The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-10-21
OUT OF. THE EARTHQUAKE.
Story of a Narrow Escape From the
Chilean TrembIer

From the Star Of Chile.
I was sitting in my room on the floor OF
well-built house. situated in the center
of a block of 40 houses in Gale Blanco,
writing for the paper, when the first
shock came. I rose and stood against the
wall Having experienced so many shocks
In South America-and 1t being contrary
to my nature-I did not run. Suddenly
mirrored heavily-laden wardrobe along
side of me was thrown nearly across the
large room and the mirror smashed to
bits Then rushed for the door. To my
horror ! found 1t locked. and that the key
would not unlock 1t. The force of the
earthquake had shifted that whole block
of houses and jammed the doors. I was
caught like a rat in trap, with no hope
of escape. I rushed to the window and
saw houses falling and all the terrace In
front of me In flames. My calls for as
sistance were in vain The air was filled
with one heartrendlng scream and the
roar of natures rage. | tried to force
open at the bottom each of the three doors
that led into my room while death was
facing me, but my efforts were frultless.
My books, pictures and furniture were
thrown in all directions, and the awful
rushing together of the walls threatened
destruction at every instant. I resigned
myself to die, and became perfectly calm
I broke the leg off 1t and began in all that
storm OF tottering walls and roars and
fires to batter at a single panel of the
three in front of the bedroom door. felt
my work was of no use, but IL occupied
me while / was waiting for the final blow
which expected to come either from the
/ walls, the ceiling, the collapse of the
house or the floor felt 1t would be a
sudden death and without pain. / kept
on batterng. until at last broke through,
and bit by bit broke hole out which
has since been measured to be six inches
in width and thirty inches in length.
tried three times to get through and
failed, but as I looked upon myself as
dead, l reckoned was only passing time.
At last I drew q chair I'D by the aid of
the light of candle which luckily | was
using besides the gas when was writing.
I placed my dressing gown on 1t, and
started to get my body through those six
inches. do not know how long It took
1t seemed years Several times | was
nearly dead getting through but eventual
~ | stood outside my door. calmly put
my hand through that slit, drew out my
dressing gown and put it on In all that
war Of the elements, picked up my cap,
lit a match and started for the stairs.
thinking. of course, they were gone. They
were intact and although covered with
bricks and plaster that had fallen, I got
down those two flights, found the door
open and escaped to the Avenida Brazil.
Luckily the house stood, but on seeing 1t
the next day | found 1t split from my
room to the foundation and hanging to
thread 1t was a fortunate escape, and
the moral of It Is this: That special doors
and locks should be made for houses in
countries liable to earthquake shocks, be-
cause | believe many people have lost
their lives through being caught as / was.
| think this point is one which should re-
celve special attention in the reconstruc-
ton of Valparaiso.
On reaching the avenida I found 1t was
S35 O'Clock, and that I had been 40 min
utes fighting for my life. The sights on
and from the avenida were heartrending.
On all sides OF the city the sky was
mass of flames; the avenida was filled
with rich and poor families. all without
shelter, food or drink And every few
minutes came those awful earthquake
shocks which terrified people, while to
add to everybody's horror came the
thought that the sea might rise and claim
Its own. What night of horror! The
dead were carried past in dozens in front
of those poor shvering families who
prayed for the morning to come; mothers
and fathers were looking for their chill
dren: some were bewailng their dead: all
were hopeless and wretched. There were
nine In our party-fve women and four
men. / walked up and down all night, and
at last met good Samaritan. I returned
with nine biscuits--one for each. That
was our fare that night.
The hour before the dawn showed the
new moon on her back with an angry,
dark-red color that BODIED no good. Peo-
pie looked for Jupiter, the cause of all
the trouble, the god OF the sky OF thun-
der and lightning, of victory, of oaths,
etc. He is doubtless a great god, but
there will never be statue erected in
his honor on the Avenida Brazil.