room
rose up three feet. The shock threw the whole
family to the floor, with the lamps and other
articles on the tables and shelves They re-
manned in total darkness dazed and wondering
what had happened. Presently he supposed it
was an earthquake, and called to his wife and
children to come into the street He reached the
street door and the street was in total darkness.
The air was filed with the dust of the crumb-
ling buildings Afraid to go out, he stood SILVER
ing and undecided, when second shock came
and the kitchen fell in, killing two servants. A
piece Of wood fell upon his wife, breaking her
leg. He then carried his wife out over piles of
ruins. The narrow, dark streets were so
changed by the debris that it was hard to recog-
nize them. He reached the open fields, where
he found that many had preceded him. lie left
his wife with friends and returned for his chill
dren. He brought three the next trip and then
the other two. All the way, while crawling over
piles of ruin he heard the cries of those who had
been caught and could not extrcate themselves.
Every voice was familiar He met neighbors
telling each other of the loss of relatives and
friends. The horror OF such an experience was
unparalleled.
The night was spent in the open fields. SILVER
ing on the ground, entertaining fears and suffer
ing grief. terror, and horrid uncertainty. for
not even at daylight did they learn the full ex-
tent of the loss sustained throughout the city.
AS followed my guide / was RECALLED with
such recitals as, Here two bodies were dug
out" IA man and wife over there" -Four chill
dren on this side;7 Zone man was caught
shortly after being removed'-until the tale be-
came too narrowing to listen to. Arrived
at the outskirts of one part of the town, where
the houses are built on the edge of a cliff,
almost perpendicular and forty five feet to the
first plateau, the officer pointed to one of which
the gable end had disappeared. There" said
he, two girls were in the kitchen when it was
shaken down Both rolled with the debris to
the bottom of the cliff Where you see that pile
one was killed. the other thank God, escaped
without injury" and taking off his hat, he
piously crossed himself. ''Fhis girl has since
become a heroine, and all visitors to the ruined
city arc constantly importuned to allow them.
selves to be introduced"
Passing around under the edge of the mount
aims he showed me where number of houses
had been built under the shadow Of the over
hanging cliffs, now buried with all their inmates
Many bodies still remaining under the pom
derous rocks The odor is peryading and sick
ening to the passer-by. Far down in the valley
were huge powders, many of them fully as large
as ordinary seaside cottage. which had been
hurled from their position on high, in many in
StaQceS
houses and tearing up the ground where they
struck at least fifty yards from the base of the
cliff.
While taking cup Of coffee at the Hotel
Albania two shocks disturbed my equilibrium.
and, though slight in comparison with others,
were still sufficient to occasion much uneasiness
These slight shocks are of daily occurrence and
at intervals of few hours. Meantime the in
habitants have not SLEPT in a bed since the first
sh0ck-twenty days ago. The whole community
Is completely panic-stricken throughout the
province OF Granada and a large portion Of
Malaga When it win end there are no means