The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-04-11

approaching death. The public squares and opel
spaces of the city, which promised security from
the buildings threatening to fall were taken pos
session of by multtudes besides themselves wit
panic.
ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCE
A fe wmoments before the great shock the heav
ems were couded, the air hot and suffocating, ant
the silence oppressive. Then the mysterious sound
under the peoples feet deepened in intensity, ;h
sun swung blood red in murky sky, and over th
Sierras oscilated dark and portentous clouds.
The animals seemed to have an intuition of dan
ger. and in their own way manifested the fear which
took possession of them The bowling dogs crouch
ed by their masters feet or with dropping tails fol
lowed them from place to place, searching the eyes
of their owners for some explanation of the un
usual phenomenon The horses turned back theil
ears and whinnied; fowls roasted high and the cat
tie lying down sprang to their feet terrified bunch
ed close and stood as if expecting attack Of
wolves Then was heard again the subterranean
rumbling hoarse, muffled growing, and the ca
tastrophe entered.
THE EARTH SWUNG BACK AND FORTH
from the northeast to the southeast rapidly
ceeded by oscillations from east to west; the earth
was as if alive and wounded by awful electric
stroke. Amid terrific hurricane of wind build
ings came crashing down, one of the Cathedral
towers leaned the west, ringing the great bells
and then all was confusion.
Il happened" said one of the citizens to me- "to
be on the edge of the town Just before the coming
of the great shock and hurried in the direction of
ny home. The swaying of the earth threw
down twice; terrible noise filled the air,
stoned by the crash of falling houses and the dread
full screams of the women and children.
THE HOME IN RUINS.
Il with haste toward the spot where my
house stood. meeting on the way a number OF men
and women, wildly gesticuatng and calling upon
God to have mercy on them. Ny heart almost sank
within me as | rushed forward in the hope of see
ing my family, for to add to the horrors Of the
scene the groans of many persons led me to fear
that each heap of ruins might be a sepulchre. Ar
irving at the spot where my house was l found but
heap of rubbish. | called Justify. 50 as to ascertain.
if possible if there was any alive beneath Bat re
ceived no answer | then ran off to another part
of the town and there discovered that my family
fortunately were away visiting at the time the
house fell and we're thus saved from destruction"
In the annals of its uneveitful history there is
record that Chilapa passed through Sc
we're and trying experience Fortunately no lives
we're destroyed The fire threatened at onr time
to burn up the whole city but BY heroic efforts on
the part of the citizens, luckily it was distinguished
after six hours Of fighting. Conspicuous, l am
told among the fire fighters was the Bishop and
his clergy who arc now moving among the people
-:
people squating in the plazas and outside the little
city
On the Gale del Pradito. the principal street
of Chilapa there is an opening or fssure three
inches wide produced by the earthquake; it is now
gradually closing but is squeezing out blush gray
mud quite hot to the touch. The night before the
great catastrophe shook the city great silence, I'M
canny in its weird intensity and prolongaion, set
tied down upon Chilapa and the surrounding coun-
try
Another strange thing happened: The Rio del
Sabine, little river flowing through the town on
its way to the Pacific stood still an hour before
the first shock. and between the first and second
strokes turned and flowed back as if affrighted.
THE CATHEDRAL.
The great tower on the right of the Cathedral is
in ruins and the walls of the splendid building bad
ly damaged The Cathedral is built on the south
side of the Plaza dc San Rafael and is slightly ee
waited on stone platform or terrace. Upon the
southern limits of this terrace stood marble statue
of Plus *, the gift of the Sociedad Catoca. Ele-
waited upon this terrace the Cathedral stands ou
boldly and towers over the neighboring buildings
and indeed over the town itself. On the west from
Al. al.
main entrance, surmounted by stone holdings ant
basso-relieyos in white marble. Over the centra
doorway is cut the date of the building, and above
it, in niche, statue of st. Peter. Over the door
way to the right is carving representing st. Fran