St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-11
An Earthquake Does Woeful
Work in the Republic Of
San Salvador.
Many Lives Believed to Be
Lost and Millions of DAM
age to Property.
"A Wealthy Female "Slummer"
Disappears in Chicago
Smoke.
Entering a Church, She Is
Seen No More by Eyes of
MortalS.

NEW YORK, Sept. 1O.-A cable DIS
patch to the Herald from San Salvador
says: Millions of dollars worth of prop
erty and many lives were destroyed in
this republic by an earthquake yester-
day. Whole towns were wiped out, and
hardly city in the country, except
those along the coast, escaped the awful
effects of the cOnvulsion. There have
been indications for several days past
that disturbance of more than usual
power might be expected.
At just five minutes before 2 O'Clock
yesterday morning the earth began to
shake. The wave had strong vertical
and oscillatory movement. People
rushed into the streets in their night
clothes, and while the shock lasted only
twenty seconds, before it had passed
away there was panic-stricken mob
making its way to the open country
outside the city. The scene was ter
ribly sublime. Men, women and chill
dren were
Weeping, Shrieking and Praying
in the streets; walls of houses cracked,
tottered and fell. There was deep.
continuous rumbling, as of heavy thnn-
der; the sky was overcast ana the air
was filled with fine, penetrating dust.
While the shock lasted the earth rose
and fell in long waves. and strong men
were unable to keep their feet. The
panic-stricken people fled to the open
country outside of the city. Temporary
shelters were thrown up wherever pos
sible, but nearly all the men and great
nf nhilnrRn
only the sky for covering.
All through the morning there have
been slight shocks, but none approach
ing the intensity of that which had been
so destructive. The inhabitants are
afraid to return to their homes, and are
making themselves as comfortable as
possible in their temporary camps.
President Ezeta is doing everything ne
can to stop the panic and care for the
homeless people until it is considered
safe for them to go back to their homes.
The towns throughout the country have
suffered more severely than the capital
even. Comasagua has been completely
destroyed. CojutepeQue, Santa Tecla,
shaken that they are
sr Practically Ruined,
while the shock was plainly felt and
damage was done by it at Santa Ana
and Susimtepeque. fully sixty miles
from here. 1t is impossible at this
writing to form any idea as to the num-
Der of lives which have been lost. Two
people were killed here, though there
were many miraculous escapes from
death. IL is feared, however. that there
have been many people killed in the
smaller towns. The loss of property
Will run we'll into the millions. This
is the third time within less than forty
years that San Salvador has been
destroyed by earthquake shocks.
In April, 1854, not a single house was
left i'll the city fit for habiiation, and
over three hundred lives were lost. The
dust and debris from the falling build
lngs filled up all of the wells and drink
ing places. Again in March, 1878, the
city was shaken to the ground. Over
S5.000,000 worth of property was de-
strOyed then. and upward of fifty lives
were lost. So it seems that destructive
seismic disturbances visit the country
at intervals of nineteen years.