Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-05-17


on January is. 1901. an earthkuake
caused the death of 400 people and
rendered 5000 homeless. More than
600 houses were destroyed. Five days
later further shocks were experienced.
but no damage was done.
Terrible as was the disaster of Jan
uary is. IL was nevertheless. a slight
commotion compared with the most
destructive earthquakes of modern
times.
Ii is estimated that from first to last
1 1900, 900 human beings have lost their
lives in earthquakes.
NJ. de Montessus de Ballore. a
French scientist. who has made a spec
ial study of the subject. calculates that
this planet endures 1887 earthquakes
on an average every year. or one earth
quake every half hour. Most of these
occur in sparcely inhabited countries,
and a large number at the bottom of
the ocean, so that they are not observ-
able except by the apparent boiling of
the water occasionally in mid-ocean.
The earthquake at ~Chilpancingo fol-
lowed the general character of Next
can earthquakes in that the shocks
were NlOltnl anu Vi tAlItIltiy STU
duration. lasting only fifty seconds.
More loss of life has been occasioned
by earthquakes than by any other ag-
ency, except, of course, disease.
The most famous earthquakes have
beer the two at Lisbon. AMI the up
heaval in the island of Java in 1882.
Java has within its narrow area for
ty-five active volcanoes. All were in
volved in the disaster of 1882.
For nearly twenty years the little is
land had rested in comparative secur
ity from outbreaks of the flames that
roar under its craters. On the night
of August 20, 1882, rumblings were
heard in various localities; the peas
ants flocked from one district to anoth-
er, leaving their rice fields. only 10 find
that their n%eighbors had heard like
warnings.
BY next day the water in the ada
cent sea began to boil and hiss in
strange tumult and the temperature
rose 20 degrees.
Maha Meru, the biggest volcano on
the island. burst out in flame for the
first time in years, and shortly half the
volcanoes on the island were in violent
commotion.
The little brown ~Javanese, in the eX-
tremity of terror. focked to their tenn
pies, all business was suspended, and
each thought only how 10 precipitate
the angry gods.
The roaring under foot increased
each hour. and when dusk came on The
evening of August 2S old Gunung-Gun-
tur was wrapped in a luminous haze.
IF Gunung-Guntur breaks loose we
are LOST! walled the little brown peo-
- -. A. 1911
which habitually wore a crown of
snow.
In the middle of the night they saw
an jet of white shoot up
hundreds of feet above the crater, fol.
mud and great quantities of lava were
emitted and a shower of Kissing stones
rained over the fields.
The clouds were s~urcharged with
electricity.
The sea raised in terrible waves, and
as many as fifteen water spouts were
observed at n time.
The whole island quaked. Every vol
volcano was 500 in action and scaId-
ing lava ran down the mountain sides
buried villages and heaped up frantic,
ally in the ocean tide.
Nearly every village on the island
was destroyed, and between 175,00C
and 200, 900 people were killed.
One great island of the Javanese
group, Krakatoa, sank in the sea. In
another place sixteen volcanic peaks
emerged.
1t is characteristic of the most de
structive earthquakes that they occur
near the sea, so that her horrors are
followed by great tidal wave that dou.
bic the number of killed.
This was the case in the historic
earthquake of Lisbon in 1855. Once
before, in 1881. the city had been des.
troyed. and from time to time minor
shocks were felt.
On All Sints' day, 1885,, while all
Lisbon was at church, the sky became
overcast and the sea began to swell
and roll in tremendous volume.
Suddenly was a rumbling noise
heard over Portugal; the earth's crust
seemed 10 rise up in great waves and
to break in assures. In less than one
minute the entire city was a heap o.
ruins.
The first shock was followed closel,
by three others. when the earth grad
ually settled with long, trembling vi
brations.
Half an hour later an immense tida
wave overwhelmed the ruins. Al leas
1000 people were killed. The Lisbol
earthquake involved $500, 900 squar'
miles of territory. The shock was fel
as far north as Finland. and extende,
to the st. Lawrence in Canada.
Immediately following the disaster
a fire began in the wrecks that escaped
the sea, and the scum of Portugal an
southern Europe had iocked there L
rob the dead and the wounded.
King Joseph turned, in despair, t
his minister, the Marquis of Pombal
who seized the moment to show him
self one of the greatest prime minis
tiers in Europe.
Your majecty, let us bury the deaC
n feed the living" he said, a phras,
which soon was repeated over tn,
world.
For eight days the Marquis of Pom
bal lived in his carriage, never sleep
ing, never resting, rescuing the helI
less, organizing the police, and copinj