The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-26
DESTROYED IN
80 SECONDS.
Guatemalan City Wiped Out by
Terrific Earthquake Shocks.
ONE THOUSAND WERE KILLED
-Four thousand Others Suffered Injury "A
Survivor Tells the StuD Of the Shock
Ing Catastrophe.
ONE THOUSAND WERE KILLED

San Francisco. Cal. May 2.-By latest
advice brought by the steamer city or
Para IL is learned that in ninety seconds
a thousand persons were killed and more
than four thousand were crippled IN
Guatemala and nearly all Of QueZalie-
nango's forty thousand residents were
left homeless by the earthquake on the
night of April IS.
only fragmentary accounts OF the dis
aster had been received up 10 the present
time. owing 10 the interrupted telegraphic
communication. But there arrived on the
CITY OF Para a man who was in Guate-
mala at the time of the disturbance. His
coffee plantation is only a few miles out
from QuezaltenangO In speaking Of the
earthquake he said:
''The great disturbance took place about
a quarter after in the evening. | was
out on open ground al the time and had
great difficulty IN keeping my feet The
motion resembled nothing so much as
standing I'm a small boat that Is being
rocked by the waves. l saw the ground
rise and fall with wave Ike motion, ana
everywhere the earth was splitting ana
cracking.
speared. The greatest damage was az
teuezaltenangO, and the city was ,pracu-
cally destroyed. All the buildings that
wers left standing are cracked and they
will have T. be pulled down.
my brother had just completed busi-
ness block at cost OF $500 000, and II Is
total ruin. Many others suffered In
similar manner. and in addition suffered
greater loss.
THREE BIG SHOCKS FELT.
"There were. three distinct shocks. each
more severe than the one preceding, but
the damage was all done within a minute
and a half Among the Weather class
the loss of life was comparatively slight,
probably less than one hundred, though
many were injured.
Those who fled from their houses into
the patios or courts Jared the best, though
even many who ran into the street were
either killed or suffered broken limbs. The
streets are not half the width Of the resi-
dence streets of San Francisco SO that
escape from a falling building was i'm
possible
''The loss OF life was greatest in the
quarter occupied by the Indians. or ma
tives. They are accustomed TO retire
the disturbances came. Their houses are
built Of adobe and when they collapsed
entire families were buried In the ruins.
1t is practically impossible 10 give a
strictly accurate estimate OF the dead
That night the entire population 81 the
city campcd out on a plain I'm the sub
urbs. The night was cold. and many OF
the women and children suffered severely.
flhE ADDED IL THE HOhhOR.
ITO add TO the horror OF the situation
overturned hmps and candles set fire TO
some OF the buildings. Many persons
suffered much from thirst. owing 10 the
fact that the water mains were broken.
For five days the residents drank only the
water that remained i'm the fountains and
the rainwater they could catch i'm basins.
The surrounding towns Of San Pedro,
San Marco. San Juan Amititlan and So
lola were also destroyed. The total dead
Will number nearly one thousand
Before | left Il was given out that no
attempt would be made TO rebuild the city
OF Quezaltenago on it's present site but a
new town Of that name viii arise on the
plain of Olintepeque three miles north.
The present site Of Quozaltenango Is in a
valley, which is about fiXe or six miles
across. and there Is grave fear that IL is
really the crater OF an ancient volcano.
The impression Is created by the fact
that the city lies almost IN the shadow OF
the volcano Cerrequemado. that Is known
To have been In state OF eruption about
one hundred years ago.
"Quezaltenango was a ghastly sight the
day following the carthduake. Bodies were
lying everywhere in the streets and In
the ruins -