The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-05-15
Arrivals at New Orleans veri-
fy Reports Of Heavy Loss
of Life and Property Dew
aStati0n.
COSTA RlCAN CITIZENS
WERE PANIC STRICKEN
Steers Were Roasted and
Provisions Brought From
Distant P0ints-Heart Rem
ding Scenes.
(Amor.can News Servicel

NEW OTIcduS, hdy IL mining
stories Of their own narrow escapes
from death in the Costa Rica earth
quake were told today by Americans
arriving on the United Fruit steamer
Parismine. They said that terrible
devastation and loss of life had been
wrought in the cities of Costa Rica,
especially in Cartago.
Probably none had a more terrible
experience than Mrs. Noel Weldon OF
pittsburg and her daughter Mary.
They were ia Mr.. Weldon's hotel in
Carriage wien the crash came. Al
tic Oh she was accustomed to the
us,.al trembling of the earth in Costa
Rica. the Pittsburg woman says that
she never felt similar shock.
The destruction Of the hotel, she
said, was absolute and complete. In
addition to her daughter. Mrs. Weldon
was accompanied by two New Orleans
girls who passed through the earth
quake scene the day after the worst
shock and they described the ruin as
q horrible sight.
Experiences Of Chase.
w. G. Chase of Boston, a railroad
contractor, also came from Costa Rica1
on the Parismine and had with him
his wife and child.
Mr.. Chase. who was in San Jose,
said:
1T was 8 o'clock on the night Of
May when the president received a
message informing him that Cartago
had been completely destroyed. The
news created panic in the capital,
AZ no communication was obtainable
by wire with the stricken town. A
special train was Immediately order
ed by the president of the republic.
"On reaching Yerbia Buena, about
miles from San Jose, the railroad
tracks were found in such condition
that It was unsafe for the locomotive
TO proceed. The party then began
the journey on foot over the noun
tains. From San Jose to Cartago the
distance Is thirteen miles, rising 1900
feet to the summit of the mountain.
The presidents party, comprising
about $50 persons, reached the sum-
init Of the mountain and met the first
1ugitives from Cartago. They declar-
ed not one house was left standing,
and at least 1000 persons had been
killed.
Family Under Ruins.
THE first house in the village was
reached and beneath its ruins an en-
tire family had perished. The bodies
of the father, mother and three chill
Slren were lying under the ruins. A
short distance further on little girl
ran up to the party, crying for her
parents who were buried beneath
their cottage nearby.
"On every side buildings were a
mass of wreckage. Frantic women
rushed to and fro in search of their
Childre, The principal palace, and
temple eace were a mass of ruins.
The tc' Of the Carmen church had
fallen ACROSS the railroad tracks. In
the center of the square force of
soldiers stood guard over prisoners
who had been in the penitentiary a
few hours before. The college Of the
Capuchin priests was a mass of brok-
en- timbers. Its inmates were dead
under the ruins. The bodies already
taken out were beyond Identification.
"The pitchy darkness of the strick-
en- city. due to the destruction of cleo
trio light plant. added to the horror
Of the first night in Cartago.
People Made Frantic.
The first morning after the horror,
hunger made the people frantic.
Orders We're issued to slaughter
several steers and the meat was dis
tributed to the people. There being no
means of cooking the meat, many
built small fires on which their por-
tions were barely scorched and then
eaten. The government ordered sever
al trains ready and placed them at
the disposal OF the people who were
desirous Of reaching San Jose. In one
Of the destroyed houses a shoemakers
body was found with his hammer
tightly clasped and his hand raised as
II In the act of striking the shoe on
which he had been working. Death
must have been instantaneous. One
man was found with his pen In hand.
The Plaza de Quartet was used to lay
out the dead for Identification and
heart-rending scenes were witnessed
on the recognition by fathers, broth
ers, wives and children Of their dead
ones. Many bodies were unidentified
and were buried Immediately.
s"'The manic never ahated aa the