The commonwealth., 1902-01-23
A SEVERE EARTHQUAKE.

| I'll III CD0 CtHtc vi 0uSIIcIO Is 1OPOA eCo
to have occurred late yesterday after
nocn when all extremely violent earth
quake shock was felt at Chi1pancinee {
causing a great loss of life and inJur'
ing many persons.
Details from the stricken district are
very meagre, but scattering reports re.
| ceived hero Indicate that probably SOC
| persons we're killed and as m ny more
injured.
1t is known that the State capitol,
the parish church and many business
houses and residences are In ruins, an3
there is much suffering as a result OF
the awful seismic disturbance. One o.
the edifices that suffered most was the
Federal telegraph Office, which ex-
plains the paucity of news tlat has 50
far reached this city.
Later, meagre details began to arrive
here. The telegraph lines ana appa-
ratus at Chilpancingo were badly dam
aged, but the employees, all of whom
we're unin]ured, quickly proceeded to
erect all improvised tele graph Office oD
the outskirts Of the city.
The number of deaths was greater
in the parish church than In any single
place, as crowd of worshippers were
gathered there for the afternoon ser
Vice. The solid masonry-walled root
came toppling down on the worshlppers
as if it bad been wrecked from its
bearings by thousand strong hands,
Several people were killed there.
The War Department has ordered
the troops in the nelghborhood to co
operate in the work of rescue. Until
this work is completed 1t will be i'm
possible to accurately learn the num-
Der OF victims It is believed, however,
that this is one of the most destructive
seismic phenomena that has occurred
in Mexico. The greater part of the
population OF Chilpancingo are now
camping out under trees around the
town, which is FIVE days journey from
the national capital.
Earthquake shocks we're felt In many
other cities and towns.
In Mexico City the earthquake took
place at 5 III yesterday afternoon and
was of such violence as to shake the
most substantial buildings. The Pan
American Congress was in session at
the time and many OF the delegates
were greatly alarmed. The first move
ment was one OF trepidatlon and was
very sharp. 1t was followed by an
easier osclllatory movement north
northeast to south-southwest. The
duration was 55 seconds. The damage
in this city was only slight.
The State Of Guerrero has always
been the focus OF seismic disturbances
Reports received here tonight state
that the shock was very severe at
Chllpa. No casualties are so lar re-
ported from there.
In duration the Chilpanclngo shock
was less Prolonged than that in Mexico
City, haying lasted so seconds, agains,
90 seconds at the capital.
LATER.-Mexico City, Jan. 1S.-
Chilpancingo, the capital of the State
OF Guerrero, has been for two days IL
lndescribable panic, for yesterday there
came repetition OF the earthquake
shock of Thursday, razing to the
ground many houses spared from the
first earthquake.
The people are camping out on the
Alameda and in the fields. Hundreds
OF families are ruined.
The buildings destroyed include the
Seventeenth Battalion's barracks, from
which the soldiers were ordered, thus
their lives. The school build
ings are wrecked, but luckily the chill
dren were ali saved, their teachers hav-
ing presence OF mind and giving the
order Tor them to march to the street
when the first rumbling of the earth
began OH Thursday. The parish church
which was being repaired, having been
injured in u recent earthquake, was
destroyed.
When the shock began it was nearly
filled with worshippers, who fled in
dismay, women being knocked down
by men, but fortunately all had gained
the street when the heavy stone arches
fell In. 1t is believed that every one
though the soldiers are re-
moving the debris, which is piled up
in great heaps.
Goyernor Mora and his secretary e.
capped from the State Palace in time to
saye themselves and proceeded to aid
the wounded and panic-strlcken popu-
lace. The statue Of General Nicholas
Brayo was thrown down and the town
building was so badly
cracked that its tall is momentarilv
Great assures opened across the
streets. The church of San Mateo in
ono of tho o,,<or 1;,t,;..