Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-18
MoRs OF IMMENSE LOSS OF LlFt
Many Buildings in Valparaiso DAMAGED
and pebris Is Burning,
CITY OF Los ANDES REPORTED DESTROYED
Gable Officials Unable to Hear from the
Disturbed District.
FELT IN UNITED STATES
Vibrations Recorded on seismoEraphs
in Washington and Albany. n. ",
EARLY Reports Probably
ExaEgerstcd.

NEW YORK, Aug. l7.-Except for few
private messages received early today re-
porting an earthquake In Chile and damage
to buildings in Valparaiso no definite news
from Chile has as yet been received The
early reports coming from different points
stated that the earthquake had resulted In
great loss of life and widespread damage
to property. Up to IL o'clock tonight
however. there had been nothing to con-
firm these reports.
The Associated Press correspondent at
Buenos Ayres cables that It is feared the
town Of Los Andes. In the province of
Aconcagua, has been destroyed. At the
same time he points out that Buenos Ayres
has no direct communication with the dis
turbed district.
No official Information has reached Wash
ington from Chile and, while positive in
formation is lacking, New York officials
of cable companies having connection in
South America tonight express the opinion
that the first reports of the earthquake
were exaggerated.
All Cables Interrupted.
All cables reaching New York from Chile
carly NbHikhl WcAt tNl-
IDENTIFY much delayed, according to the
statements of these officials, who them
selves unable to get any information bear
ing on the situation other than the fact
that an earthquake had occurred; that the
disturbance has disarranged telegraphic
apparatus and interfered with communica-
ton.
| There is much anxiety tonight among
those who have friends and relatives in
| Chile The cable companies and news
papers are making every effort to secure
definite information.
| II is pointed out that the entire absence
of word from any official source In VAL
paraiso and other points In Chile may be
taken as indicating considerable exagger-
alton in the reports of loss OF life and ex-
tent OF damage.
A private cable dispatch to w. r. Grace
& Co., from Valparaiso received by way
of Lima, Peru, says that the earth
quake in Valparaiso was severe and that
business in the city has been totally sus-
pended. The dispatch further stated that
Grace & Co.'S buildings in Valparaiso were
badly damaged but that none OF the occu-
pants were injured.
Aldrmist Report from Hamburg.
The reports received from various quar-
paraiso disaster have varied greatly some
going so far .as to compare the havoc
wrought to that OF the San Francisco
catastrophe, with details much the same.
1t is said that the city, at first shaken By
violent earthquake, took fire and was
burning fiereely, many scores perishing in
the flames and the ruins of the fallen
buildings The latest of the reports along
this line comes by way Of London and is
to the effect that hamburg firm has re-
ceived dispatch stating that numerous
| districts in Chile have been destroyed and
that Valparaiso has been practically de-
molshed, many ships lost and more than
100 persons killed 1t is added, however,
that the dispatch is not well authenticated.
This is true of all dispatches and rumors
which purport to give details of the dis
aster.
One London firm has received a cable
gram from Valparaiso, which says:
Severe earthquakes; commerce paralyzed;
| town afre; stan safe"
No mention is made of serious loss of
life in this brief but probably accurate
dispatch and this is regarded as a hope
| full sign in the situation.
The central cable office of the Western
| Union Telegraph compan yin New York
has received a service message saying the
| Valparaiso office closed at II 80 o'clock
| tonight, eastern time This Is an unusual
proceeding, but is not explained. Sunday
night Is the only night the wires are
closed at Valparaiso. None of the private
! message coming from, Valparaiso, some OF
them responses to messages of INJURY as
to the safety OF relatives or friends. make
mention OF serious loss OF life.
Buenos Ayres is still cut OF from Chile
Buenos Ayres without Information.
BUENOs AYRES, Aug. H.-6 p. MIN
the absence of telegraphic communication
beyond Puente Del Inca, 1t has been i'm
possible up to this hour to obtain accurate
details of the destruction by the earth
quake in Chile. The managers OF the tel
egraph companies here state that nothing
is coming through Press reports purport-
| ing to come from Chile are purely imaE-
mary. London and New York are eagerly
/ seeking for news from the affected district.
officials Of the Pacific railway say that It is
! their belief that the damage at Valparaiso
| Is not nearly so serious as has been stated.
but they express the fear that the town
OF Los Andes has been destroyed.
The newspapers this evening publish tel
egrams from Mendosa (Which is an entrepot
| for the trade between Buenos Ayres and
! Chile, with which II communicated by the
mountain passes of Uspallata and Portillo)
TO the effect that many houses In the Los
Andes district were destroyed by the earth
quake and that there have been a large
number OF casualties. The interruption OF
all means OF communication with Chile
causes much anxiety. Many rumors OF dis
I aster are aioat.
Los Andes Reported Destroyed.
| LONDON. Aug. ia dispatch to the
Reuter- Telegraph company fro5 Buenos
Ayres this evening says; Telegraph COM
munication with Chile Is stin interrupted
Santiago and Valparaiso are completely cut
on The Pacific cables are only working
from Iquique northward II is certain that
number Of houses have been wrecked at
I Los Andes.
Los Andes. also known as Andes and
Santa Rosa de Los Andes. is a town OF
Chile. province Of Aconcagua. eighteen
miles by rail- from San Felipe de Anconca-
| qua capital Of the province of Aconcagua