The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-03-12
A LAND OF VOLCANOES
TRAGEDIES IN GUATEMALA
FROM VOLCANIC CAUSES.
Republic Has an Area of Only $4,000
Square Miles, With More Than
Thirty Volcanoes.

Guatemala recalls some interesting his
tory in connection with volcanic dis
turbances in that republic-history
which rivals the most dramatic and
tragic inventions Of the brain Of the
| novelist and Outrivals the conceptions
OF the most inventive playwright
There are in the little republic of
Guatemala, with an area of but $4,000
square miles, more than 80 volcanoes,
the most remarkable of which are the
volcanoes of Tacana and Tajumilco in
San Marcos, Zunil, Santa Tomas, Santa
Clara, Santa Maria Q1,374 feet high,
Quezaltenango Q0,104 feet high, Att
Ian, San Pedro, Aqua 12,197 feet high),
Fuego Q3,487 feet high, Pacay (8,287
feet high, and AcatenangO, in the de-
partment of Chimatenango, which tow
ers over all the others, having an alti-
tude of 14.072 feet.
Aqua (water) and Fuego (fre) are
twin peaks, and it was upon the breast
OF these dormant monsters that the an
Gent capital Of the republic rested.
1t will be remembered that the con-
quest Of Guatemala was accomplished
by that talented but cruel adventurer,
Alvarado. Leaving Mexico on the 9Th
Of December, 1923, with 300 infantry,
dred Mexican warriors and thousands
Of slaves to transport the baggage, he
marched through the country, conquer
ing all who opposed him, burning at
the stake kings, and incinerating their
towns, until, on July %, 1924, the last
foe had been subdued, and he proclaim
ed the sovereignty of the king Of Spain
over Guatemala and established his
capital at the native town Of Almolon-
ga, giving it the name of "The City of
st. James, the Gentleman"
After the work of the Improvement
OF his capital city was we'll under way,
AlvaradO returned to Mexico and thence
to Spain, where he was loaded with
honOrs, was made governor adelantadO
and captain general of Guatemala, and
took to himself a wife in the person of
Dona Beatrice de la Cueve, daughter
of one of the most influential families
OF Spain, and a woman as ambitious
as was Alvarado himself
Upon their return to Guatemala, they
found things in a prospecting condition,
and AlvaradO set out to win new laurelS
in the field Of conquest. In 1541, while
in Mexico, he heard of the tabled "Sev-
en- Cities Of CibOla," and was planning
to- go nOrthward in search Of them,
when he met with the accident which
cost him his life. When the news of
his death reached the widow, she sum-
mOned the alcaldes and regidOrs to the
palace and proclaimed herself Goberna-
dora. Then extensive preparations
were made for most spectacular cere-
mony in memory of her late husband
1t was then that one of the sleeping
volcanoes awoke and made for itself
10 oufh IL hict0 hoU of
disturbances of that nature in Guate-
mala. 1t also produced most dramatic
situation during the ostentatious cere-
monies of the ambitious woman COVER
nor of the province. 1t was the even
ing of Sept s, 1541, and the obsequies
were in progress, when the air became
thick and heavy, and dense clouds
gathered above the city, from which
came the voice of thunders and fire.
Quent and binding Hastings of light
ming. Suddenly the earth began to
heave and shake with terrible cOnvul-
SiOnS, a shower of rocks, sand, sticks
and debris rained down upon the city,
and the panic-stricken populace fed to
the churches and chapels, hoping there
to receive protection at the hands of
the God they pretended to serve. Then
came the browning disaster The great,
mountain vomited forth-not fire,
smoke, lava and ashes, as well-regu-
lated volcano is supposed to do, but an
avalanche of water. which tore down,
the mo9ntain side. Carving q charnel
hundreds of feet deep, and bearing the
earth and trees and rock before 1t, it
dashed into the city, obliterating the
streets, tearing down adifices and
crushing and drowning hundreds Of
persons. y
DOna Beatrice, when the first convui-'
sions shook the city, forgot her ambi-
lions and forsook the pomp and gorge
BUSINESS of the palace and fled to the
chapel near by, where, clinging to the
crucifix she was crushed beneath the
crumbling walls. The total loss of life
was placed at 1000. ~
Not so picturesque in it's details. but
many times more disastrous, was the
second destruction of the capital. which
was removed, after the first disaster. to
a point about three miles to the east
streets, tearing down edifces and
of the former site, at Antigua. More
the city had attained a population of
$4,000 souls and grandeur second to
none of the cities of the New World.
Fuego, twin to the volcano which
wrecked the first capital, and which re-
ceived the name of Aqua because of
the nature of it's eruption, began to
belch forth fire. and the earth shook
with the violence Of its retchings and
a thousandfold more violently than it
had at the time of the eruption of
Aqua.
The great city crumbled beneath the
tremblings of the earth like so much
dust, and thousands upon thousands of
her Inhabitants were killed. A verv
small percentage of the population es-
capped. The dead were never counted or
buried, except as they were buried be-
meath the debris of the ruined city: the
wounded were never rescued but per-
ished of their injuries or else died from
thirst and hunger. The city was aban-
doned, never to be rebuilt, and TODAY
1919 years afterWard, to ruins lie al
most unchanged. to tell The tale Of the
terrible catstro~~he From The tower
Of the old cathedral may be counted the
ruins CT As churches. The general scene
Of desoiation reminds one of the ruina
Of the Old World, and one feels like ey-
claiming, in the words of Kin1inp.