Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1891 — WHOLE TOWNS WIPED OUT [ARTICLE]

WHOLE TOWNS WIPED OUT

Central America Visited by a£ I . Earthquake With Terri,'c ble Results. „ Millions or Dollars’ Worth of Property Destroyed and Many Lives Lost in San ' Salvador, —People Praying U* ; the Streets, New Yoke, Sept. 10—The Herald has this cable dispatch: San Salvador, Sept. 9.—Millions of dollars’ worth of property and many lives were destroyed in this republic by an earthquake to-day. Whole towns were wiped out, and, so far as advices received here indicate, hardly a city iu the country, except those along the coast, escaped the awful effects of the convulsion. There have been indications for several days past that a seismic disturbance of more than usual power might be expected. The volcanoes of San Salvadorean Miguel and Izalco have been unusually aetive.and deep subterranean rumblings and slight earth tremors have been felt. Such things are not uncommon here, however, and ■while there was a feeling of uneasiness here last night there was no great alarm felt. At just about five minutes before 2 o’clock this morning tho earth began to shake. The wavo had a strong vertiele and oscillatory movement. r People rushed into the streets in their bight clothes, while the shock lasted only twenty seconds. Before it had passed away there Was a panic-stricken mob making its-way to tho open country outside of the city. The scene was terribly sublime. Men, ■women and children were shrieking and praying in the streets. Walls of houses cracked, tottered and fell. There was a deep, continuous rumbling, as if of heavy thuuder; the sky was overcast, and the air was filled witfi a fine, penetrating dust. Whale the shock lasted the earth rose and Ml in long waves, and strong men were unable to keep their feet. The panicstricken people flocked to the open ground ioutsidoof the city. Temporary shelters were thrown up wherever possible, but nearly all the men and a great many of ~ the women and children had only the sky for a covering, All through the morning there have been slight shocks, but none approaching in intensity that which had been so destructive. President Ezeta is doing everything he can to stop the panic and care for the homeless people until it is considered safe for them to go back to their homes. 1 The towns throughout the country have suffered more severely than the capital even. Analquito and Comasagua have been completely destroyed. Cojutepequew Santa Tecla, San Pedro, and Masahuet were so badly shaken that they are practically ruined, while the shock was plainly felt and damage was done by it at Santa Ana and Ousimtepequela, fully seventy miles from here. It is impossible at this writing to form any idea at to tho number of lives which have been lost. Two people killed here, though there were almost miraculous escapes from death. It is feared, however, that there have beeu many people killed in the smaller towns. ! The Herald correspondent at San Salvador telegraphs his paper on the 12th as follows: Details of tho terrible earth quake shock of which I cabled you ou Wednesday prove it to have been more disastrous than it was at that time reported . In this city about forty people were killed and sixty wore moreorless seriously,

injured, but it is impossible to give the names of the dead. There is no tolling to whit extent the mortality list will reach, but, judging from the fearful results in San Salvador, the number of killed throughout the country will be somewhere fn the hundreds. t While the alarming reverberations were going on it was an utter impossibility for any one to keep his footing. From all the houses the unfortunate dwellers issued on , all fours amid clouds of dust, while •showers of tHes and plaster kept falling ail about them. The air was filled with ' agonizing shrieks. Everywhere could be heard the cries of parents calling for their children and children screaming for their parents. Merchants, druggtsts and liquor-dealers lost heavily through, the fall of glass. Chiaaware in all the houses was smashed int 0 bits. Telegraph, and telephone wires were broken or entangled. The bells of pll the church towers were rung, sounding most dismally. Three prisoners;were-killed by the falling of the walls of thohr cells. Two .lame imtieuts in the hospital were crushed to

death in their beds.. Seven children, each under the age of one year, were killed . The dead, however, are mostly old men ind women. The' panic has now pretty nearly •subsided,, although families are sleeping in tents in their yards, or in public parks or streets^ Earthquakes, by turns feeble and violent, continue at Irregular intervals. Everybody expects the climax to come on Sept. 21, on account of the equinox, aa experience shows that the phenomenon exerts a great Influence on local earthquakes. It is not unlikely that this city will be made a total wreck. . The government has sent 330 men to deepen the outlet to Lake Hopongo In order to diminish the amount of water in it and to reduce the violent shocks. Lake Hopongo is eight miles east of thi3 city, and Is ninety-six miles square. It occupies the area of the old sunken voi'eantf It Is now filled with rainwater, and is very heavilj charged with sulphurated hydryogen and other gases. The workmen engaged In digging the outlet were carried away by a wild torrent of warm, iIU smelling water and wore drownectr The details of the ruin of towns in the interior are meager. Of 31.0 houses at Cotnasaguaoniy eight remain standing. The loss of life there is great. News came by telegram at 6 p. m, yesterday that the lakes were growing warmer and had fallcu three foot up to 9a. m., when they rose again, reaching by 6 p. m. seven feet above the normal level. Nobody slept last night, as all were expect ing another violent shook. Fortunately nothing unusual happened. '