Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-09-17
THE SALVADOR UPHEAvAL

The Periodical Recurrence of Seismic
Commotion in the Republic of San Sal
vador Attended with Widespread De-
structiOn of Property and Loss OF Life
Some Cities Completely Destroyed.
New YORK, Sept. 1.-THE Heral d
prints the following cablegram from
San Salvador, via Galveston:
Millions of dollars worth of proper
ty and many lives were destroyed in
this republic by earthquake Wednes-
day. Whole towns were wiped out,
and so far as advices received here in
dictate hardly a city in the country, ex-
cept those along the coast, escaped the
awful effects of the CONFUSION. There
had been indications for several days
that seismic disturbance of more
than usual power might be expected.
The VOLCANOES of San Salvador, San
Miguel and Izalco had been unusually
active, and deep subterranean rum
blings and slight earth tremors had
been felt.
Such things are not uncommon here,
however, and while there was feeling
of uneasiness Tuesday night, there was
no great alarm felt. At just five min
utes before 2 o'clock Wednesday morn
ing the earth began to shake. The
wave had strong vertical and oscilla-
tory movement. People rushed into the
streets in their night clothing, and,
while the shock lasted only twenty sec
onds, before it had passed away there
was a panic-striclen mob making its
way to the open country outside of the
city.
The scene was terrible. Men, women
and children We're shrieking and pray
ing in the streets: walls of houses
cracked, tottered and fell: there was a
deep, continuous rumbling as if of
heavy thunder; the sky was overcast,
and the air was filed with fine, pene-
trating powder While the shock lasted
the earth rose and fell in long waves,
and strong men were unable to keep
their feet. The panic-stricl1en people
Hooked to the open ground outside of
the city; temporary shelters We're
thrown up wherever possible, but near
ly all the men and great many of the
women and children had only the sky
for a cover.
All through the morning there were
light shocks, but none approaching in
intensity that which had been SO de-
to return to their homes, and are MAX
ing themselves as comfortable as pos
slble in their temporary camps until
the commotion subsidies. President
Ezeta is doing everything he can to
stop the panic and see after the home
less 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. AnalquitO and Comasa-
qua have been completely destroyed.
Cojutepeque, Santa Tocin, San Pedro
and Masahuet We're SO badly shaken
that they are practically ruined, while
the shock was plainly felt and dam
age 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
We're many almost miraculous escapes
from death. 1t is feared. however, that
there have been many people killed in
the smaller towns. The loss of property
will run well into the millions.
This is the third time within less than
forty years that San Salvador has
been devastated by earthquake shocks.
In April, 1854. not single house
was left in the city fit for hab-
itation. and over 800 lives were lost.
The dust and debris from the falling
buildings filed up all of the wells and
drinking places. Again in March, 1873,
the city was shaken to the ground.
Over So 900, 900 worth of property was
destroyed then and upward of fifty
lives were lost So it seems that de-
structive seismic disturbances visit
the country at intervals of nineteen
wears.