Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1906-08-22
TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKE NEARLY
DESTROYS WHOLE CITY.
Without the Slightest Warning the
City Rocked Back and Forth-Build.
ings Went Down and Fires Started
Hundreds Of Lives Were Lost and
Thousands Were Injured-San Diego
Also Damaged.


night. bringing death to hundreds of
persons and leaving many hundreds
more imprisoned IN the ruins, many
Of whom were burned to death before
aid could reach them. Fire started
Immediately after the first shock AMI
raralyzcd. Panic and CONSERVATION
indescribuble followed, and those who
escaped death and injury became fren-
zied with fear and could render little
assistance to the victims.
The business section Of the city Is
almost entirely destroyed. AS night
comes on the city Is everywhere
aslow with dnobstructed fires. and
clouds of smoke and vapOr settle in
the streets where throngs Of homeless
ones are wandering about crazed by
the awful calamity.
Telegraphic communication Is cut
off in all directions and every one here
is too much depressed by the calamity
at home to seek information In other
places. No trains have arrived In the
city or left it since the shock came,
as all Of the railroad tunnels are filled
and miles of track are twisted and
rendered useless. 1t Is only known
from general accounts that death and
destruction are on all sides.
There were two distinct shocks. the
second che following almost instantly
after the first and completing the
work Of destruction.
The day had been unusually calm
and pleasant. AT o'clock the whoie
city seemed suddenly to swing back
ward and forward, and there came a
sudden jolt of such mighty force that
rows of buildings toppled to the earth
as If made Of brittle plaster. Whole
rows Of buildings were down in few
minutes.
AS soon as the second shock had SUD-
ness part Of the town was doomed.
From the Bella Vista section little was
heard, but before midnight fires were
seen burning there. and 1t waE learned
that that section Of the city also was
doomed.
The city stands upon formation Of
granite gneiss. which seemed to accen-
tuate the force of the shock.
Before the stunned people were
given time to realize the magnitude
Of the calamity again the city was
shaken with violence greater than be-
fore. The earth In places lifted and
pitched the buildings forward. In
other places there was terrible tre-
NOR that shook every structure to the
ground. This shock continued longer
than the first. When 1t subsidized fires
were blazing up and thousands of ter
rified persons were praying, and panic
swept the city.
Many landslides have occurred
around the city and scores Of lives
have been lost.
Buenos Ayres.-Most of the damage
Is done In the center Of the city. ex.
tending from the Plaza del Orden to
the Plaza Prat. Probably one-third
Of the city is In ruins. Many lives
were lost, but the number is not yet
known. estimates varying from 500 to
5000. Hundreds Of persons we're In
~ sooros -, -" .n,p,,ons rs" osses sse "' a.a .o.a,
prevails.
Los Andes, 1S miles east of San
Felips. and having a population of
5000, was almost totally DESTROYED.
The finest buildings Of the town-gov-
ernment houses, hotels and public of
sices-were completely wrecked.
Other towns on the Chilean side
Of the Andes, wholly or partially de.
stroyed, are Quiiiota. with a population
of 5000: Llay Llay. with a population
of $500; Illapel, with a population of
5000: Vallepar. with a population of
1000 and San Feline. having 10000
Inhabitants. Cuillota ia a mass of
ruins and there was a great loss of
life there.
From Santiago to the Andes every
bridge and tunnel on the railway was
utterly wrecked and the railway lines
torn I'M.
The shock Is sunnosed IN have been
caused by the eruntIon of a volcano
near Jenin Los Andes.