The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-13
GREAT LOSS OF LIFE,
Hundreds Met Death in
Honduras During
Earthquakes.
VOLCANOES IN ACTION.
Shocks Lasted Many Hours,
While Streams of Lava
Poured Down.
FLAMES AND ROCKS SENT OUT.
At Metapan the Most Damage Was
Done, Where Many Buildings
We're Destroyed.

TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS, Sept. H.
A courier arrived from Metapan yesterday
and announced that the most terrible
earthquake ever known in that section
had occurred. The loss of life and prop
erty was terrible. On Sunday at noon the
shocks commenced, lasting all day and
night at intervals, causing light damage,
but the greatest fear among the inhabitants
of the city and neighborhood. By Mon
day the city was filed by the addition of
$500 people from the mountains and out
lying villages.
During Monday night great sheets of
fame appeared at different points to the
northwest, rising to an immense height.
Tuesday morning the shocks ceased, and
quiet was restored. The people left town
for their homes, but at o'clock that night
a heavy rumbling noise was heard, and
shortly after this was followed by the reap
ppearance of the flame, which in the
mountains shot up several hundred feet.
Frightened people again focked back to
town, and at midnight the church tower
fell, carrying with it the roofs of three
houses, and killing nine and wounding
eighteen people. The rum bling, which
was like the heaviest cannonading, lasted
over an hour and half, while the people
rushed madly through the streets praying
and crying.
just before daylight another prolonged
shock, which is variously calculated to
have lasted from two and a quarter to
three minutes, rocked the whole town as
if it were cradle, and many fleeing peo-
pie were killed by the rocks which fell in
a perfect shower like hailstorm. Smoke
from the mountains to the northwest rose
to an enormous height, followed shortly
after by the bursting out of flames from
the mountain sides and the throwing
out of rocks, and shortly after, streams of
molten lava, which set fire to q number of
houses on the mountainside. Cattle graz
ing near fed, but most of them were
killed, being engulfed in lava, which was
flowing in heavy streams.
1t is reported that at Metapan seventy
one houses were destroyed and 153 bodies
have been recovered there.
At Covaiuanca thirty seven houses were
destroyed and ninety-five bodies recov-
cred.
AT Cayusca twenty-nine houses were
destroyed and Ill bodies recovered.
1t is impossible yet to give a full account
of the disaster, but many small settlements
are believed to have been destroyed. The
shocks extended over the whole Metapan
chain and flames were seen also in the
Pacaya Mountains. The shocks have now
ceased, but smoke is still discernible at
different points in the mountains.
A company of soldiers, which left in pur-
suit of bandits from Metapan to the coast,
are unheard of, and it is feared that they
were all killed. The shocks were at first
from northeast to southwest. People are
still fleeing for their lives. Help for the
victims is being asked from the capital.
The disaster at Metapan is much worse
than first reported. The number of killed
in towns and mountains SO far counted is
2S7 and it is believed that more bodies will
be found as the search continues. The
property loss is calculated at over $500, 900.
Fissures in the earth divided up much
titled land. The Government is doing all
possible for the victims. Slight shocks
continue, causing damage to property,
though not to life. Two former extinct
volcanoes are now throwing lava, though
in small quantities. The night shows a
lurid fame to an immense height. A
stream of lava is now running into the
abyss. 1t is calculated that 1900 cattle were
killed.
Troops are securing the country for fugi-
tive victims. Of the company of 10S SOL
diers which went after bandits only twenty
nine are known to have been saved. Food
and clothing have been sent to the suffer-
ers. Refugees are returning to Metapan
and other towns.