The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-20
Valparaiso Had a Population Of
10000 and Was Grow
ing Very Rapidly
LOSSES BY EARTHQUAKES
HAVE BEEN HEAVY IN PAST
Travellers Describes the City as Re-
semblIng Venlce-Harbor Is One
Of the Most Dangerous In
the World.

Washington, August 19-(Special )-Val-
paraiso-whose name strangely enough
when todays terrible news of earthquake
and fire is considered, means Vale of Par
adise-has passed through many vicissi-
tudes. Yet in spite of them all 1t is the
mistress OF the southern Pacific, and the
largest city along the coast from arctic to
subantarctic zone with the single excep-
tion of San Francisco.
It is, indeed, the San Francisco of the
southern cross. a city or cosmopolitan
life, of picturesque beauty, of romantic
traditions, and of vast commerce. The
coincidence of fate which has doomed
these two queen ports of the Pacific to
destruction in the same mysterious man
ner within four months is indeed remark
able. Does 1t indicate some titanic change
In the earth's crust below the waters to
the westward, s, le agony of a world in
travail under t. ocean bed? The scien-
lists and seismologists must answer, or
at least attempt an explanation.
City Founded In 1886.
Valparaiso is one of the oldest cities in
the new world. having been founded in
1886 by Juan de saavedra. Spanish SOL
dier of fortune. who named 1t after his
birthplace in CASTLE. It's history is init
mately interviewer with the hazardous
achievements of the Conquistadores, and
the mad quest for the gold of the Incas,
which make many of the most interesting
pages in American annals. The galleons
from Peru, homeward bound with cargoes
of gold and silver ingots, found 1t a well
come stopping place on the southwark
voyage to the cape, and under the rule of
the Spanish colonists it prospered rap
Idly.
III fortune first entered the vale of
Paradise when Francis Drake, the fam
GUS English sea dog, began to worry the
Spanish lion in its new empire. Upon
December 5. 1873, Drake entered the har-
Dor with his little fleet and looted the
town John Hawkins, that other cele-
brated English flibuster in the days of
.westward-ho," visited the city in 1886,
pillaging it even more successfully than
his forerunner, and carrying away tons of
plunder. after ravaging the port with
fire and sword. Four years later the Dutch
pirate. Van MORT. sacked the place. in
reprisal for the depredations committed
by Spanish troops in The Netherlands.
Earlier Quake Losses.
After these visitations of war came a
series of natural disasters. In 1870 and
1922 the city suffered severely from the
earthquakes which from time to time rack
the Andean district. Shocks which par
TALLY destroyed it, causing untold dam
age to life and property, occurred in
1889 and 1873. In 1858 almost every one of
its principal buildings was swept away by
fire, and in 1885, during the war of inde-
pendence, Spanish fleet commanded by
Admiral Nunez bombarded 1t with disas-
trous effect. The latest disaster was on
June 80, 1S99 when a tidai wave did great
damage to the city and wrecked the rail-
road
"The Naples of South America" is a
title which is often applied to Valparaiso.
1t Is the largest and most important city
to the republic of Chile being the port
to the capital, Santiago, which lies about
seventy-five miles to the northwest. and
with which 1t is connected by railroad.
1t has a population of about 10000. and
is growing rapidly, although for many
years 1t was In a stagnant condition. In
1876 the population was 97,7S7, and in 1885
only 95,000 The recent investments of
American and European capital in Chill
can enterprises and mines have, however,
injected new life into the city.
Seen BY a Traveller.
An interesting description of the city as
1t was few months before the disaster is
given by Charles M. Pepper in recently
published volume of travels entitled PAN
anna to Patagonia" He says.
..The city has many fine business blocks
of modern construction, and the govern
ment buildings are unusually tasteful and
harmonious All bear the impress of Ital-
he "a.
spirit finds expression in group celebrat-
ing the heroism of Arturo Pratt the
young naval commander who gained un-
fading laurels in the war with Peru. On
the Avenue Brazil Is a bust of william
Wheelwright the son of Massachusetts,
who provided steam navigation as well
as built railways for Chill. There Is also
a statue of Lord Cochrane the Scotch
man, who took command of the Chilean
fleet in the contest for freedom from Spain
and helped to bring victory.
THE port, as is natural, is cosmopoli-
tan. The German colony is the largest,
and after that come the Italians. though
in influence they are hardly so strong as
either the English or the French. The
French community is self-contained and
is an important factor in commerce. Tho
Britishers. chiefly from Scotland, are in
everything except retail trade. Though the
English language is common, Valparaiso
is the only city in South America in which
have heard German spoken oftener.
Vast Shipping Interests.
1.-THE shipping of Valparaiso is vast and
varied, floating panorama of many ma
tions, like a miniature Hamburg The
English lines maintain a regular service
of cargo and passenger vessels, and also a
special service of cargo vessels to Liver
pool. The steamers are of 5000 tons and
upwards. The distance I'd Liverpool by
way of the straits is $500 tot9S00 miles. and
the sailing schedule is thirty-ive days.
The vessels touch alternately at the Falk-