The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-21
Business is Being Slowly Resumed
 at Santiago.
Hundreds of Refugees Hurry Away from Chilean Port, while Many are Eacamped in Streets
 ana Parks.

Santiago. Chile, Sunday, August l9.--- The situation is becoming clearer.
 4 relief committee was organized here today and the street railroads frahic have been resumed It was feared that Santiago would be plung- cd in darkness owing to lack of coal to supply the gas works. but the of- cials of the gas company say that they have a sufficient supply to last q week.
 Carlos Edwards. one of the propric- tors of the Mercurio of Valparaiso. has arrived here on horse back from that city He confirms the reports that Arnendra1 quarter and the principal avenue of Valparaiso have been trans formed into heaps of ruins.
 When he left the city the inhabi- tants were wandering about looking for relatives and friends. The ma3ori- ty of the inhabitants. he says. have sought refuge on the hills in the parks and along the seashore The administration building and the yic- toria Theatre had disappeared even to their foundation.
 The Marine Arsenal was slightly damaged, but not any of the private residences were hahitable. In spite of the desolation perfect order was maintained by the troops. which were bivouacked on the Grand Avenue and Victoria Square
 Amhufances Kept Busy.
 The military ambulances were gath Ing up the wounded and dead When Mir Edwards left Valparaiso. it was impossible to determine the number of persons killed, but according to his estimate the number of lives los. was small, when the extent of the ca tastrophe was taken into consfdera- lion
 At one depot he saw fifty bodies The main hotel was standing and all the guests escaped injury but Mir Ed- tvarGs regards Valparaiso as being un- lnhabitable for the present.
 The squadron of cavalry forming the presidential escort has started from here for Valparaiso, with in structions to acquisition all the cat- tie met wtfh between this place and Valparaiso and to drive the herds to the latter city, in order to prevent famine
 A large number of people have sought refuge on the various ships at anchor In the bay nf Valparaiso.
 The report that the naval schol at Valparaiso had escaped destruction Is confirmed today. A number of families have sought refuge in the school buildings. where they are be- Ing cared for by the naval authori-
 Commercial Crisis Feared.
 Medical supplies have been sent from this city to Valparaiso and every thing possible is being done to assist the homeless people.l No accurate es- timate of the damage done by the earthquake can yet be made. but 1t is considered certain that it will run Into the hundreds of millions of dol lars and it Is feared that commer- cial crisis will follow the earthquake disaster.
 Business is being slowly resumed here and at Valparaiso.
 The ministers of war and of the interior with attachments of volun- teers from the army and the fire de- partments left here this morning for the purpose of re-establishing tele- graphic communication with Valpar- also. Contrary to the general belief the tunnels were not wrecked and 1t is hoped that trains will be running has authorized the provincial sover- nors to spend all the money necessary to help the earthquake sufferers in their districts.
 When the earthquake first shook this city. the prisoners in the peni- tentiary began singing hymns. There was no loss of life among them so far as known. but at Valparaiso the pris- on walls fell and crushed 140 pris. oners to death.
 President Riesco has received de- spatches from La Serena, capital of tho province of Coquimbo, saying that no damage has been done in the north, but the majority of the houses in the Amegada district have collapsed. as did a hill between Valparaiso and Vina del Mar, destroying railroad com nunication between those two places
 PrOvisiOns Go Up.
 Despite the fact that the stores of provisions here are intact, a number of merchants have considerably ln- creased the price of provisions.
 great deal of damage has been done at the mines in the Noglais and Calera districts. A number of houses have fallen at Talca, fifty persons were killed there and 150 were wound ed. number of small villages in the Terremote district were totally de- stroyed.
 Al Terremote the populace tried to nillaRe the business house of Rose innis. which had remained standing, hut the employees of the firm success fully defended the place.
 Ik was stated at the observatory to. | dav that 1t is not likely there will | he any repetition of he seismic dis | urbances in the near future. This has | gone a great way towards calming the | public mind. |
 If was at the suggestion of Madame | padro Montt, wife of the president | elect that the municipality of Iquique | has decided to devote the sum of mon ey which has h"en subscribed for the | fba ~