, 1891-08-26
EARTHQUAKES IN CALIFORNIA.
lNetn York Tribnne.l

(NeW York TTibune.0
San Francisco, Aug. 9.-Further details of
the great earth quake and lldal wave at the
mouth of the Colorado River show that the
first reports were not exaggerated. Jose
Perez, a cattleman from LrrdO, has reached
Yuma. He says that on the forenoon of
the day of the earthquake several men were
building fences on his place when sudden
lv the fence tOppled over. All threw them
selves'on their knees and began praying. In
themidst Oftheir devotion a hundred foot It'd
al wave showed up. The prayers were cut
short, and jumping over an unexpected Gre
vase in the 70 adway, the Andlade hill was
reached by the men. From that peak Perez
states, the sight was sublime. Across the
Co dorado turbulent volcanoes could be seen
in brilliant eruption. On the bed OF the river
and some miles beyond It's banks reddish
COlOred, fOam-CO vPred water rushed ahead
at the height of fully 100 feet. Below LerlO
could be seen q wide river OF blush purple
fire flowing down into the Colorado near
the Gulf, where it steamed, Sputtpred aud
added to the general confusion. THIS river
of fire is undoubtedly from Sulphur Noun
tain, which it is feared. has been set on
fire from the volume of burning and intlam-
mable material thrown out fro the vOlca-
noes, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. have never been
known to throw out anyt hing but mud and
hot water.
General Andrade, head Of the LerdO colo
ny, has received priv ate adVicps from the
scene of the earthquake. He say s the force
of the shock was severe. and was much
more so than was',at first reported. One of the
largest houses in the colony was cracked
f. ON top to bottom, and the roof fell in with
Il crash that sounded ike IA dynamite blast.
Luckily the inmates ran out when they felt
the premOnitOry shake, and thus escaped
death, A large stable, built partly of brick
and partly of adobe, was levelled to the
ground, aud several other buildings were
more or less severely damaged. The most
striking phenomenon waSla chaSm three feet
wide and between 900 and 300 feet long.
Although weights attached to lines several
hundred feet i'll length were let down, no
bottom could be found. From this remark
able assure issued smoky vapour, which
disappeared after a few hours, but the air
is permeated with a gaseous OdOr irritating
to the lungs. The people in the neighbour
hood are alarmed, fearing a repetition of the
earthquake, and the superstitiOus. Indians
are holding religious rites to placate the
Evil One.
Yuma, A. T., Aug. 9.-Reports continue
to come in from the earthquake region at
the head OF the Gulf of California. Two
Cocopah Indians, of the tribe that live near
there, arrived here yesterday. They tell -
thrilling story. Early Thursday morning
hundreds OF mud volcanoes thirty miles off
burst into q violent eruption. The air grew
denSer and many infants were suffocated.
At last a violent thunder storm cleared the
air, only to show the tidal wave approach
ing with frightful rapidity. The waters
rose, swallowing up their cattle, horses and
grain fields. aud driving them for their
lives to the top Of the mesas, a hundred
feet above the river. The earthquake shocks
then Began. The fourth shock threw every
one down. seriously i%njuring many. The
dust daIktned the air. The tumble of the
earthquake, the sharp explosions of the dis.
tant volcanoes, the believing of the crazed
cattle, made unbearable the uproar, and the
frightened Indians fed wildly up the river.
Two only succeeded in reaching here, who
tell the story. The others dropped exhaust.
ed along the route.