TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKE IN MEXICO.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 133, 4 June 1875, Page 2

TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKE IN MEXICO.

A correspondent o( the ffietv York Heraldbi Gundalojara, Mexico, writing on 20th February, thus describee on earthquake which destroyed a town, and killed seventy persons!— On Friday, the ilth of JWurtry, at half paßt 8 o'clock p.m.,- a very severe shaking was felt in the capital (GundaInjara), accompanied by a strange subterranean sound. I*ll6 phehonomenon was so marked that it seemed as if the great terraqueous mass was about to pass from under our feet, and for the moment the falling in of every roof was expected. In four minutes after, the shaking was repeated with equal force, and with the most tremendous noises, whereupon the amazement and alarm had no limit. The public squares and every place where it was thought the falling houses could not reach were taken possession of by the multitude, who were beside themselves with panic, A few moments after the earthquake the heavens were clouded, and the atmosphere hot and suffocating, all of which tended to horrify more and more public imagination. The shakings were of a tremendous character, terminating in oscillatory movements, and lasted about tan seconds* There is no doubt that Guadalajara has never suffered earthquakes so strong as those just passed through, and that fortunately we have not many accidents to lament. Nevertheless, many buildings' have suffered considerable iojury — among others the Institute, the chapels of Loreto, la Merd, de Jesus, Liceo, and Mexicalcuigo, while an arched roof was cracked open in the Penitentiary, a tower cracked loose belonging to the cathedral, &c. A falling stone from the cathedral destroyed a man's foot. The theatre Dagolludo did not suffer — a proof that the rumors in regard to its bad construction have no foundation — although the persons who had gone to the theatre to the benefit of Mrs Leonardi were very much frightened. The whole night was passed in watching, so strong was the conviction that the phenomenon! would be repeated. Oo the following day the telegraph an/ nounced that towards the east as far/as LeoD, the north as far as Chalchihi/ite, the south ai far as Zacoalco, and the west as far as the Pacific, all the towns had felt the eartbquuke with greater or less intensity, especially thoße near the volcano of Ceboruco. In the valley of the river near the hacienda of Mr Portillo, a large rock fell down, kiliiug a horse and wounding a rauD. In San Cristobal the affair has been very bad, as nearly all the houses of that town have been destroyed, and many, perhaps, buried in the ruina, Up to tuo 15th or 16th of the moDjrfC besides the bruised or wounded, /the bodies of seventy killed have been takenVfrotu the ruins. As the town contains«D,nly 800 inhabitants, the proportion of the accidents to that number is horrifying. The priest is one of the victims. It 18 said he died^yejbterday. It may be said of San Cristobal' that it has disappeared, and that its ruins only exist. The families which have been saved are now living in the open air under trees. San Cristobal — writes a residont of that place — is situated, or rather was situated, at thg .bottom of (he beautiful valley which crosses the greater part of ihe north of this State, the waters of the grand river nearly touching the foundation walls of our houses, and waa a most picturesque place, for the high rocks on the opposite 6ide of the valley and in front of us appeared hanging over our heads. We lived tranquilly, for our commerce was not great, and earthquakes in former years had uever been severe with us, and hud occasioned no alarm. Oa the 11th instant, at 25 minutes past 8 p.m. a rumbling sound came from tbe earth beneath us, the precursor of a tremendous earthquake. The animals instinctively manifested their surprise; the dogs bowled, the horses turned down their ears and snorted, the cattle which were lying down jumped up terrified, - and assumed their attitude when ieared to be eaten up by wolves; all w«re prepared for the danger which was about to come upon them. An instant afterwards came another subterraneous rumbling, and then began tbe catastrophe. The earth swung back and forth from north-east to south east, rapidly succeeded by the oscillations horn the east to the west; it seemed, so to speak, that the earth had been wounded by some electric shock. A frightful whirlwind followed, after which all was confusion. I happened to be on the edge of the town,t and proceeded towurds my home, but fhe rapid movements of the earth threw me down twice, and a moment afterwards I was immovably fixed by a terrible noise, occasioned by the falling of the bouses, and the doleful screams of neatly all the inhabitants. A cloud of dust covered the whole town, and the air was suffocating. I ran with precipitate haste towards the spot where my house stood, meeting a number of men a<ad women, many of them partly dressed, wildly gesticulating, alternately calling upon God to have mercy upon them, and making use of certain superstitious orations. My heart almost aank within me as I rushed forward in the hope of seeing my, family, for, to add lo the horrors, .of the scene, the groans of many persons tended to prove that each heap of ruins would also form i sepulchre. Arriving at the spot where my house vi as, I found but a heap of rubbish. I called lustily, so as to ascertain, if possible, if there was anyone alive beneath; but received do

response. I then ran off to nnotne/ part of the lowd, and there discovered that my family, fortunately, were away visiting at the time the house fell, and were (bus saved from destruction. After some hours bad been lost, the work of searching for friends and relatives known to be beneath the ruins was commenced; but it is impossible at this time to stale exactly bow many perished, partly because a great many people took (o their beele, and ran into the forest, and partly because the darkness prevents a perfect search for the bodies. fc>o far, in a few hours, 37, bodies have been dragged out. — ■■ - • * ■•