The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-01-22
SPAINSRUINED TOWNS
DEVASTATED BY EARTHQUAKES
Some yiyld Picture. of the Rain wrought.
King Aifonso's Trip Through the AT.
feeted Regions-story of the Night
of Death and DesOlation.

OF Death and Desolauon.
A1nG1A, Jan. 2l.-King Alfonso, &C.
companied by tho Minister of War, the
Minister OF Marine, the Minister Of the In
terror and the Civil Governor of Granada,
and large train Of special correspondents,
has visited the ruined villages OF the
province Of Granada, and will carry out
the same programmein in the province oil
NIaylaya. He arrived at Lola, a city Of
10000 inhabitants, by the Granada Rail-
road on Saturday,, the 10th, and was re-
ceived by the people with an enthusiasm
which was undoubtedly genuine.
This royal visit was certainly popular.
Perhaps had it been made earlier 1t might
have proved more beneficial to the people
and more valuable to himself. Had he
come few days after the FIRST shock and
personally directed the distribution OF the
relief he would have been such an idol OF
the people that no revolution could shake
his power. For the suffering people, too,
this would have been OF vast benefit, as
| relief comes slowly through the officials,
while the multitudes OF panic-stricken
creatures shiver in the cold on the snow
covered mountain sides.
The King made but shortstay at Lola,
which has suffered comparatively little,
and has an alcalde who is not only
thorough administrative officer, but who
| has given from his own large means al
most enough to meet their present needs.
This alcalde, Count Dc Los Castillejo, is
universally credited as deserving OF the
most praise OF all connected with this
affair for his prepiptitude, intelligence and
generosity, and the relief afforded. The
King left with him, say $1,000, TO be dis.
tributed according to his judgment, and
then went TO Granada, where he stayed
one night. Next day the royal party re-
turned to Lola, which is the nearest point
TO Albania, and entered the stage coaches
to cross the mountains to this city, which
has suffered the most OF any in this wide
spread desolation.
wog.srRIcEgN ALBANIA.
The roads were not only steep, but
heavy from recent rains, and though the
distance was only fifteen miles, the coach.
es, drawn by from six 10 ten mules each,
were five hours on the road. In.the fields
near the entrance to Albania was camp,
composed chiefly Of small shelter tents,
arranged in regular order and with the
streets named after the royal family. Here
the King descended from the carriage aud
was surrounded by crowds from the city,
who shouted: viva III Rey" through
the streets till it seemed us il they would
shake down the tottering walls OF that de.
solate town. The King continued on foot,
visiting the hospital and the brush huts
and exchanging friendly words with the
people.
Afterward, tho entire party came to
Albania. Hot baths are. situated about q
mile from tho city, in valley ut the side
ola mountain torrent. Hero the King
made his headquarters, and the landlord
of famous hotel provided dinner for all.
Why this spot was chosen, where hot
water issuing from the earth indicates the
proximity OF internal fires, i don't know.
The building was already about TO be
abandoned, and two slight shocks before
The royal guests departed showed that il
was not yet exempt.
The end of the trip was not far and
could be made in carriages, and in the
morning the King, in thick pea.jacket
and gray slouch hat, and the court in full
uniform, mounted horses or mules to con-
tinue their journey to othertowns through
the mountains, The accommodation was
scarcely adequate to the accession, as con-
veyances We're ordered for twenty-six per-
sons and 125 were present demanding
transportation. All the animals were
pressed into the service. Still, in some in.
stance, two special correspondents had to
mount one mule and went off singing
"When Shall We Three Meet Again."
The King got back to Granada the same
night, but many Of his followers had not
arrived before morning.
KING ALroSso's GENEROSITY.
After dinner at the Alhama Baths, the
King sent reports Of list Of donations he
had arranged according to the degree Of
loss sustained by stated classes Of sufferers,
but upon such generous scale that the
donations will probably consume the gross
amount Of many years Of his private in.
come. No doubt his heart was touched by
the spectacle Of widespread suffering he
witnessed during that day ut Albania, but
1t is an unfortunate feature that, through
the Spanish Cireumlocution office, the
first instalment will scarcely reach the
sufferers within the year.
In ten days, the correspondent states,
| have visited all the principal points
affected, and ascertained that in near.
ly every instance the houses de-
stroyed are those built Of mud, called
adobe, in the Southwestern States and
Mexico. This cheap material was used in
the construction OF houses in the rural
districts OF these lower provinces, and to
that fact to great extent the disaster may
be attributed. American towns built OF
wood would have had no such loss OF life
or property The clearest idea OF the hor-
Tor on that Christmas night when the first
two shocks in quick succession occasioned
nearly all the distress was given me by q
lieutenant colonel OF the 9th Cuirassiers,
whom met at the Kings headquarters
at the Albania Baths.
A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
This officer said he had permission to
spend the Christmas holidays with his
family at Albania, and had few friends
to dinner. After dinner the friends left
4 and he sat talking with his wife and chill