Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-25

low height of the buildings, so that the fall
ing walls did not in most places cover the
whole of the streets, the loss of lie was less
than it would otherwise have been.
have heard the story of that terrible time
from the lips of several who lost home and
loved ones by it. The first shock was felt
about o'clock P. NJ. in q slight tremor OF
the ground, which increased in violence at
intervals of 15 or 20 seconds, until presently
the buildings began to topple. The instant
a terremote is felt, the people rush, peil-
NELL, out OF doors, at whatever hour OF day
or night, regardless of clothes or any other
consideration but self fpreservation; and I'M
mediately afterward, soon as the man whose
express business it is can reach the belfry,
every bell In the city begins to toll, as an
expression of prayer for deliverance, or OF
appeal, if the terror has not subsided. On
the occasion described, the quaking of the
earth was accompanied by an awful rum
bling, similar to the noise of an avalanci e.
and in less than three minutes the church
tower fell and the bells came crashing to the
ground.
Not House Left Entire.
The great effort of everyb body was to keep
well in the middle of the widest streets, to
be more out of the reach OF flying stones
and timber, and to reach the broad open
space of the main plaza as the safest place;
but the earth shook so that it was extremely
difficult to keep ones feet, and in their Fl ght
scores were buried under falling walls or
killed by the debris that filled tine air. The
whole city was enveloped in clouds Of dust
and darkness, and above the sound OF the
horrible rumbling re-echoed cries Of human
anguish, the frantic believing of beasts. the
bowling of terrified dogs and the cracking
of tumbling buildings. Not single house
was left entire in Arequipa,
mained - that of Santa Catarina;
but it was so damaged that it had to be
pulled down. For weeks the citizens were
compelled to live in tents pitched near the
bank of the river, and for many days none
dared to return to town, because the rum
bling and shocks continued. OF course the
rougher element ventured forth first, and
many families whose valuables were spared
by the earthquake, or were but partially
buried in the debris, lost all at the hands OF
thieves. Meanwhile Mount Misti, which
| had not been in eruption before during the
| the historical period, vomited forth quaint.
ties of mud, lava and clouds of smoke, the
latter completely hiding its sides from view
but through the darkness came the horrible
sound of falling boulders and roaring a.
| Ruins of the Woman's Hospital.
The usually calm river was rendered i'm.
| passable and unfit for use, by reason of it.
sudden violence and sulphurous odors
while the rise In its waters was so great and
| rapid that within six hours several village,
in the adjacent valley were swept entirely
out of existence. The sick in the hospital
and the prisoners in the carcel, being un
| able to flee, were buried in the ruins. Jus
now. after % years they are clearing out tn,
debris from the fallen walls of what wa
once the woman's hospital and occupied ;
| square in the central part of the city. w,
often extend our morning walks in tina
skull, trunk, or some other portion of
human skeleton, removed with the dust ant
stones and crumbled plaster. Fast as tn
workmen shovel into the debris, it is dumpet
into boxes that are run in on an improviset
| railway, while cart stands near into whicl
the bones are mostly piled and carried off t.
the cemetery.
The last time we paused to watch tn
progress of the work, one of the digger
picked out an arm bone, wrapped it in bi
of coarse checked flannel that lay in the dir
near it. and presented it to me for a recuerd
"a gruesome souvenir of not the least sal
part OF the great catastrophe. Eight,
| women, helpless in their beds, buried amit
topling walls, and not one of them saved
It is to be hoped that all were Instant,
killed, aud none lett wounded to perish b.
slow starvation. Stranger still it seems tina
their remains were never taken from tn
heap in which they fell, but were lett ur
buried for more than 20 years in the heart Q
the city. FANNIE B. WARD.