The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-21
The Government Takes Entire
Charge of the Situation
DETAILS STILL LACKING
Food and Water Are Said to Be Very
Scarce and Many Merchants Have
Raised the Prices of
Provisions.

IN Cnlle nave cedSeds lne resultant nfeS
have been extinguished and people of the
two cities Valparaiso and Santiago are
taking organized steps to relieve suffering,
care for the wounded and bury the dead.
The period of succor has entered.
Dispatches received from Chile today
tend to show that the first estimates of
casualties and material damage were
greatly exaggerated and that the people
of Valparaiso are becoming calmer. The
fear of further shocks has been removed
by a statement issued from the observa-
tory and today it became possible Cor
the first time to organize relief work and
begin systematic search of the ruins
for the dead.
Santiago Coming to Rescue.
Santiago is coming to the rescue of her
suffering sister. Public subscriptions have
been opened for money, clothing and
provisions and the capital is caring for
all refugees from Valparaiso who make
tnelr way across the mountains.
The government is putting down pillage
wherever 1t breaks out with troops.
1t is still impossible to reach any es-
innate of the dead and injured. The re-
ports from Chile are most conflicting.
A large section of the country, however,
was visited by the catastrophe and cabled
estimates of casualties refer in some in
stances to particular localities, notably
Valparaiso, and in others evidently to the
entire district which suffered from the
shock.
The number of dead in Valparaiso
doubtless will run into the hundreds, and
for the entire country probably into the
thousands. The property damage is esti-
mated from s2OoOOoOoo to sSoOOoO,oOO
Government Takes Control.
Relief is being organized with system
and the government has taken complete
control of the situation. The foreign lega-
are private persons, and the greatest
energy is being devoted to getting in sup
plies for the destitute. The government
has authorized the provincial governors
to, spend all money necessary for the
relief of the needy in their districts.
The funds subscribed In Iquique to cele-
brate the election Of Pedro Montt to the
presidency will be expended to relieve
the suffering. Public relief subscriptions
have been opened In Buenos Ayres and
the Argentine government will pass an
appropriation to the same end Chile will
ask its congress for money for the re-
construction of Valparaiso.
Food and water are both very scarce
and many merchants have made material
advances in the price of provisions.
Every Building Damaged.
The statement is made that every build
/ tnor ToI,,
the city has been described as "uninhabit-
able" The Almendral quarter and the
| principal streets are mere heaps of ruins.
The people still throng the surrounding
hills and seashore and many are leaving
the locality as best they may It is re-
ported that at several points the coast
has listed above its former level The
troops are maintaining perfect order and
the military ambulanees are carrying the
wounded to the hospitals.
Hospital and medical supplies are being
sent down to Valparaiso from Santiago.
A commercial crisis is feared and very
little business Is being done.
The English firms located at Valparaiso
do not appear to have sustained heavy
loss, and 1t does not appear that any
foreigners have been killed.
Santiago suffered much less than Val
paraiso. The number of dead in Santiago
is reported at twenty. A local relief COM
mittee has been organized, the street cars
have resumed running. and the normal
aspect of the city is rapidly returning.
Refugees from Valparaiso are coming in
in greater numbers every hour. the rail-
roads are not yet in operation.
1t is reported that six or eight towns
in the stricken districts have been de-
stroyed, but details are still lacking.
VIVA del Mar which is a suburb of
Valparaiso is described as almost entirely
in ruins There are fifty dead and $50
wounded at Talca. Many houses in the
Amagada district collapsed. In addition
to towns previously mentioned, Melipilla,
Salvador and Santa Turnino sustained
damage.