Arizona republican., 1902-08-01

Sdfi l-tliS NpiS.E lIc V .iA-b J d4S strip O. country fifteen mics long ny four miles wide. rent with gaping iis- sures and dotted with hills and knolls that sprung up during the night as if by magic. village in ruins and hun dreds of people fleeing for their lives are the result of last nights seismic disturbance in the prosperous and fruit full valley CT Los Alamos, in the north ern part Of Santa Barbara county.
 During the last four days that sec tion Of the county has been shaken by q series of earthquakes without pre- cedent in the history or traditions oc the Pacific coast and q continuance of the disturbances and ,he increasing sc- Verity oi the shocks have so terro.iZcG the inha bitants that they are leaving for other parts as rapidly as possible, and even now the village iS alm 1st en- tirely deserted.
 The disturbances began or Sunday evening with q shock which caused several thousand dollars worth Of dam age to property in the village and sur rounding country, being more severe and more disastrous in the vicinity of the Western Union On c0npany's wells on the Carriga ranch. This shock was followed by q number of disturbances less severe and less disastrous. contin- uing through the re}nainder oT Sunday night and Monday forenoon. Tuesday night, beginning at I2.10 o'clock. there was another series of shocks. all Of which were light. The general direc- tion of these disturbances was east and 
 on pool of water.
 The most severe shock of the entire series occurred at 1:20 o'clock this morning. Hills were shaken and twist ed to the foundations and the valleys trembled and rolled like the surfaca O. the ocean. The Assures run deep iH the earth. Hills and knolls have ap- peared in the level valley. springs Of water have been opened up in places that have been dry, and the general topography of the valley S?as been changed in many respects. The dis turbance had no general direction. but was what is known Gs 'twister." It was preceded by a rumbling like that of distant thunder, which increased until the earth began to rock and twist and the hills to trembIe
 With the first warning sound of the approaching disaster the terrOr-stricll- en people rushed into the streets and sought places of safety in vacant lots and fields, while many fled toward the neighborfng hills. The first vibrations were similar to the preceding disturb ances in direction and effect, but Were immediately followed by the most ter fl1lc shock ever experienced in this sec ton Of the state The earth trernbled rC1l 1lG1 1
 possible to stand erect, and the terror stricken people crouched together in the darkness. fearful that the earth beneath them might open and svaIloN. them up.
 With the dawn Of day the stricken village prcsented the appearance of the ruins of q city long deserted \ church had been leveled to the grounI. chlmneys toppled over. frame build 1ngs had been wrenched apart and thrown from their foundations. tele- graph and telephone wires were brok- en, and there is not a building thai is not damaged more or less seriously In the store buildings not totally de- stroyed mcrcna ndise was thrown from the shelves, and everything hre9 kab1a was destroyed. There is not a nare of glass left in town.
 A conservative estimate of the lose of property in the village is $2O. 900. and this amount will be greatly increased by damage done to property in the surrounding country. The extent Of the most severe portion of the disturbance is fifteen miles long by four miles wide but the shock was felt throughout Santa Barbara and San Louis Obispc counties.
 The disturbances continued through out the day at intervals of two hours but none of the shocks were severe Since the first disturbances of Sunday night there have been over seve.lty distinct shocks, and those who hay, been keeping records have now give! up. as the disturbance has become al most continuous.
 THE CAUSE OF THE QUAKEs
 Berkeley. Cal. July 31.-Resardin: the unprecedented severity Of tn earthquakes in Santa Barbara county Professor Samuel B. Christy of tin University of California said: