Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1906-11-12
Felt Earthquake in Chile and Saw
Blaze from the Rocks in the
Straits of Magellan.
SHE is NOW UNLOADING HERE.
NEWS Reporter Boarded the Steamer
at the American Smelling & Refin-
ing COmpany's Docks This Morning
and Heard the Story of the First
Mate-Thought the Engines Had
Started When Quake Was Felt.

The British steamer Auchenarden
from Chile, arrived here yesterday
shortly before noon. This steamer
was at Valparaiso, Chile, few days
prior to the terrible earthquake that
partly destroyed that city. First
Mate William Galloway, of the steam
er, when seen by a NEWS reporter,
this morning, told the following
story:
ION June IS. in the early hours of
morning, we had discharged our
cargo at Valparaiso, from New York,
and were making preparations to sail
up the coast, when at Z o'clock that
morning severe trembling through
out the ship was felt. 1t seemed as
though the steamers propellers were
in motion. The captain, Frederick ].
Crowder, who had not then given
orders for the steamer to start, won
dered why her engines were working,
he and his second mate at once start
ed for the engineers cabin to inves-
tigate. He was met half way, coat
less and hatless, by the engineer and
seems to be excited. He was asked
what was the matter He said he
didn't know, only that the ship was
trembling. The dishes in the pantry
were rafting and he though the en-
gines had started.
When it was learned that the
steamer was not under way, and
everything aboard was all right, it
was finally realized that an earth
quake had been responsible for all
the disturbance.
Lasted But Few Seconds.
This quake lasted only for second
or two. Had it lasted three or four
seconds more, the entire city of Val
paraiso and the neighboring cities
would have been totally destroyed by
this first shock, it is stated.
The Auchenarden sailed the next
day for the nitrate port, where she
was to receive cargo of nitrate of
soda for New York. On her arrival
at that place the news of the destruc-
tion of Valparaiso was received. OFF,
Ger Smith, of the company who was
supplying the cargo, went ashore at
this port and sought communication
from his family at Valparaiso. He
was informed they were safe. Sever
al cattle and provision steamers OF
the p. S. N. C. company were lying
about the Valparaiso port on the date
of the destructive earthquake. These
steamers were ordered by their own
ers to share their cargoes of provi-
sions with refugees.
Blaze from Rocks.
The Auchenarden, after completing
her cargo, sailed from Coronel, the
last loading port, on September 3.
About a month after this earthquake,
this steamer was sailing through the
| Strait of Magellan when her entire
crew saw sight that none of them
| had ever witnessed before. The en-
| tire rock-bound lands on both sides,
as far as could be seen, were ablaze,
| the flames shooting skyward out of
these barren rocks. The crew was
unable TO discover the reason of these
fires.
While in New York the captain
sought information from weather
bureaus, but has been unable to this
day to learn the reason.
After passing through the Magellan
| Strait, witnessing this strange sight,
! the crew continued up the Atlantic
coast. Two stops were made for coal
| ing, one at Montevideo and one at st.
Lucia, from there she sailed for Sa-
vannah, Ga, where some or her cargo
was discharged, after which she sail
ed for Baltimore, Md, where 1000
tons of copper ore were discharged.
She came here from Baltimore and
is now at the dock of the American
Smelling G. Refining company's plant
unloading LOO tons of silver ore.
She also brought 5000 tons of nitrate
| for New York.