Abilene weekly reflector., 1902-08-07
A SERIES OF SHOCKS
Over Seventy Distinct Earthquakes
Felt At Loo Alamos, Cal.
TIE INHABITANTS TERROR. STRICKEN



Strip Of Country Fifteen Miles Long
and Four Miles Wide Rent with
Gaping Fissurss.
San Luis Obispo, CAL, Aug. la
strip Of country Is miles long by four
miles wide, rent with gaping assures
and dotted with hills and knolls that
sprung up during the night as II by
magic, a village in ruins and hun
dreds Of people fleeing for their lives
are the results Of Wednesday nights
seismic disturbance in the prosperous
and fruitful valley Of Los Alamos,
in the northern part Of Santa Bar
bara county. During the last four
days that section Of the country has
been shaken by series OF earth
ouakes that is without precedent in
the history or tradition of the Pa
cifc coast, and the continuance OF
the disturbances and the increasing
severity Of shocks have SO terror
ICED the inhabitants that they are
leaving for other parts as rapidly as
possible, and even now the village 10
almost entirely deserted.
The disturbances began on Sun
day evening with shock which
caused several thousand dollars
worth Of damage to property in the
village and the surrounding country,
being more severe and more disas-
trous in the vicinity Of the Western
Union Oil company's oil wells on the
Carriga ranch. This shock was fol-
lowed by : number of disturbances
less severe and less disastrous, con-
tinuing through the remainder OF
Sunday night and Monday afternoon.
On Tuesday night beginning at 1910
o'clock there was another series OF
seven shocks, all Of which were light.
The general direction Of these dis.
turbances was east and west and In
action they resembled the waves on
Z pond Of water. The most severe
shock Of the entire series occurred
at 1880 o'clock yesterday 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 appeared in level valleys,
springs Of water opened up In places
that had been dry and the general
topography Of the valley was greatly
changed in many respects.
With the first warning Of the sound
Of the approaching disaster the ter
ror-stricken people rushed into the
streets and sought places of safety
| in vacant lots and fields, while many
fed toward the neighboring hills
The first vibrations were similar to
the preceding disturbances in direc'
tion and effect, but they were imme-
diately followed by the most terrific
shock ever experienced in this sec
ton of the state. The earth trem-
bled and rolled and twisted until II
was impossible to stand erect ant
the terror-strcken people cronchec
together in the darkness, fearful thai
the earth beneath them might oper
and swallow them up. The terror
inspired by the rumbling and trem
bling Of the earth was increased b,
the sound of falling buildings, whicl
gave some idea of the terrible de-
strucron' that was being wrought
When the most serious shocks hat
passed and the rumbling sounds hat
died away in the distant hills, the
people gathered in grounds about
the ruins of their homes and places
of business, and when they saw th'
extent of the damage done many o.
them, fearful of a repetition of thi'
terrible experience, immedlatel.
started on foot or by any convey
ance that could be had for place.
where the previous shocks had beel
less severe. In the darkness Of th'
night It was impossible to determine
the full extent of the destruction
wrought, but with the dawn Of da,
the stricken village presented the ap
pearance Of the ruins Of city lonl
deserted. A church had been levele'
to the ground and not one bricl
building was left standing. Chin
neys had toppled over, frame build
ings had been wrenched apart an
thrown from their foundations, tele
graph and telephone wires had bee
broken and there was not buildin
in town that had not been damage
more or less seriously. The exten
Of the most severe portion of tn
: disturbance is II miles long by fou
miles wide, but the shock was fel
throughout Santa Barbara and Sa
Luis Obispo counties. At the Wes'
ern Union oil wells on the Carrig
ranch two tanks were wrecked an
thrown over and much other dan
age done. Since the first disturb
ances on Sunday night there ha,
been over 70 distinct shocks an
! those who have been keeping re
i ords have now given up, as the di
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