Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-08-21
BIG EARTHQUAKE
WAS FORETOLD
BY Naval Observa-
tory Two Days in
Advance.
WHO WORD DESCRIPTION
Of Terrible Night Scene---
Santiago a Big Camp
Details Lacking.

sodllJluSO, huS. Al.~ NlIt' houudJ,
Aug. 20. C D. m)--Only now can
the seriousness of the catastrophe be-
gin TO be appreciated. The greater
part of the modern houses are I'M
safe for habitation and the authori-
ties have organized a special corps TO
pull down the tottering buildings in
most of the streets. 1t is not safe
to walk on the pavement owing to fall
ing debris. Santiago resembles
camp. The public squares and
principal avenues are crowded
with people sleeping in the
open The night nf August 10th
was rendered dreadful W the flashing
OF lightning and The pouring rain
Electric cables and wires snapped
as a result of the constant strong earth
shocks which occurred all night caus
ing the greatest CONSERVATION which
was heightened by the pealing of the
fire bells announcing the breaking
out of fires in various quarters of
the city. The first great shock lasted
four minutes and fifty seconds. Such
a long shock had never occurred be-
fore in the memory of any Santiago
inhabitant. Experts say that the on
ly thing which saved Santiago from
complete ruin was that the motion
was circular The principal shock
reached from Valparaiso to Santiago
and Meripilla with its center at Lin
ache The last two mentioned towns
were destroyed as were Quilleta and
Liailai The approach of the earth.
quake was announced by the naval
observatory two days previous to it's
occurrence.
Chilean Fleet Does Good Work at
Valparaiso.
Valparaiso Aug. 21.-The opportune
arrival of the Chilean fleet which
steamed Into Valparaiso harbor here
TO welcome Secretary Root helped
save the situation which followed the
earthquake. As in San Francisco, the
sailors were landed and placed in
charge of the city pending the ar
rival of government troops, They
patrolled the water front and guard.
ed the wrecked banks and other build
ings containing valuables, with orders
10 shoot thieves and marauders on
sight.
Ladrones Shot and Hanged to Poles.
The soldiers shot number of la
drones who were caught rifling the
dead and robbing buildings and their
bodies were suspended from telephone
poles at street corners bearing large
placards reading: "Por I.adrone, a
warning to looters.
A strange fact in connection with
the earthquake is that the daily papers
published prognostication of the catas.
trophe several hours in advance of the
first shocks.
Two Thousand Dead in Valparaiso
Alone.
Buenes Ayres, Aug 21,-The Nacion
today published a special dispatch
from La Paz, BOLIVIA, announcing that
two thousand persons lost their lives
as a result of the earthquake shocks
and fires at Valparaiso and that 17O
| deaths from the same causes occurred
at Limache, forty at QniDlota, thirty.
five at IConchali, eleven at Petrada,
ninety at La Placila, and six at La
| Calera. On Sunday there was strone
convulsion at Valparaiso which pro
duced a further panic.
President Riesco Aids in Relief Work
A dispatch from Santiago today an
nounced that President Riesco is pro
ceeding to Valparaiso accompanied by
MS ministers of the interior and oil
war {" supervise the relief work
Telephone and Telegraph Lines Aid
In Work Of Restoration.
Santiago, Aug, 21.-The task of the
authorities in the present situation be.
came easier today on account of the
fact that the telegraph and telephone
lines were established between Val
paraiso and Santiago, enabling the
Governor OF Valparaiso to consult at
length with the authorities here. Peo
pie arriving here from Valparaiso con
firm the alarming reports as to the
extent of the catastrophe but they de
clare that the local authorities have
taken the most energetic measures t.
maintain order and prevent pillage
| All persons caught robbing are shot
on the spot.
City is in Ruins According to Reports
| People arriving here estimate thai
! eighty-two per cent of the buildings
in the Terreromte district have beer
destroyed by fire. All reports agree
that the Ademndral and Southern dis
tricts of Valparaiso suffered most sev
erely. According to some reports
Valparaiso NAV be said to have beer
totally destroyed, it being asserte
that they must be pulled down. A
majority of the inhabitants of Val
| paraiso are camped on the hills sur
rounding that city, and in the park
and main thoroughfares. Many hav
sought refuge on board vessels a
anchor in the bay. Martial law con
tinues there
paraso.
No really definite news mas bee
/. received here from Valparaiso excep
I.l. IN ~ ,f Y,