The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-09-19

All the suburbs of Valparaiso are
| in ruins. For many miles also up ana
down the coast whole towns and viii
| lagos have been wiped out. Vina del
Mar, lying on the hills, three miles
directly behind the city, was leveled
to a building, and the 10000 inhabi-
tants are camping in the ruins. Salto
and Limarch, two villages fifteen
miles to the northwest. with a COM
bined population of 6500, are desc
late, and Quillota, with 10000 per-
sons, twenty-five miles to the north
west also has been blotted out. From
every town and village from which
news has been received the destruc-
ton has been complete.
Santiago, Chile. - Tremendous
damage has been done by the earth
quakes all over the middle portion OF
Chile. In this city the property loss
is estimated at $3,0Q0,000. The
shocks continued for about fourteen
hours, and the great quake early on
Friday morning was followed by sew
eral disastrous fires. The firemen
eventually succeeded, however, in
averting a general conflagration.
The panic was $50 terrible during
the vibrations that several persons,
crazed with fright, flung themselves
from the balconies Of their homes
and were dashed to death in the
streets below. Nearly all the
churches were destroyed. The Con-
gress buildings, the municipal build
ings, the normal school, the courts,
the Peruvian Legation, the residence
of President Riesce, the Central Mar
ket, the Prefecture of Police and the
National Telegraph Office all were Sc
riously damaged. The wires Of the
tramway system and the electric light
plant were short-circuited and the
city is still without car service or
light.
The scenes in the hospitals were
distressing in the extreme. Some Of
the patients left their beds and
fought desperately with the nurses
and attendants. One woman, who
had just undergone an operation for
appendicitis, jumped from. a fourth
story window and was killed on the
pavement. There were also shocking
happenings in the prisons. All the
prisoners, filled with terror, made
them were shot down by the guards.
The worst damage was done in the
poorer districts, where hundreds OF
houses collapsed. Eight bodies were
taken out of the ruins, making to-
tai of thirty -eght since the working
parties were impressed by the police.
All lines of railway to the north and
the line to Talca are interrupted. 1t
is reported that in several places the
tracks are covered by landslides.
A majority of the sufferers from
the disaster were residents OF the
poorer sections of the city, where
many small houses were thrown to
the ground.
While the fires which followed the
earthquake lasted they greatly aug
mented the terror of the people. But
they were promptly put out.
The lines of the electric street car
system ard the electric light wires
were short circuited, interrupting
street car travel and plunging the
city into darkness.
Many slept in street cars, in car
riages and in the open air in the pub
lie squares and streets.
There have been several return
shocks of slight intensity which have
kept the people in alarm. The astro-
nomical observatory, however, has
given out statement that it does not
appear to be possible that there will
be a repetition of the severe shocks.
The Government has taken steps
to restore quiet An inspection of all
| houses left standing has been ordered
and directions have been issued for
the distribution of relief supplied to
those in need.
A traveller who came here by eX-
press train says that when the train
was near Las Vegas, about half way
between Valparaiso and Santiago, the
cars were shaken violently and the
engine nearly left the track. A stop
was made and the terrified passen-
gers alighted. Later they proceeded
to Llaillai, which they found in al
| most total ruin.
AS all telegraph and telephone
| lines were damaged, the exact Situa-
ton throughout the country is not
clear, but advices have been received
| that the towns of Virlage and Casa
blanca were entirely destroyed and
that San Felipe, Rancagua, Millipilla
and Llaillai were severely damaged.
At Conception the shock was Sc
we're and a number Of persons were
killed Or injured
The towns of Rengo, San Fernan
! do, Quillotta and San Antonio and
many villages are III ruins.
All railway service in the Central
Zone is either stopped or greatly de-
layed and trade is practically at a
standstill.
All lines OF railway to the north
and the line to Talca are greatly
damaged.
A troop of cavalry has been sent
to re-establish communication with
Valparaiso.
The alarming news first received