The Van Buren press., 1899-12-30
CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKES.
The Iosses-The Damage
Done at Hemet.

Done at Hemet.
San Jaeinto, Cal. Dec. 27.--This lit
tie city is Il scene of desolation to-day.
People are beginning to recover from
the terror inspired by the earthquake
which eentered here on Christmas
morning and destroyed every brick
building in the town, and some definite
estimates of the damage can now be
made.
Drunken Squaws Crushed.
AT the Saboba Indian reservation,
near here, dance had been held the
night before, and large quantities Of
whisky consumed by the Indians, it
having sent most of them into
drunken slumber before the shock
came. A number of squaws had hud-
died together in an old adobe building
and were sleeping off the effects of the
liquor. The heavy walls fell in upon
them and six were killed outright and
two died later, while score more are
badly injured. Those killed were hor-
ribly crushed.
Sidewalks Heaped With Debris.
Main street presents a sad appear
| ance. 1t is impossible to walk along
the sidewalks because of the heaps OF
debris and overhanging walls. Two
story brick walls were raZed to the
level of the ground with thousands of
dollars worth of merchandise buried
underneath. There is not a house in
town but has suffered,
Electric wires are down and some OF
the power houses have fallen in. The
walls of the county hospital, erected
recently al a cost of $4,000, are badly
damaged.
Estimates of Losses.
The probable losses are estimated aa
follows: Hards d Daggetts, merchan'
disc, $1,000; building, $1,000; Dallas
building. $1,000; Jones building, $500g
Vawter building. $1,000; McReatb
block. $4,000; Daggets' building, S3,,
600; Pigous, $500; Indian Agency, S.,
600; Mckinney d Chambers drug
store, $4,000; S. Kries' building, $4,000,
bank building, 1000; j. w. Ryan
building, $1,000; Domingo building.
SO 900; Lawright's drug store, $1,000;
S. Meades. building and goods, $1,00Gi
E. d. Meade Hardware Co., $4,000;
Durett's building, $1,000; Freemans
store. $1,000; Col. Ritehey, $4,000; Ba.
ker's store, 81 600.
The minor losses amount to eonsid,
erable
The shock at Hemet.
AT Hemet the hotel was damaged to
the eXetent of $10,O00 b. Engham's
| flour mill $4,000. The fire walls Of
| Webbers brick store fell out, the plate
glass windows were smashed and the
entire stock of goods is on the floor
in heap.
Miscellaneous Damages.
The chimneys of the hotel fell many
of them crashing through the roof
One fell on the bed of Frank Robinson,
bruising him badly. The verandas are
all down and the walls badly cracked
| The rear wall of the Johnson block fell
outward. and the whole building was
badly demolished The third story OF
the Hotel Mills is down, and the Sec
ond-story walls fell in. Prugh's store
and fixtures were all shaken down.
There are but two chimneys left i'll
town. The gables of Highland asylum
were cracked and the chimueys shaken
down.
RumbIings at TalIuit's Peak.
II is said that rumblings had been
heard for several days about Taquit' S
peak. in the San Jacinto range, sup
posed to be an extinct Volcano. Be
tween San Jacinto and Hemet geyserS
of hot sulphur water appeared on
! Christmas, and the fumes are so strong
that no one can get near the geysers.
Preparing to Rebuild.
The streets of San Jacinto are be-
ing cleared of debris and the met-
chants are moving their stocks into
warehouses. Preparations are already
being made for the rebuilding of most
of the ruined structures.