Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-08-20
TWO THOUSAND KILLED IN VALPARAISO
Nearly All Buildings Are Ruined or Badly
Damaged.
PROPERTY LOSS WILL Be ENORMOUS
First Estimate Places 1t at Two Hundred
and Fifty Millions
MANY SMALLER CITIES ARE DESTROYED
Nights Are Cold and windy and
People who Are sleeping
Outdoors Are suffering
Terribly.
BULLETIN.

BULLETIN.
VALPARAISO. Chile, Aug ls.-At 7:6s
o'clock last Thursday evening Valparaiso
experienced an earthquake of great Sc
verify and during that night eighty-two
shocks were felt
Most of the buildings of the city either
were ruined or damaged.
The loss will be enormous. probably
| reaching $3.50. Oo0,000
Two thousand persons killed Is considered
to be a fair estimate Of the casualties.
Vina del Mar, three miles from Valpa-
raiso, and having a population of over
10000; Quirfhue. 225 miles to the south
ward with population OF 25OO; Salto;
Limache, Is miles to the northwest with
population OF $500; Quillota, % miles to
the north. with population of 10000; and
villages all around were destroyed. Most
of the damage was due to fire which
started Immediately after the first shock
The whole population Is sleeping in the
hills. the parks OF the streets.
| Food Is very scarce. Milk costs two
Chilean dollars a liter. and 1t is almost inl-
possible to obtain meat. even at high
! prices.
| The railroads are all destroyed.
Rain. which began to fall Immediately
after the first shock stopped an hour after
wards. The nights are very cold and
windy. the people sleeping in the open are
suffering greatly.
The captain OF a steamship which has
arrived from San Francisco says that the
/ situation here is worse than that follow
ing the disaster at San Francisco.
| SANTIAGO DE CHILE Aug. 19-It is
known that at least eight lives were lost
in this city by the earthquake but 1t ls
| believed that many persons were killed by
the falling buildings and that their bodies
VIII be discovered later. Several persons
became so panicstricken during the tremb-
lings OF the earth that they threw
themselves from the balconies of their
homes and were killed. The fires which
followed the earthquake were promptly ex-.
tinguished. but while shey lasted they
added greatly to the terror Of the people.
Many Towns Destroyed.
As all telegraph and telephone lines were
more or less damaged, the exact situation
throughout the country is not yet known
but advices have been received to the ef-
feet that the towns Of Virlage and Casa
blanca were entirely destroyed. and that
San Felipe, Rancagua, Melpilla and Llai
Llal were severely damaged. at Concep-
cion the shock was severe and a number
OF persons were killed or injured. The
towns of Rengo, San Fernando, Quillotta
and San Antonio and many villages are In
ruins. All railway service in the central
zone Is either interrupted entirely or greatly
delayed and commerce is practically at a
standstill. a&+
| In the city of Santiago much damage
was done Many public buildings, particu-
larly churches, were dismantled The
buildings of congress- the municipal build
ings the normal school, the courts the
Peruvian legation, the residence of Pres-
dent Riesco. the central market, the pre-
| lecture of police and the National tele-
graph Office all seriously damaged.
The lines of the electric tramway system
and the electric light wires were short cir
| Quilted, interrupting street car travel and
plunging the city into darkness
The scenes at the hospitals and prisons
during the excitement were distressing in
the extreme. The prisoners tried TO escape
from the Jails in the hope that they might
reach a place of safety and prison guards
were obliged to FIRE into the air in order
to intimidate and quiet their panic-stricken
charges.
Many other Shocks Felt.
| There have been several return shocks
of slight intensity. These shocks have
served to continue the public alarm and
a state Of panic still prevails The astronom-
ical observatory, however, has given out
statement to the effect that II does not
appear to be possible that there will be
repetition of the severe shocks. Last night
many persons slept in the tramway cars,
in carriages and In the open air in the
public squares and streets. The govern
ment has taken steps to restore order. An
inspection of all houses left standing has
been ordered and directions have been is
sued for the distribution OF relief supplies
to those In need. A troop of cavalry has
been sent to re-establish communica ton
with Valparaiso.
The alarming news first received by the
government from Valparaiso as 20 the situ-
alton in that city has not been confirmed,
but II is known that numerous buildings
in the vicinity OF the port were DESTROYED
and that there have been severe fires in tha
Almendrai quarter. The mayor OF Vslpa-
raiso sent word that he did not know the
number of killed or injured but believed
that they were numerous Firemen left
Santiago yesterday for Valparaiso to aid
in extinguishing the fires there. The Gus
tom house in Valparaiso Is reported to be
burning. Several travellers who have Just
arrived here from Valparaiso say that re-
ports Of the situation In that city were ex-
aggerated. An employe OF the telegraph
service sent word from Salto. near Valpa-
raiso. confirming the news OF the serious
fires in the Almendral quarter. This em-
ploye also sent news that the SPANISH
Italian bank building OF Valparaiso was
destroyed by the earthquake
A traveller who came here by express train
tells that when the train was near IIai
Llai about half way between Valparaiso
and Santiago, the cars were shaken vIo-
lently and the engine nearly left the track
A stop was made and the terrified passen-
gers alighted. Later they proceeded to
Ilai Llai, which they found in almost total
ruins.
All lines OF railway TO the north and the
line 20 Talca are greatly damaged.
In the city OF Santiago a majority OF the
victims OF the disaster were residents OF the
poorer sections OF the city. where many
small houses were thrown 10 the ground