The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-08-18
EXTENT OF VALPARAISO
 DISASTER UNCERTAIN
NO DIRECT NEVIS RECEIVED ASIDE FROM FEW PRIVATE
 DISPATCHES.

Nothing Up to an Early Hour This
 Morning to Confirm EaEiy Reports of
 Great Loss of Life and Widespread
 Damage-Belief That They Were Ex-
 aggerated = London Firm Receives
 Cable Stating; Severe Earthquake,
 Commerce ParaIyzedj Town Afire."
 Except for a few private messages re- ceived early to-day reporting an earth quake in Chile and damage to buildings in Valparaiso, no direct neews from Chile has as yet been received. The early reports, coming from different points, stated that tho earthquake has resulted in great loss of life and wide- spread damage to property. Up to Il o'clock last night, however, there had been nothing received to confirm these reports.
 The Associated Press correspondent at Buenos Ayres cables that 1t is feared the town of Los Andes, in the province of Aconagua, has been destroyed. At the same time he points out that Buenos Ayres has no direct communication with the disturbed district.
 No official information has reached Washington from Chile, and while pos tive information is lacking, New York officials of cable companies having con- nections in South America last night expressed the opinion that the first re- ports ofthe earthquake were exagger- ated.
 All cables reaching New York from Chile and Valparaiso early last night were evidently much delayed, according ito the statements of these officials, who are themselves unable to get any 1n- formation bearing on the situation oth- CT than the fact that an earthquake has occurred; that the disturbance has dls- arranged the telegraphic apparatus and interfered with communication.
 There is much anxiety tonight among those who have friends and relatives ln Chile. The cable companies and news papers are making every eHort to se- cure definite information.
 It is pointed out that the entire ap- sence of any word from official sources in Valparaiso and other points in Chile may be taken as indicating considerable exaggeration in the reports of loss or life and extent of damage.
 The reports received from the various quarters of the globe regarding the dis- aster have varied greatly, some gong so far as to compare the havoc wrought to that of the San Francisco catas- trophe with details much the same. It is said that the city at first shaken by a violent earthquake took fire and was burning fiercely, many scores perish1ng in the flames and the ruins of the fall en buildings The latest reports along this line comes by way of London and is to the effect that a Hamburg firm has received a dispatch stating that numerous districts of Chile have been destroyed and that Valparaiso has been practically demolished, many, many ships lost and more than hundred .nersons killed. It is added, however, that the dispatch is not well authen- ticated. This is true of all the edis- patches, and rumors which purport to give details of the disaster.
 One London firm has received a cable gram from Valparaiso which says:
 Severe earthquake. Commerce paral- yzed. Town aflre. Staff safe.
 No mention is made of serious loss of life in this brief but probably accurate dispatch and this is regarded as hope ful sign in the situation.
 The Central cable office of the Vest ern Union Telegraph company in New York has received service message saving the Valparaiso office closed for the night at 11:30 o'clock eastern time.
 This is an unusual proceeding, but is not explained. Sunday night is the only rights the wires are closed at Valparai- so. None of the private messages com ing from Valparaiso, some of them re- sponses to messages of Inquiry as to the safety of relatives or friends make mention of serious loss of life.
 Buenos Ayres is still cut off from Chile.
 Galveston, Tex, Aug. 1S,-According ito statements made by the cable oper- ator at Valparaiso, who was working in direct communication with the of fice in this city yesterday, earthquake shocks continued at intervals all through the day, and many times the operators had to flee from their of flee.
 The operator at Valparaiso stated that everything is in confusion at that place; that many houses have been razed, and the loss of life believed to be great, although no attempt has yet been made to ascertain the number of lives lost Overland lines over the Andes mountains are all down, and communication south of Valparaiso is completely shut off.