The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-20
Great Damage in the yaca Valley. Where Nu-
merOus Brick Structures We're Razed to
the Ground by the Force of the Shock.
One Million Dollars Worth of Property
Destroyed, but No Lives Lost
About Twenty Persons More or Less Injured
in Vacaville, Winters and Dixon-S500,.
600 Fire Loss at Kenosha, Wis
CALIFORNIA TOWNS SHAKEN.
Many Brick Buildings Damaged or Destroyed
by Earthquake.

Many Brick Buildings Damaged or Destroyed
by Earthquake.
SAN Francisco. April 19.-The heayiest
earthq uake experienced IN California since
ISIS occurred shortly before 3 o'clock this
morning. The country within two hun
dred miles of San Francisco was visited by
shock which varied in intensity at dir,
ferent points. In this city a number OF
large houses trembled perceptIbly. but tha
only one to sustain damage was the old.
church building. which. until lately, had
been occupied by the Academy OF Sciences
aud the front wall OF which fell, tearing
away the balconies.
The town of Vacaville. situated in the
heart of the beautiful Vaca valley. sixty<
five miles from San Francisco. was the cen>s
ter of the .seismic disturbances Vacavills'
is town of 2. 200 population. aud on its
main street was number of brick buildsi
ings These were all either badly DANE.
aged or DESTROYED, as well as o number OF
brick residences in the town and vicinityr,
Many of the walls fell outward into tha
street. which was filled with debris. oUt
which wOrkmen ut once began 10 clear
away. Many of the walls were Of fraiI
character, and succumbed easily TO the
shock. Very slight damage occurred to
frame houses. The only person in Nacas
VILE or vicinity reported seriously injured
was Rev. o. o. Felknew. of San Jose. who
was struck by falling debris and received
severe cuts and bruises. Several persons
had narrow escapes from injury.
Dixon and Winters. towns of about two
thousand inhabitants. located, respectives
ly. northeast and northwest of Vacaville,
and within a few miles of the latter place,
were scenes of considerable destruction.
The Masonic Hall of Dixon. a two-story
brick block, was ruined. and it's falling
walls shattered the two adjoining houses.
A fire. which broke out among the ruins.
caused some damage at W inters. but tho
danger was lessened by an abundant water
supply. The house Of John It. Hoffel. be-
tween Nacayilie and Winters, was de-
stroyed by fire. caused by an overturned
lamp, the occupants barely escaping with
were. for time. panic.stricken. owing tn
the severity of the shock. Forty
guests were in the two-story
Bliss Hotel at Winters. the walls of which
jured by the falling of the walls was re-
markable. One new brick school-housa
and several new brick buildings in Winters
were cracked and wrenched from their
foundations. The banks of Putsh creek
caved In and assures opened in the bottom
of the creek. Three miles west of the
town an acre of ground slid into the creek
and small assures were made In the cOun-
try road. Several great powders were
thrown from the hillsides at a point on tho
Berrevso road near Winters. blocking the
roadway, Considerable damage was done
in isolated farm buildings. but no personal
injuries are reported.
The town of Monticello. seventeen miles
from Winters, at first reported de-
strOyed. but a man arrived from there this
afternoon and reported the damage nom-
inal The losses at Vacaville, owing to tba
destruction of buildings and other prop.
erty, is estimated at 100000 at Dixon S50.-
000 and at Winters nearly S1O0,OOO. El-
mira. Fairfield. Santa Rosa, Woodland.
Davldville and Benicia report windows
and crockery broken and q number OF
ChimDeys overturned. Some thirty or
forty towns report trifling damages. though
ascounts agree IN placing the intensity OK
the shock as greater than any in recent
years.
The number of shocks felt differed az
various places. At some points only ono
shock was registered, while at others two.
or even more. occurred. The vibrations
extended from north to south and from
east to west. The single shock Is generally
described as being most intense. the vibra-
tions. where more than one shock oc-
CURED. becoming confused.
Another dispatch places the total losg
throu ghouS the State at 81 1.00O,O00 No
deaths are yet reported. but probably not
less than twenty persons are more or less
mi