The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-08-01

San Luis ObiSpo, Cal, July Sl.-A sIiL
of country $50 miles long by four miles
wide. rent with gaping assures and dotted
with hills and knobs that sprung UP
during the night as il by magic. vii
lage in ruins and hundreds of people fee
ing for their lives, are the result of last
nights seismic disturbance in the pros
porous and fruitful valley Of Los Ala
mos, in the northern part of Santa Bar
bara county.
During the last four days that section
of country has been shaken by a series
of earthquakes that Is without precedent
in the history or tradition of the Pa
ciic coast, and the continuance of the
disturbance and the increasing severity
Of the shocks have SO terrorized the In
habitants that they are leaving for other
parts as rapidly as possible, and even
now the village is almost entirely de-
serted.
Series of Seven Shocks.
The disturbances began Sunday evening
with a shock which caused several thou
sand dollars worth of damage to proper
ty in the village and the surrounding
country being most severe and most de-
structive in the vicinity of the Western
Union Oil Company's oil wells on the
Carriga ranch. This shock was followed
by number of disturbances less severe
and less destructive, continuing through
the remainder of Sunday night and Mon
day afternoon. Tuesday night beginning
at 1919 o'clock there was series of
seven shocks, all of which were light.
The general direction of these disturb
ances was east and west and in action
they resembled the waves on a pond of
water.
The most severe shock of the entire
series occurred at 1890 o'clock this morn
ing. Hills were shaken and twisted to
their foundations and the valleys trem-
bIed and rolled like the unstable surface
of the ocean. Great assures were run
deep in the earth. hills and knobs APP
peared In level valleys, spring of water
appeared in many places that had been
dry, and the general topography OF the
valley was greatly changed. The dis
turbance had no general direction, but
was what is known as a "twister." It
was preceded by a rumbling like that of
distant thunder, which Increased until
the earth began to rise and twist, and
the hills began to tremble.
With the first warning of the sound Of
tho approaching disaster the terror
stricken rushed into the streets and
sought places of safety in vacant lots
and roads, while many fed to the neigh
boring hills. The first vibrations were
similar to the preceding disturbances in
direction and effect. but they were imme-
diately followed by the most terrific
shock ever experienced in this section Of
the State.
The Earth Twisted.
The earth trembled and rolled and
twisted until It was impossible for peo-
pie to stand erect and the terror stricken
inhabitants crouched together in the
darkness, fearful that the earth might
open and swallow them. The terror Ia.
spired by the rumbling and trembling Of
the earth was increased by the sound of
falling buildings. which gave some idea
of the terrible destruction that was be-
ing wrought When the most serious
shocks had passed and the rumbling
sounds had died away in the distant hills,
the people gathered in groups about the
ruins of their homes and places OF busi-
ness and when they saw the extent of
the damage done many Of them, fearful
of a repetition of this experience, imme-
diately started on foot or by any con-
veyance that could be had. for places
where the previous shocks had been less
severe.
In the darkness of the night 1t was i'm
possible to determine the full extent of
wrought but with the dawn Of
day the stricken village had the appear
ance of the ruins Of city long deserted.
A church had been levelled to the ground
and not one brick building was left
standing. Chimneys had toppled over,
frame building had been wrenched apart
and thrown from their foundation. Tele-
phone and telegraph wires had been
broken and there was not building in
town that had not been damaged more
or less seriously. In store buildings that
were not totally destroyed, merchandise
was thrown from shelves and everything
breakable was destroyed, not pane of
glass was left in any windows and in the
dwelling houses that were left standing
stoves were overturned and crockery and
glassware was destroyed.
The Damage Heavy.
A conservative estimate Of loss to prop
erty in the village is $4,000 and this
amount will probably be greatly in
creased by the damage done property in
the surrounding country. The extent of
the most severe position of the disturb
ance is eleven miles long by four miles
wide, but the shock was felt throughout
Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo
At the Western Union Oil
wells on the Carriage ranch two tanks
were wrecked and thrown over and much
other damage was done. The disturb
ances continued throughout the day at
intervals of two hours, but none of the
shocks was severe. The people have de-
serted the village. every conveyance hav-
Ing been taken and the passenger and
freight trains left here last night have
been loaded with people who are fleeing
to Santa Maria and the northern part
Of the country for safety. Since the first
on Sunday night there have
been over seventy distinct shocks and
those who have been keeping records
have now given up as the disturbances
have become almost continuous.
Another Shock Felt.
Santa Barbara. Cal. July S1.-Another
severe earthquake shock was felt at Los
Alamos at 7:3O o'clock tonight. 1t
was almost as heavy as those of early