New-York tribune., 1902-08-01
EARTHQUAKE RUINS TOWN
WIDESPREAD DEVASTATION IN CALL
FORNIA
INHABITANTS FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES
TWO COUNTIES AFFECTED-MORE
THAN SEVENTY DIS
TINCT SHOCKS
TINCT SHOCKS

Santa Barbara, Cal. July 31.-Another severe
earthquake shock was felt at Los Alamos at
40 tonight. 1t almost heavy as that
Of early this MOI ming. A slight shock was felt
in this city at the same time.
San Luis Obispo CAL July 31.-A strip of
country. fifteen miles long by four miles wide
rent with gaping assures and dotted with hills
and knolls which sprang up in the night as
though by magic, village in ruins and hum
dreds of persons fleeing for their lives are the
results of last nights seismic disturbance in
the valley of Los Alamos. in the northern part
Of Santa Barbara County. For the last four
days that section has been shaken by series
of earthquakes that is without precedent in the
history tradition of the Pacific Coast and the
continuance of the disturbances and the increas-
ing severity of the shocks have so frightened
the inhabitants that they are going to other
places as rapidly possible. BY now Los Ala
is almost entirely deserted.
The disturbances began on Sunday evening
and continued through Sunday night and Mon
day The most severe shock occurred at 11:30
o'clock this morning. Hills were shaken and
twisted to their foundations. and the valleys
trembled and rolled like the surface of the
ocean. Great assures were run deep in the
earth while hills and knobs were formed in
level valleys. Springs of water appeared in
places that had been dry, and the general topo-
graphy of the valley greatly changed The
disturbance had no general direction, but was
what is known as "twister" 1t 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 approaching
disaster the terror stricken people rushed into
the streets, and sought places of safety in va
can't lots and roads, fed toward the neigh
boring hills. The first vibrations We're immedi-
ately followed by the most terrific shock ever
experienced in this section Of the State. The
earth trembled and rolled and twisted until 1t
impossible to stand erect. and the in
habitants crouched together in the darkness,
fearful that the earth would open and swallow
them. The terror inspired by the rumbling and
trembling of the earth was increased by the
sound Of falling buildings
When the most serious shocks had passed and
the rumbling sounds had died away the people
gathered In groups about the ruins Of their
homes and places of business. and when they
the extent of the damage many of them.
fearful of a repetition of this experience. i'm
mediateIy started on foot or by any conveyance
that could be had. for places where the pre-
vious shocks had been less severe.
With the dawn OF day the stricken village had
the appearance Of the ruins of city long de-
serted. church had been levelled to the
standing Chimneys had toppled over. frame
buildings had been wrenched apart and thrown
from their foundations. telegraph and telephone
wires had been broken. and there was not a
building In town that had not been damaged
In stores the merchandise was thrown from
shelves and everything breakable was de-
stroyed. Not a pane of glass left in any
window in town. In the frame dwellings left
standing stoves were overturned ana crocAerS
and glassware We're destroyed
conservative estimate OF the loss TO prop
erty in the village is 10000, This amount VIII
probably he greatly increased by the damage
in the surrounding country The most severe
portion OF the disturbance was felt for eleven
miles over a strip four miles wide, but the
shock was felt throughout Santa Barbara ana
San Luis Obispo counties. At the western
Union oil wells on the Carriaga ranch two tanks
were wrecked and much other damage was done
The disturbances continued throughout the
day at intervals of two hours, but none OF the
later shocks were ceTcre. Since the hrst dis
turbances on Sunday night there have been more
than seventy distinct shocks. Those who have
been keeping records have now given up, as the
disturbances toward night become almost con-
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