The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-14
SCENES IN IQUIQUE.
Return of a Former Seattleite
From Chile.
HIS WARMING TO AMERICANS.
Deplorable Condition OF Residents
Through the Civil War-Men, Women
and Children Cruelty Shot Down.

Among the passengers on the British bark Ben
Mac Dhui, which has arrived in Seattle from
CalIao, was Mr. ]. E. Burg, who left Seattle
about year ago for South America He has
been living in Chile for a part of that time and
was in Iquique during the bombardment. He
gives very doleful description of the condition
of the people, foreigners well as natives An
appearance OF respect for the rights of 'grin-
goes" but it is very superficial, and indirectly
they suffer.
II went down about July on sailing vessel
had no object except to see the world and al
though | had very little means took the risk
We were eighty eight days on the way arriving
ar Callao, in Peru, on October J. After look
ing around for while I found employ
ment in a cracker factory in Lima, working
for ~ soils n day. Usually this would be about
the same as $50 as day, but the value of Peru
Wan money varied between % and 40 per cent
Expenses were very heavy and my salary did
not begin to pay my expenses. When my own
funds began to get low ] engaged myself to an
English insurance agency There ! did pretty
well, but a new device for obtainining money
was conceived by the government and a stamp
duty imposed. This resulted in closing the
Office and was once more out of employment
II went to Iquique, but the revolution broke
out soon afterward, and from that time could
get nothing to do. Fighting began soon after
ward in the streets, and the port was blockaded
50 that could not get away. The price of pro-
visions went up enormously. Potatoes went up
from 50 sack to $50 and s34, and exchange
went down to Is pence on the peso. Food be-
cane very scarce, there was no meat We lived
on a little wine, bananas and other fruit and
sankachow, herb made into soup.
The foreigners and many natives who were
willing, were transported, by agreement between
the two forces. to an island few miles off
lquique. It was a shadeless, sandy place. where
the heat was fearful Water was obtained by
condensation, and the people lived in bamboo
cane huts The suffering was terrible many
children dying from thirst even more than hun
ger. / left after three days stay, taking advan-
tage OF an opportunity to board a trading
steamer running under the British flag, and
went back to Iquique. Immediately after, the
Euclada bonbarded the town and landed forces
under the fire, driving the government troops
out. The congressional party took possession
and business revived, ships came in and did
heavy trade paying dues to the new government.
1t was by no means tranquil however. Indians
and disorderly characters came into the city
from the mountains, running riot in the
town, boldly pillaging warehouses of food.
Order was restored so successfully, however
that the authorities became over-confident and
while not even guard was left on the outskirts,
the soldiers loupged about the town. The gov
eminent troops returned and took the city by
surprise, making such display that the con-
gressionalists fed. The soldiers went through
the streets shouting The inhabitants withdrew
to their houses and barricaded their doors The
soldiers were just like mob, rushing pellmeli
and firing at everybody they saw. Shells were
thrown from the man-of-war, and exploded, one
falling in warehouse, where many people were
harbored, killing many of them.
II went into the house with others, and be-
tween the bars watched the flying mob When
the firing ceased went out in the evening, and
the sight was horrible. Houses were shoulder
ing and the narrow streets were covered with
blood Bodies were lying in the streets where
they fell, some soldiers and some citizens I
heard that large number of women and child
rem were killed by the shells / know of one
American citizen who lost two little girls, be-
sides his wife and hrother-in-law.
He had a sewing machine agency.
His name was Rocca Laraja. He was out
on business when the firing began, and when he
returned in the evening to his home--which
was a large tenement house-it was a mass of
ruins, and he never saw one of his family again.
The whole of the business part was burned that
day.
The congressionalist troops discovered how
small the opposing force was and returned to
the fight, many of the government troops de-
sorting to the insurgents on the death of their
own leader The arrival of the Warspite and
otucl TtetOTeu couHueuCc, Jul
about 200 families accepted her offer to take
them to Callao / was among them; many of
those on board were merchants who had lost
everything. Callao and Lima were overcrowd-
ed, and subscription was raised for our
benefit. We slept in church. and food was
brought to most of them. got little money
for writing description, and that helped me
out was taken i'll with malarlal fever. /
had hired q room, and for two days lay there
alone. / managed to reach window and
hailed a passing hack and so got out There
was an epidemic and it was impossible to get at
tention, although Dr. Deacon. an American
physician, did all he could. When began to
recover, the insurance company for which
formerly worked gave me 100 soils. took pas
sage on the Ben Mac Dhui, and after orty-four
days OF delightful passage arrived in Seattle
''There are many Americans lying in the hos
pitfalls. The American consul asked me to ad-
wise his conntrymen not to be deluded into going
there. He is overrun with piteous appeals for
aid to get away.