DESTRUCTIVE EARTHQUAKE IN MEXICO
NEW YORK, March 16.—A letter from Guadalajara gives an account of an earthquake which, on the 11th of February, shook a large portion of northern Mexico. The little town of San Christobal was almost entirely destroyed, and seventy dead bodies were taken from the ruins. The center of the disturbance appears to be in the volcano of Ceboruco. The earthquake occurred at night, and the terror of the people was increased by the darkness. —The United States government has taken in hand the matter of the recent massacre in Acapulco, Mexico. The Mexican authorities have promised to thoroughly investigate the matter, with a view of doing justice to the perpetrators of the outrages against our citizens. In the meantime the Secretary of the Navy has sent the Saranac to Acapulco, as it is supposed the presence of a man-of-war will greatly facilitate the investigation. —A fire in Atlanta, Ga., March 16, burned a number of stores. Loss, $130,000. TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY BY THE ICE GORGE AT PORT JERVIS. PORT JERVIS, March 17.—The Delaware River broke up here this morning. The water rushed down with tremendous velocity, reaching Port Jervis before 7 o'clock. The river bridge at Saw Mill Rift, three miles west of Port Jervis, was carried away at 7:40 A. M. The greatest excitement prevails here. The lower part of the village is being hurriedly deserted by every family. The ice is as high as the bridge at the foot of Pike street, but has not yet moved despite the hopes of the citizens and the blasting done. Water flooded the entire lower part of the village below the railroad track, and at King street was over four feet deep running with fearful velocity. A number of small buildings and out-houses were overturned by the water backing up the street. Cellars flooded, and in some houses the water was above the second story. At 8:45 A. M., the dam gave way, and the whole mass of ice is moving slowly. The iron bridge was swept away. It cost $100,000. Barrett bridge was swept away at 9 A. M. Saw Mill Rift bridge was swept away, and the foundation fell with a terrible crash. It was 650 feet long, and three years ago cost $60,000. The loss is a public calamity. The scene at Germantown, the lower part of this city, beggars description. The ice is piled on the shore in many places thirty feet high, and in pieces weighing thirty tons. About twenty small houses and some shanties have been torn to pieces, and about 200 houses filled with water to the second story. It is reported that one man was killed. Four of the five spans—in all 622 feet—of the Delaware Railroad bridge are gone. The debris of the railroad and Barrett bridges caught fast on Van Mays Island, three miles below there, saving the tower of the suspension bridge. The damage to the Barrett Bridge Company is about $15,000, and other losses in the village about $20,000. About twenty-five small buildings nearest the river in Port Jervis are totally wrecked. THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE SUCCUMBS. NEW YORK, March 18.—A Port Jervis special says that the Suspension Bridge is carried away; also four houses near Carpenter's Point. All the machine shops are inundated eight feet deep, and one man is known to be drowned. The ice is passing at the rate of twelve miles per hour. All trains are stopped. The telegraph poles were carried away at Mulford. THE ICE FLOODS IN PENNSYLVANIA. WILKESBARRE, Penn., March 17.—The ice remains stationary at this place, and there has been no perceptible fall of water since noon. The gas works have a depth of seven feet of water in them, and the whole city is in darkness, candles and lamps furnishing the only light. Travel has been stopped between here and Kingston since last night, the flats being submerged, and it being considered unsafe to cross the bridge. The three bridges which were swept away from Pittston are jammed in the gorge three miles above here. At Mattioke, eight miles below here, the ice began to move to-day, and the river was cleared for a mile above that point, but from there to the Island gorge and at Wilkesbarre it is solid. The weather has been growing colder, and everything will be frozen solid to-night. The ice gorge at Hooper, eight miles west of Binghamton, is four miles long and thirty feet high. The valley is overflowed and the bridge at Union is in great danger. The gorge at Great Bend is threatening the bridge there. LATER—10:30 P. M.—The river is still stationary, and the weather growing colder.