Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-18

From the New York Press
San JOSE, COSTA RIGA. Jan. 10.-The capital
of the republic has been completely destroyed
by series of earthquakes, beginning on the
evening Of December %, and the latest of
which passed over us yesterday. Further
shocks are expected every moment, and the
horrors Of the hourfare increased by the prob
ability Of an eruption of the volcanoes of Razu
and Boas, showering down fire, powders and
molten lava on the valley, in which a popula-
ton of $4,000 is conferred. Both these volca-
noes have shown signs of growing activity in
the wreaths of blue smoke ascending from
their craters. As nearly as can be ascertained,
about 200 lives have been lost thus far. and the
injured number nearly 1000. The homeless
multitude OF terror stricken SURVIVORS wander
about in state of demoralized CONSERVATION
easier imagined than described At every
point one is met by scenes of CONFUSION, ruin,
destruction, desolation and death.
IN THE MIDST OF FEsTIvITY.
In all Central America there is no more pic
turesque and delightful city than this little cap
ital of Costa Rica, upon which has come this
sudden and terrible devastation. The town is
the home of a population of nearly 70. 900 souls,
busy commerce. charming Andalusian
clety, and a center of advanced progress and
culture. Its regularly laid out and well paved
Streets lined with handsome residences, its
magnificent cathedral of classic architecture.
Its big busy market with glass and iron roof,
Its splendid palacio nacional, palacio de JUS
tlca, palaclo Episcopal, and palacio presiden-
clal its square, white walled turreted and null
lioned cuartels. its university and schools, its
plaZas and ancient churches. its flowers and
fountains, its theater and it's bull ring, its mills,
factories, and Observation-Disclosures stores
with plate-glass fronts. all evinced the COM
paratively advanced stage of development
reached by the Josefnas. All these are now
mass of ruins. The city's destruction is as
complete as that of Pompeii.
At so'elock on the evening of December %
the inhabitants were in the midst of the cele-
bration of the civic and religious feasts. A con-
cert by the excellent military band was in prog
ress in the beautiful little Parque Central,
whose walks and lawns were odorous with the
scent of rose and jasmine and oleander in full
bloom and illuminated by thousands of tiny
colored lights strung from the branches of pal
metto and cedar and mahogany and ocote
trees, and clrcling the great marble and bronze
fountain In Its center. In the streets the rays
of the electric light shone down upon the viva
clous, laughing. and gayly dressed men and
women coming from banquet at the Grau
hotel. or on their way to a dance in the patio
of the national palace. Everywhere the festive
spirit OF the season pervaded the city's life.
and the Josefinas laughed and chatted and
Toasted and danced, all unconscious of coming
danger.
THE FIRST ALARM.
Suddenly, as a clap of thunder out of a
clear sky, tremendous shock of earthquake
put the city into state of the widest alarm
During the early days of the month there had
been few quick and barely perceptible mo-
tions, apparently more atmospheric than seis-
mical. These had been passed unregarded
save by the older residents, who recalled the
beginnings of the last great earthquake in Sep
| TENDER, lS4l. Latterly, too. there had been
! much discussion over the discovery that the
volcano of RaZu. rising above the old capital
| OF Carriage, 20 miles TO the northeastward. had
shown signs of activity. though it was supposed
| to have been extinct for quarter of a century.
Now seized by a common impulse, people
| rushed to their homes to provide, as far as
| possible for the safety of the children and the
| aged. The dread words: ''yiene un temblore
terrible" GA terrible earthquake is coming
were on every lip.
THE SECOND SHOCK.
The first shock was repeated, with even
greater force, at IL p. m. For the first time. a
fear that the low, solid adobe structures, tradi-
tionally regarded as capable of withstanding
any possible shock, and veritable Ravens of
refuge, were unsafe, spread among the inhab-
| itants. People rushed out of the houses and
assembled in fear and trembling in the Plaza
del MERGED, the Plaza del Carmen-opposite
the churches of the same name-or in the
| the hospital. Three hours of anxious expect
ancy passed without a recurrence of the vibra-
ton. All thought of sleep had been given up,
and, unmindful of the chilliness of the night
air at all seasons here, thinly clad men and
women: old. young rich and poor threw them
selves at full length on the ground and waited;
or, kneeling, sent up prayers for preservation
to which fear lent fervor. Children cried pite-
ously or held their breaths, awed by the strange
uncertainty of it all, while here and there wo-
NN11 4
paroxysms. At last came a hopeful feeling of
relief. ''Es acabo" CIT is all over, said the
black robed priests and the hope was quickly
transformed to conviction. Relieved and CRATE
full, the people returned to their dwellings and
sought repose after the WEAKNESS and excite
ment of the night.
HOUSES OVERTHROW.
At 4:9O a. m. on the 3Oth a third shock. more
awful than the preceding ones, awoke the
sleepers, rudely dispelling their newborn con-
fidence. The city was violently shaken from
end to end. and words fail to picture the terror
that ensued. Down went the houses in deaf
ening din-wall crashing upon wall, with the
roofs of heavy tile sagging and sinking between
in inextricable confusion. Women's fierce, fear
stricken shrieks, the screaming of strong men
and the piteous wall of little children mingled
with the dust, darkness and din, was a scene of
decentralization frightful to witness The ex-
perience of that awful hour will not soon be
effaced from the memories of those who passed
through the ordeal. Even as your correspon-
dent writes these lines in tent on the Plaza
de MERGED, over prettily laid out flower beds
and the wreck of the beautiful church of La
Sonora de MERGED; grewsome chill runs up
his spine and makes MIN shudder with the rec
objection.
Nearly every house in the older central part
of the city was abandoned. The soldiers and
police displayed praiseworthy activity in help
ing the wounded and helpless. Many thoroughly
frightened and superstitious people took the
roads leading out of the city to the westward
away from the dread volcano and fled until day-
light reaching Alajuela, 80 miles away, only to
find that town suffering similar disaster
Others kept on running southwark until they
reached Garlic, near the Atlantic coast
Those who had escaped from their houses
unhurt walked up and down the plazas in
feverish agitation until dawn made it possible
to ascertain something definite as to the extent
of the disaster. With the coming of day it be-
came apparent that the taller buildings had
naturally suffered most The splendid stone
structure of the Banco de La Union, recently
completed at a cost of 100000, is an utter
wreck. Scarcely building above one story on
the ground floor remains intact to-day. The
beautiful dome of tire cathedral. with its wide
Corinthian portico, looks like house of cards
crushed in giants grasp. Every church in
the city, and there were about twenty lofty
structures, many with ambitious cupolas and
belfries, though steeples are unknown, is more
or less damaged, and they have been conse-
ouently closed N puhlic unrshin Thoaa q