The Cairo bulletin., 1906-08-21

Food is getting scarce already, for
the fire wiped out the great store
houses Of the city, which were located
near the docks All the smaller food
repositories and stores that were not
destroyed or are in the outskirts Of the
city have been looted by the hungry
lpeople and little more ermains. I'm
less relief is received speedily the
deaths from starvation and exposure
viii be large And, owing 10 the geo
graphical position Of the city and the
plight Of Chilean cities inland the
only hope Of help is by sea.
Tries to Restore order.
Shortly after the first shock Gen
| aral Mendoza, in command Of he mill
tary forces here. attempted to restore
| some sembance of order in the ter
rorzed city. but his command is small,
and even with the police ne was un-
able to prevent the wild panic that
| followed
1t was just after sunset that the
| first shock struck the city.
1t had been an unusually clam day
and for winter was clear and mild
There was band concert on the Gale
Mayor near the Pratt monument, and
| throngs Of people were gathered there
listening 10 the music or str0lling
about the streets. This was in the
lower or fiat quarter of the town,
where is located the commercial cen
ters an dthe great places of amuse
ment From here the streets slope up
sharply on all sides, and on these
slopes and at their crests Ii ethe resi-
dence sections. Many beautiful houses
crown the heights of the hills sur
rounding the city, part Of these being
the Bella Vista section, where the
wealthy and fashionable Valparaisans
live.
Without any warning the earth be
gan 10 sway sharply Chileans are
accustomed to earthquakes, and even
heir children playing about in the |
streets did not cry out when they |
felt the first tremor. The shake quick.
" increased in violence. and within 80 |
seconds buildings of unstable charac-
Ter began crashing to the ground.
Then the people were seized with ter
ror. A great cry of hCrOr rose from
the crowd in the streets, and they
surged toward The open places. Those
indoors who could get out rushed inIo
he streets, implorngs God and the
saints to prtect them from the ami
1iating forces that they now real
.zed held them in its grip.
Huge Structures Fall.
Every second the power of the
aarth's oscillations increased and
wen the more massiyely constructed
buildings began to topple as if they
we're made of sand. When the people {
aw this they threw themselves on the
,round and resigned all hope for most !
the more substantial buildings fn I
he city are built to withstand even !
leavy earthquakes that have frequent l
y shaken the city
Suddenly. the swaying seemed .
lacken as If the Titans that were J.
vrenching the ground were taking a I
resh hold. and then the ground was Il
pheayed in a series of gigantic jolts. V
A Frenzied Hegira.
With the FIRST crash of falling build. i
ngs many Of those in the streets flung u
on their knees and called >
fildly to Heaven to spare them from
They were rapidly join 81
d by the thousands who swarmei
rom their homes, and a mighty plea
'ent M 10 The Almighty from a hun VI
red throats. Then when the earth =
pased rocking the irresistible surge IL
fear swept over the city. fren. g
led hegira TO place. Of safety begar. !,
Many did not attempt TO save any =
their yaluables or property what =
'er but gathered their Gear ones to- -
ether fed toward the suburbs Of the ~
ty high up in the surrounding hills. W
Night added a thousand ierrors 20 ~
le situation In the hurry husbands -
I'd wives and. worst of all parents a.
ID children were separated. The air p
as filled with the clamor Of the y.
ounded and the dying. the shrielzs Of W
others and fathers for their lost .
es and the shrill cries Of the chill -
-en for their parents. ="
Added TO this wild scene Of terror ~
the residence slopes was the glare 7,
scores Of fires that broke out i'm
edia'ely after the shock. Thee :.
ere soon famed into glaring. slam -
g pyres that steamed skyward and ~
ed a hellish glare over the hills =. ~
here thousands were struggling 10 :.
ach places Of refuge The police and ~
Hillary and The fire department. aid -.
by hundreds Of men and women, "a,
ade a heroic attempt TO stop the n,
mes in the lower levels Of the city =.
i 2 wind sprung up and wiih a .d
ippled water supply. the people were 49,
able 10 do much to save their -