DESCRIPTIONS, Fuow Szarrue Parens, Seattle papers which arrived by the M. 8. Empress of China on Saturday morning brought the first detailed accounts of the awful earthquake which ruined San Fravcisco and spread destruotion through many towns and districta of California on the 18th ultimo, The magnitude of the disaster is revealed most plainly in the sories of splendid photographs reproduced in the "Beattie Daily Times." These, much better than the lurid fanciful pictures immediately printed, tell a tale of horror and dosteuction which has few parah in history.
From the many oolumua of reading ceted, telegraphed, and writ-small band of devoted n pondents we can spare space few selections.
19th ult. the "Times" con-
The dreadful shook came without warning at precisely 6.13 o'clock yesterday morning, ite motion apparently being from east to west. At first the upheaval of the earth was gradual, but in a few seconds it increased in intensity. Chimneys began to fall and buildings to crack, tottering on their foun-
People became panic-stricken and rushed to the streets, most of them in their night attire. They were mot by showers of falling buildings, brick cornices and walls, Many were instantly crushed to death while others wore condfully rang!
'Those who remained indoors generally escaped with their lives, though scores were hit by detached' plaster, pictures, and articles thrown to the floor by the shock. It is believed that more or leas loss was sustained by noarly every family in the city.
The tall stool-frame structures stood the earthquake better than the brick buildings, few of them being badly damaged. The big eleven-story Monadnock ofice building, in the course of contruction, adjoining the Palace Hotel, was un exception, however, the rear wall collapsing and many crack being made across its front.
Some of the docks and freight sheds along the waterfront slid. into the bay. Deep fissures opened in the filled-in ground near the shore, and the Union ferry depot was damaged. Its high tower still stands, but will have to be torn down.
The portion of the city hall, which cost more than $7,000,000, collapsed, iding into the courtyard and down, the not The new post-office, one of the finest in the United States, was badly shattered.
The Val Hotel, a four story wooden building, sank into the basement, a pile of splintered timbers, under which were vooel many dead
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.