Rensselaer Republican, Volume 28, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 September 1895 — THE EARTH GAPED OPEN. [ARTICLE]

THE EARTH GAPED OPEN.

Honduras the Seen-; of a Terrible Disaster. The earthquake in Honduras was the most frightful calamity of the kind that ever bcfel that country. The shocks commenced Sunday in the Y’etapan district, continuing all day at intervals, there being much damage. The city was filled by refugees from the mountains and outlying villages. Tuesday morning the shocks ceased, quiet was restored and people left town for their homes. At 0 o’clock that night heavy rumbling noises were heard, followed by a reappearance of the flames in the mountains, which shot up several hundred feet Frightened people again flock.ed to town. At midnight the church tower fell, carrying with it the roofs of three houses. Nine people were killed and eighteen wounded. Just before daylight another prolonged shock rocked the whole town as if it were a cradle. Many fleeing people were killed by rocks, which fell in a shower like a hail storm. Smoke from the mountains to the northwest rose to an enormous height, followed shortly after by the bursting of flames from the mountain sides and the throwing out of rocks and lava. Shortly after streams of molten lava set fire to a number of houses on the mountain side. Rattle grazing near by fled and were killed, beiug engulfed in the lava which continued flowing in imhtense streams. It is reported at l’etapan Jjiat seventy-one houses were destroyed? One hundred and yfifty-tbree dead bodies have been recovered and many more are missing. At Covajuanca thirty-seven houses were destroyed. Ninety-five bodies were recQvfted. At Cayuscat twenty-nine houses were de- c strayed, and eleven bodies were recovered. 4 ... '■ •' *