The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-08-07
CALIFORNIA
EARTHQUAKE
Earth Rent With Gaping Fis'
sures; People Fleeing.
RESIDENCES RAZED
Inhabitants Rushing Into the
Street, Are Terrorized by Fall
ing Buildings.

ing Buildings.
San Luis, Gal. "A strip OF country
fifteen miles long by four miles wide.
rent with gaping assures and dotted
with hills and knolls that sprung up
during the night as If by magic,
village in ruins and hundreds Of peo-
pie fleeing for their lives are the re-
suits Of q seismic disturbance in the
prosperous and fruitful valley of Los
Alamos, in the northern portion Of
Santa Barbara county. t
The country has been shaken by a
series Of earthquakes that is without
precedent in the history or tradition
Of the Pacific coast and the continu-
anoe Of the disturbances and the in
oreasing severity Of the shocks have
SO terrorized the Inhabitants that
they are leaving for other parts as
rapidly as possible, and even now the
village is almost entirely deserted.
The disturbances began on Tuesday
evening with shock which caused
several thousand dollars worth Of
damage to property in the village and
the surrounding country, being more
severe and most disastrous in the vi
cinity Of the Western Union Oil Com.
pany's oil wells on the Carriga ranch.
This shock was followed by number
Of disturbances less severe and less
disastrous, continuing through the re-
mainder Of Tuesday and Wednesday
afternoon. On Thursday night there
was another series Of shocks, all of
which were light.
The most severe shock Of the entire
series occurred Friday morning. Hills
were shaken and twisted to their
foundations and the valleys trembled
and rolled like the unstable surface
Of the ocean. Great assures were run
deep in the earth, hills and knolls ap.
pearing n level valleys, springs Of
water sprang up in many places that
had been dry, and the general topo-
graphy Of the valley was greatly
changed.
The disturbance had no general d.
cotton, but was what is known as a
"twister. - It was preceded by a
rumbling like that of distant thun-
der, which increased until the earth
began to rise and twist, and the hills
began to tremble.
With the first warning of the sound
Of the approaching disaster the ter
people sought places Of
safety in vacant lots and roads, while
many fed to the neighboring hills.
The first vibrations were similar to
the preceding disturbances in direo-
ton and effect, but they were imme-
diately followed by the most terrific
shock ever experienced in this section
Of the state.
TIE earth trembled and rolled and
twisted until it was impossible for
people to stand erect and the terror
stricken inhabitants orouched to-
gether in darkness, fearful that the
earth might open and swallow them.
The terror inspired by the rumbling
and trembling Of the earth was in
creased by the sound Of falling build
ines. which gave some idea of the
terrible destruction that was being
wrought.
In the darkness Of the night it was
impossible to determine the full ex-
tent of damage wrought, but with the
dawn Of day the stricken village had
the appearance Of the ruins of city
long deserted. A church had been
leveled to the ground and not one
brick building was left standing.
Ohimneys had toppled over, frame
buildings had been wrenohed apart
and thrown from their foundations.
In store buildings that were totally
destroyed the merchandise. was
thrown from shelves and everything
breakable was destroyed; not pane
Of glass was left in any window in
any house in town, and those frame
cottages and dwelling houses that
were left standing stoves were over
turned and crockery and glassware
destroyed.
A conservative estimate of the loss
to property in the village is $50, 900,
and this amount will probably be
greatly increased by the damage done
property in che surrounding country.
The extent of the most severe por-
ton OF the disturbance is eleven
miles long by four miles wide. bat
the shook was felt throughout Santa
Barbara and San Luis Obispo coun-
ties. a
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