The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-02-18
DHATH AND DISASTER.
An Entire City Destroyed BY a
Series Of Earthquakes,
THE CAPITAL OF COSTA RIGA
Completely LcyeIcd to tho Ground
Two Hundred Lives Lost and Over
n Thousand People Injured,
a Graphic Account.

NHW Abhhl HVus ~ -bl1 1pNkNuth lTuNl
San Jose, Costa Rlca, dated February
10, say;
The Capital Of the Republic has been
completely destroyed by a series Of earth,
quakes beginning on the evening of
December 20, and latest OF which passed
over us yesterday, Further shocks arc
expected every moment, and the horrors
Of the hour are increased by the proba.
bility Of an eruption Of the VOLCANOES OF
Razu and Boas, showerlng down fire and
molten lava on the valley, in which a
population Of $4,000 is centered,
AS nearly as can be ascertained about
200 lives have been lost thus far, and
the injured number nearly 1000. Tho
homeless multitude OF terror.striCken
survivors wander about in a state OF de-
moralized CONSERVATION, easier imagined
than described, At every point one Is
met by senses OF convulsion, ruin, de.
struction, desolatlon and death, To find
one 8 self living seems marvellous, Every
land mark, every feature OF the topO.
graphy is obliterated, Dead earth rises
into hill where a few hours ago the
eye looked away over plain.
In all Central America there Is no
more picturesque and delightful city
than this capital OF Costa RiCa, upon
which has come this sudden and terrible
devastation.
PARIS OF CENTRAL AMERICA.
Occupying a plateau about 1000 feet
above the level Of the sea, the town ia
the home ofa population OF nearly 10000
souls, center Of advanced progress and
culture. Visitors from all parts Of the
continent during the recent sessions OF
the Central American Diet here agreed
In pronouncing San Jose "the Paris OF
Central America
The city's destruction is as complete
as that Of Pompeii.
AT s o'clock on the evening Of Decem.
Der 90 the inhabitants were In the midst
OF the celebration OF the civic and rc-
ligious ieasts. A concert by the excel
lent military band was in progress in
the beautiful little ParQue Central.
Suddenly, as q clap Of thunder out OF
a clear sky, a tremendous shock OF earth.
quake put the city into state OF widest
alarm. During the early days OF tho
month there had been few quick and
barely perCeptible motions, apparently
more atmospheric than seismical, These
had been passed unregardcd save by the
older residents, who recalled tho be-
ginnIngs OF the last great earthquake in
September, 1871. Now, seized by COM
mon impulse, people rushed TO their
homes to provide, as far us possible, for
tho safety OF the children and the aged.
A TERRIBLE cRY is nEARD.
The dread words: "Yiene un temblore
teriblep C'A terrible earthquake Is
comingl") were heard on all lips.
Tho first shock was repeated, with
even greater force, at II p. m. For the
first time Il fcar that the low, solid adobe
structures, additionally regarded as ca.
pable OF withstanding any possible
shock, and veritable hayens OF refuge.
were unsafe, spread among the inhabi.
tants. People rushed out OF the houses
and assembled in fear and trembling In
the Plaza del Merced, the Plaza del Car.
men-opposite the churches Of the same
name-or in the Plaza del MerCado, be-
tween the market and the hospital.
"Threc hours OF anxious expectancy
passed without recurrence OF tho VI
bration. AT last came q hopeful feeling
OF relief. "Es aCabom ut Is all overpij
said the blaCk.robed priests. The peo.
pie returned to their dwellings and
sought repose after the weariness and
excitement OF the night.
At 4:SO o'clock a. m. on the 3OLh, n
third shock, more awful than tho pre-
ceding ones, awoke the sleepers, ru1ely
dispelliDg their newborn confidence.
The city was violently shaken from end
to end, and words fail 10 picture the ter
For that ensued. Down went the houses
In deafening din, wall crashing upon
wall, with the roofs OF heavy tile sag
ging and sinking between the inextric9-
BILE confusion. Women's fierce fear.
stricken shrieks, the screaming Oistrong
men, and the piteous wall OF little chill
dren, mingled with the dust, darkness
and din, was n scene Of decentralization
lIlBuIlul W mlLuebb'
HELP PoR TIE rELPLRss.
The soldiers and police displayed
praiseworthy activity in helping tho
wounded and helpless, Many thorough.
~ frightened and supcntitious people
took the roads leading out OF the city to
the westward, away from the dread vol
Cano, and fed until daylight, reaching
Alalulla, thirty miles away, only to find
that town suffering from a similar disas-
ter. Others keptOn running southwarls
until they reached GARLIC, near the At
lantiC coast.
Scarcely building abovo one story OIL
the ground floor remains intact to-day.
The beautiful dome Of the Cathedral,
with It's wide Corinlhian portico, looks
like q house OF cards crushed In piant,g
grasp. Every church In tho City-and
there werU about twenty lofty Btruc.
lures, many with ambitious Cupalos and
beliries, though sleoples arc unknown
is more or less damaged, and they have
been consequently closed 10 public
worship.
The casualties number nearly 1000,
but not more than lOO people were KILL
cd within tho city limits. Those who
met death at other points, especially at
San San Vicente and San lsldro do Ala.
jnelo, will bring tho mortality up 10
2O0at least.
During the first night at least 600
houses were entirely destroyed, with
their contents, or made unsafe for lab.
tRtion, making 5000 people sllCltCrlpss.
Three more shocks, OnD OH tho 9th,
another on the sLli and another yeslCr.
day, have reduced tho remaining houses
10 ruins. Army tents have been put up
In plaSas and parks or In tho fields ont
side the town, where tnilonsar0 supplied
To the homeless multitude by tho mill.
tary authorities,
Colonel George II. Latham and Don
Iesmes JinenCS have appointed coin.
mission OF engineers 10 provide for tho
public safety by examining bridges and
rondemnlng those found unsafe, A
brigade OF laborOrs aro al work clearing
the streets Of the debris, and the more
hopeful arc already talking In a half.
hearted way about plans for rebuilding.
one thing Ia CGftaln-thUrc will bO no
more two or three story buildings
erected In Ban jose. II ls said Tint llin
capital may be removed further north, 10