Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-16
HAVOC RIDES TIDAL WAVES
Appalling Fury Of the Ocean When
Disturbed by Earthquake.
RECORD DISASTER IN TIDAL WAVE CLASS
The story Of Arica's Awful Doom IS
Witnessed by a Naval Omcer-
Force and Fury of the
EnEuI6nE Sea.

Tidal waves are common accompani-
nent Of earthquakes. Seismic disturbance
on land usually extend under the sea, pro-
ducing an upheavai OF water OF varying
magnitude. Fear OF tidal wave following
the earthquake at San Francisco was mani
Tested by many people who FASTENED to
high ground. But the neighboring waters
were not markedly disturbed Portions OF
the island OF Jamaica, according to reports,
were swept by tidal waves, but no serious
damage resulted. Coincident with the
Kingston disaster are the tidal waves
which overwhelmed one or more islands
OF the Dutch East Indies on January II.
On one island 1900 natives are said to have
persisted. It is evident from the meagre
accounts at hand that one or more Of these
islands experienced violent earthquake
shocks and the disturbance of the ocean
produced the engulhng tidal waves.
In the tidal wave class OF disasters. that
which obHterated the pretty town OF africa,
near Valparaiso, Chile, in August, 1853,
stands alone in appalling majesty and de-
structive force Captain L. G. Billings,
u. S. NJ, commander of the naval steamer
wateree, described his experience in that
terrifying cataclysm in a late number Of
the Sunday Magazine. In part he says:
africa numbered about 10000 inhabitants,
and was the only port of entry for rich
and prosperous region. The town was pic
turesquely situated in a cleft or valley
running up into the sea coast range of the
Andes Threading the valley was a small
stream that furnished water for irrigation,
whereby the desert coast blossomed with a
fertility that never ceased to surprise. 1t
was blocked in on one hand by the perpen-
dicular cliff of the MORO, 500 feet high,
which, without single break to mar its
imposing but cruel front, was ever dashed
by the long surges OF the mightiest Of
oceans, and on the other by sloping heights,
rising one above the other till lost in the
clouds.
A Lurking Fear.
Nevertheless, behind its cnarm of climate
and scenery lurl5ed the ever present fear
in the native mind of another earthquake,
africa being a sort of rendezvous of such
seismic disturbances. having twice been
nearly erased. with dreadful loss Of life.
In blissful ignorance Of what a west coast
earthquake really was, we had celebrated
our national holiday and their, the 4th and
10th of July. with zeal and burning of
powder.
Besides the Wateree and Fredonia in the
roadstead were a Peruvian, also a
Chilean, men-of-war, and several square
Triggers, together with quite a fleet of mer-
chantnen, when on August a storm burst
from the cloudless sky, overwhelming us
in one common ruin
was sitting in the cabin when in mid
afternoon we were startled by violent
trembling of the ship similar to the effect
produced by dropping anchor. Knowing II
could not be caused by that ran on deck,
where my attention was instantly arrested
by vast cloud of dust rapidly approaching
from the southeast, while the awful
rumbling grew In intensity, and before our
eyes the everlasting hills nodded and the
ground swayed to and fro like the short
choppy waves Of a troubled sea. The cloud
veiled the city completely, and through iti
impenetrable texture arose cries, shrieki
for help, the crash OF crumbling houses
and the thousand commingled noises of q
great calamity, while the ship reeed al
though clutched by giant hand. Then thu
cloud passed.
AS the dust slowly settled, we rubbed
our eyes and gazed again and again, be
iieving we were the victims of a hoax
for where only few moments previousl!
was a happy, prosperous city, we behelC
a mass of utter ruin. hardly house lef
standing, not one intact, the streets choke(
with debris through which struggled fran
tically the least wounded OF the stricken
wretches imprisoned in the ruins of thei
once slightly homes. while groans, cries
and prayers for mercy rent the air. Owe
all this horror the sun shone peacefully
from an unclouded sky, the sea rippleC
shoreward as gently and unsteady as be
fore.
How long dld It last? I cannot tell. M
ono seemed 10 take note Of time. 1t was
horrible nightmare. dream from whicl
we presently were 20 awaken. But no
The agony and suffering before us wer
TOO CHASTITY and vivid to be the produc
of mere Imagination, conscious or sub
conscious. The shock may have been fou
or FIVE minutes in reaching us and passing
We anxiously scanned the sea for an