The San Francisco call., 1906-08-21

BUENOS AYRES. Aug 2o.-The fire
at Valparaiso destroyed 5000 houses.
Many buildings were destroyed in San
tiago, and thirty are reported dead at
that point. Dispatches from Santiago
say fremen have been sent from there
to Valparaiso. Supplies are also being
sent
Seven or eight towns are reported to
be destroyed. Along the railway line
in the mountain side tracks were de-
stroyed and tunnels caved in. Thunder
and rain storms which followed the
earthquake and fire added to the panic
and misery in Valparaiso.
Santiago was in darkness last night
The people are panic-stricken and are
camping out. The troops have killed a
number of looters.
NEW YORK, Aug. 2o.-The greater
horror of the Valparaiso disaster has
overshadowed the disasters to the
smaller towns along the coast near the
city. Many of these places have been
wiped of the map. The towns of Vina
del Mar. Quillota, San Felipe, Los
Andes and Casa Blanca are reported by
refugees to have been totally destroyed
CRUsoE's ISLAND Is THING OF PAST.
Most OF these small cities are within
a few miles of Valparaiso, Casa Blanca,
a town of 10, 006 being about fifteen
miles southeast, and Quillota, contain
ing $4,000 Inhabitants, about twenty
miles TO the east Liqua, with $1,000
Inhabitants, is a seacoast town about
fifty miles to the north; San Felipe,
numbering $4,000 souls, is 100 miles
south, while Quirihue is on the sea
coast about ESQ miles south of VAL
paraiso. 1t contained $4,000 inhab-
itants.
report reached this city today that
the earthquake destroyed the Island of
Juan Fernandez, off the Chilean coast.
1t belonged to Chile and on it were a
penal settlement and a fort. This is
the island made famous by Daniel de
Foe as the scene of the thrilling adj
ventures of Robinson Crusoe.
PARIS, Aug. 20.-A dispatch to a
news agency from Valparaiso. undated.
was received here today by way of
Galveston. The correspondent states
that 10000 Of the, inhabitants of VAL
paraiso are without shelter, that the
number cf dead cannot be accurately
estimated. though 1t is very great; that
theeVilla del Plaza has been completely
destroyed, and that the property loss is
estimated at $25o,000,e 600. The dispatch
adds that the staff of the news agency
was forced to fee the city and that 1t
Is believed several Of it's members were
killed.
THOUSANDS ARE LIVING IN TENTS.
LONDON, Aug. 2e.-The Tarapaca
and Argentina Bank has received the
following dispatch from Valparaiso:
Every building here is damaged and
many Of the principal business prem
ises are completely wrecked or burned.
There have been many casualties. All
trains have stopped running. The rail-
road line has been destroyed in places
Martial law has been proclaimed
Absolutely no work is being done ow-
ing to the continuous small shakes
since the two severe shocks of Thurs
day. We cannot get workmen to clear
We could start business on Monday, but
we are unable to find the other bank
managers. Thousands are living in
tents and in the squares and parks"
SANTIAGO, Sunday, Aug. 1s.-The
situation is becoming clearer. A re-
lief committee was organized here to-
day and the street railroad service was
resumed. 1t was feared that Santiago
would be plunged in darkness owing
to lack Of coal TO supply the gas works,
but the officials of the gas company
say they have a. sufficient supply to
last a week.
GREAT HEAPS OF RUINS.
Carlos Edwards, one of the proprie-
tors of the Mercurio of Valparaiso, has
arrived here on horseback from that
city. He confirms the reports that the
AlmSnOrdl quarter ana the prlnClQal
avenue of Valparaiso have been trans
formed into heaps of ruins. When he
left the city the inhabitants were wan
dering about looking for relatives and
friends. The majority of the inhabi-
tants, he says, have sought refuge on
the hills. in the parks and along the
seashore. The administration building
and the Victoria Theater has disap-
peared even to their foundations. The
marine arsenal was only slightly dam
aged, but none of the private residences
were habitable.
In spite of the desolation perfect or
der was maintained by the troops,
which were bivouacked on the Grand
avenue and Victoria square. The mill
tary ambulances were gathering UP the
wounded and the dead. When Edwards
left Valparaiso it was impossible to
determine the number of persons
killed, but according to his estimate
the number of lives lost was small,
when the extent of the catastrophe was
taken into consideration. At one depot
he saw fifty bodies. The main hotel
was standing and all the guests es-
capped injury, but Edwards regards Val
paraiso as being uninhabitable for the
present.
CAVALRY ON THE WAY.
The squadron of cavalry forming .le
Presidential escort has started from
here for Valparaiso with instructions
10 requisition all the cattle met with
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 of Valparaiso.
The report that the naval school at
Valparaiso escaped the disaster is con-
firmed. A number of families have
sought refuge in the school building,
where they are being cared for by the
naval authorities.
PRISONERS SING HYMNS.
The Government has advised the
provincial governments to spend all
money necessary to help the earth
quake sufferers in their districts. When
the earthquake first shook this city the
prisoners in the penitentiary began
singing hymns. There was no loss of
life among them so far as known, but
at Valparaiso the prison walls fell and
crushed 140 prisoners to death.
President Riesco has received dis