In the Valparaiso (Chile) Earthquake by Mrs. Wm. Steele

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 17, 1907

In the Valparaiso (Chile) Earthquake

By Mrs. Wm. Steele

LONG before this letter reaches you, you will have heard, by cable or otherwise, of the terrible earthquake that has visited us here in Valparaiso. It began on the sixteenth of August, at about ten minutes to eight, and must have lasted at least one and a half minutes. It was the most awful thing I have ever witnessed. At the end of this time scarcely a house of any value was left standing. The few that do remain are being thrown down with dynamite, as in many places it is not safe to walk in the street. The wreck is appalling, and no matter to what part of the city one goes, he encounters the same thing,—ruin, ruin, ruin. A gentleman who was in San Francisco at the time of the earthquake there, says the one here was far worse. The fire and the inability to cope with it was the same as there. The water-pipes were immediately broken, and the city was in darkness. All Valparaiso was in the streets in a few seconds. Women were crying, screaming, and praying to the Virgin Mary for protection. But we thank God for a faith that can look away to Jesus even in the midst of such dreadful scenes.

Mr. Steele and I remained in a small patio just behind our house, and at the side of another tall house. Neither of us felt any fear; we knew our God was able to deliver us if it was his good pleasure. And as far as we know, not one of our people perished. We had three distinct heavy quakes. In the first one a large part of the wall between our kitchen and dining-room fell out, and everything on the kitchen shelves was thrown to the floor; but strange to relate, not a single dish fell from my cupboard or was broken. We had nothing in the way of ornaments, as all were lost when our house burned eight months ago. When the house began to shake, I immediately thought of the lamp, and carried it to the kitchen as I ran out of doors. After I reached the patio, it shook for several seconds, then there was a lull, and during that time Mr. Steele tried to extinguish the fire that had begun by the wall's falling on the lamp; not succeeding, he cast the lamp into the patio, where it could burn without doing any damage.

All this happened in just a few seconds, then began the second shaking, which lasted as long as the first, or nearly as long; then came another lull of a few seconds, during which we went into the street. We had not more than reached the street when the third began, but it was very short. I do not wish ever to witness another such scene.

The condition of the people is exactly as it was in San Francisco. All have read of that, so it would be useless to repeat it. All are reduced to a common level. We have as yet not suffered from hunger, as we had a small supply of provisions in the house, which we managed to save. Our house did not fall, but eventually burned. We managed to save most of our furniture, but the loss to the mission was total, as it was impossible for Mr. Steele and me to carry out all the books and things that were in the office. Then, too, there was no place to store them, even if we had been able to save them. The people in Chile are very quick to help themselves to other people's property. Some of the things we did save were stolen. The tremors have not yet entirely ceased; yesterday and to-day they have been less frequent.

To-morrow evening it will be one week since the night of terror. The city is quite well guarded, but as yet there are not sufficient soldiers to guard the hills. Since I have been writing this, a large force has entered the city, so that now the hills may also be more secure from thieves. Many thieves have been shot while they were carrying on their nefarious work. For two days past we have been living in a house, but just now we have had three quite hard tremors, and the police have ordered all kerosene lights extinguished. We shall take our beds out and sleep in the street. Provisions are being distributed in all parts, so it seems there will not be much suffering from hunger. God has most certainly favored us, and we can see his leading. More and more we are convinced that we are indeed in the time of the end, and that we need to be more expeditious in accomplishing the Lord's work. Mrs. Wm. Steele.