The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-18
REPORTS ARE ALL ALARMING.



Been FrightfuI.
New York. Aug. 1s.@The earth
quake shocks severely felt throughout
the region Of Valparaiso. Chile, Thurs
day night We're followed Friday by a
series of earth tremOrs that continued
at intervals throughout the day. The
first intelligence to this effect was
brought to this city early today in the
Associated Press dispatch from Gal
weston, Tex, where the cable operator
had been in recent communication
with the cable operator at Valparaiso.
The latter added that numerous build
ings had been destroyed and expressed
the belief that many fatalities had oc-
CURED, although anything like
definite estimate Of the dead was i'm
possible.
The second series Of quakes was re-
corded by the seismograph in the gov
eminent observatory at Baldwin, Kan,
a pronounced shock being timed at
1927 o'clock Friday morning.
This latest report OF loss OF liz and
property IS consistent with advices re-
ceived by cable companies and business
houses here. Seth r. Abrams, man
ager of the west coast division Of the
South American trade Of the American
TradiT company, said that his firm
had been advised that q severe earth
quake had wrought destruction in Val
paraiso and that parts Of the city were
in flames.
Has Been Fearful Earthquake.
Manager Robertson, Of the Central
and South American Telegraph COM
pany, said that he was not in posi-
ton to give out the reports that his
company had received from their
agents at Valparaiso and other points
along the Chilean coast.
IT can tell you that there has been
fearful earthquake - he said. land parts
of the city are on fire. What reports
have been received up to date are IN the
form of messages to private individuals
in this city and we are not permitted TO
give this to the public. Our opera tors
there are so busy and the confusion IS
so great that we can not expect them
to make full report upon conditions
there for sometime to come. Communi-
cation was restored by our operators in
Chile yesterday and now our wire IS
working perfectly. Beyond Valparaiso,
however, and through the inland de-
partments there is not q wire up. No
word has vet been received from San
tiago, La Serna, Conception or Iquique-
We can not tell what the extent of the
earthquake IS nor at what time we viii
be able to restore communication with
the interior"
Early today the company. received this
message from It's representative at Val
paraiso:
Business Houses Closed.
People demoralized; all business
houses closed. No prospect of an early
--AA~' H+N---~Ne-S9D
Buenos Ayres.
The company's ONCE which is always
closed at night, made no exception last
night It's night bushes came through
the Western Unions Broad street Office
as usual Manager Keen of the West
ern Union said early in the evening that
nothing IN the way of details of the
earthquake had come through to any
one. Many private messages were re-
ceived bearing the single word safe.
but nothing that would give a line on
the extent of the disaster. Early today
fire underwriters here had no general
information as to whether there was
any large fire loss at Valparaiso. The
insurance at Valparaiso is in local and
foreign insurance companies Mems of
It is written by the American companies
and there is no means of knowing here
how heavily involved in losses any of
the companies are.
It Is, of course. thought possible that
some Of the foreign companies that
have had losses at San Francisco may
also have large commitments at Val
paraiso, but this IS OF course merely
speculation.
Banks Are Closed.
Hamburg Aug 1S.@The North
German bank today received from its
cOrresp ondent. the Banco de Chile
Alemania at Valparaiso the following
"AH well. Bank building onl.
slightly damaged. Many houses de-
stroyed by fire. We are unable to
state extent of damage. Banks
Tidal Wave at Hawaii.
Honolulu, Aug. ITO D. m.=Wire-
less reports from the islands of Ha-
wall, Maui and HilO report a tidal
wave. the general height of which was
five feet.
In the enclosed bay of Maalaea its
height was estimated to be twelve
feet where 1t carried away a wharf
and its superstructure. The phe-
nomen was manifested by an unpre-
cedentedly heavy surf. The wave IS
attributed to the earthquake at VAL
paraiso. Thirty-five years ago an
earthquake in South America produced
similar effects here.
Felt at Florence, Italy.
New York. Aug. ia cable dis
patch to the Herald from Florence,
Italy, says:
The director OF the observatory here
announces that the scientific instru~
ments therein indicated shortly before
violence, taking place at a distance Of
$500 knometers $4,000 miles) This
indications passed away in a north
easterly direction.
Alarming Reports in London.
London. Aug 1s.-Private tele-
grams from South America today add
little to what has already been cabled
about the earthquake in Chile. Cen
orally they refer simply to the safety
of the STATS Of British firms doing
business in Valparaiso. The Pacific
Continued on Page 1s.)