The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-01-09
TWO THOUSAND DEAD.
Terrible Results of the Earth
quakes in Spain.
Widespread Desolation Caused by
Many Successive Shocks.

Later reports from Spain state that tho
whole southern portion of the country has
been shaken by earthquakes, which have
followed one another in quick succession,
each adding to the destruction wrought by
its predecessor. So fast did the shocks occur
that the terror stricken and bereaved inhab-
itants had no time to recover from their
fright, and little opportunity to search in
safety for the bodies of their relatives and
friends buried in the ruins of towns and
villages Beginning on Christmas Eve, the
earthquakes chased each other up and down
the length of the Sierra Nevada mountains,
spreading death and terror on either hand,
over the most romantic, picturesque and his
torically interesting provinces of Spain. The
famous old city Of Granada has been
shaken again and again Malaga,
Albania, Cordova, Seville and Jaen
are among the well known cities that have
suffered more or less severely from the re-
peated shocks. All through Andalusia the
inhabitants are in condition of panic, many
of those who survived the earlier shocks, and
whose houses have not been destroyed not
daring to enter them lest they be shaken
down upon their heads The number of per-
sons killed is not known. According to the
latest dispatches it cannot fall short of 1000,
but the record IS by no means complete. In
many instances, while the survivors were
irving to dig the dead and wounded out of
the ruins, fresh shocks tumbled down more
houses and increased the destruction of life
Some towns, among which is Albania, have
been almost wholly destroyed. The survivors
are camping in public squares and the open
country, and have not themselves any definite
knowledge of the number who have persisted
AT AntiqueTa five successive shocks were
felt in one day, and every one of the seven
| churches III the town was overthrown. Houses
rocked and crumbled in every direction,
chimneys toppled, walls cracked, loosened
| floors fell crashing, and people ran stumbling
| and screaming through the streets, seeking
safety in the broad pazas where they were
! out of the reach of the falling buildings.
! Hundreds knelt together on the pavement in
the squares, imploring deliverance from
/ heaven.
! In Periana 80 houses were shaken down.
! So great was the force of the shock that the
! earth covering the side of the mountain near
| the town was loosened and went laundering
down i'll an avalanche, overwhelming many
! houses and burying forty eight persons of
! whom eighteen were dug out alive.
At Nerja Il terrific hurricane followed the
first shocks of the earthquake, and houses
! whose walls had been weakened by the shak-
ing were blown down by the wind. The in
habtants fled from the town, even the sick
in hospitals hurrying from their beds and
| V.
! At Nelez Malaga the first shocks We're fol-
| lowed by still more violent earthquake,
which utterly destroyed u large number of
houses, and drove all the inhabitants from
! the town. At the same time Albania, Peri
ana, and other places, which had previously
suffered severely, were again shaken, and fur
Their loss of life was caused.
In Granada the facade of the cathedral was
seriously damaged and the museum the uni
versity and several government buildings
were injured.
The sufferings of the survivors, who are
encamped in wagons, tents, and open fields,
and many of whom are wounded, are very
severe. The appearance of the ruined town
| of Albuneulas is described as appalling
| Half of the buildings have been overthrown,
including the convent, churches and the
town hall. The mayor was among the
! killed, and his wife remained buried waist
deep in the ruins for eighteen hours before
the rescuers reached her. Many persons were
rescued alive after having been covered by
the debris of fallen houses for more than
| twenty -four hours. Some were half craZed
when taken out Cries and means We're heard
in the ruins for a whole day from persons
| who could not be reached. The survivors en-
camped outside the ruined down, women and
children remaining day and night huddled
/ together in carts and wagons, shivering from
exposure, and half famished for lack of food.
A singular feature of the earthquakes was
the fact that III places only short distance
| apart oOulc tAptlltlCeu Three anu OtlleIs
seventeen shocks. After the first shock
there We're flashes of lightning from o
clear sky. All the shocks ran from
south to north. Several of the
shocks had rotary movement. While
the center Of the disturbance has remained in
the south of Spain, earthquake shocks were
! felt in Corinthia, where many buildings Were
damaged and in Wales, where also a number
! of houses were injured.
The Spanish government is taking steps tc
| relieve the sufferers, King Alfonso will per.
sonally visit the devastated district, and
! royal decree has been issued ordering that
national subscription be made for the relei
! of the sufferers. Public officials will con.
! tribute one days pay each BY this means
alone it is expected that $50 900 will be
raised. The Spanish ambassadors, minister's
and consuls in all countries will also open sub
| scriptions, and the cortes, or Spanish legisa
| ture, voted to co operate with the govern
ment in all measures that might be taken for
| the relief of the afflicted.