Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-04-17
EARTH
ROCKED
FOUR MINUTE EARTH
QUAKE, MEXICO CITY.
NO LIVES REPORTED LOST, BUT
MANY BUILDINGS ARE
CRUMBlED.


City of Mexico. April 15.-An earth.
quake lasting four and half minutes
startled in this city Sunday night. The
earth rocked in long, swinging mo.
tiCn, terrifying the inhabitants, but do.
ing no damage so far as can be learn.
ed at this city.
Clocks stopped at 1884 Mexican
tiDe) and the perceptible motion of
the earth ceased at 1888 1-2. Tele-
graph wires were put out of commits
sion and for shsrt time the city was
in darkness, owing to the failure of
the electric lights.
The asphalt on one of the principal
business streets of the city was
cracked open for distance of 10
yards.
People fed from their houses into
the streets.
At the police stations.no deaths had
been reported up to 12:45 a. m.
No reports have yet come from the
American colony, but 1t is not believed
thot oNiiouS daiidSS Wdo
there, although the houses. unlike
those in the old section Of the city,
are not built to withstand earthquake
shocks. At the time of the first shock
the cafes and theaters were filed and
for time panic was feared. but
owing to the peculiarly steady swing
ing motion of the earth the crowds left
the buildings in order. The shock was
preceded by two bright electric fash
es, which lit up the sky IL the north
west of the city. UD to this time the
property loss is reported as very
small. A number of walls in unsub-
stantial Di;iidinss collapsed, narrowly
escaping turying the inmates.
The city is comparatively quiet. al
though the streets are thronged with
people. many refusing to enter their
houses through fear of a more severe
shock to come.
The official record Of the meteoro-
logical bureau gave the duration OF
the shock as four minutes. The move
ment was from east to west in an
oval shape. The needle first described
10 centimeters and later 81. then 1t
swung completely out Of the dial.
leaving the exact extent Of the shock
n matter of conjecture. The observer
declares that the center Of the shock
was probably to the southwark and 1t
is feared that towns in that region
may have suffered.
Freaks Of the Quake.
Not a station of the fire department
received a call. One freak OF the
earthquake was recorded. A driver of
a circus wagon who was taking par
aphernalia to a nearby railroad sta
ton was thrown from his seat by the
force of the shock. He was uninjured
beyond slight bruises received, but all
of the animals he was driving were
killed.
From the city Of Vera Cruz. south of
been severe. At the meteorological
bureau 1t was said the shock was the
heaviest experienced here since 1882.
From what is known here now 1t Is
thought that the shock extended for
about 100 miles north Of Oaxaca.
Chilpancingo, Mex, April 18.-This
city has been completely destroyed by
an earthquake. The killed number II
and the badly injured ~. The great
est panic prevails and people are fee.
ing to the open country. The earth
seemed to rock at half hour intervals
and many minor shocks are completing
the work Of destruction begun by the
first quake.
Word has reached here that the town
Of Chilapa, ~ kilometers to the north.
eastward, has also bean destroyed. No
details have been received as to the
number Of the dead and injured.
The population Of Chilpancingo is
7498 and until the panic into which
the citizens have been thrown abates,
it will be impossible to state the mum.
Der of casualties.
The population Of Chilapa is IL. 900.
No word has been received from Tixtla
and it il feared it slso has been des-
troyed. According to the movements of
the earthquake, Tixtla would be in its
direct line.
Form late messages 1t appears that
the entire south half Of the republic in
oluding the lower country and tho me.
saba belt felt the shock.
The National Bank of Mexico has re
oeived telegram stating that 500
lives wers lost at the destruction Of
Chilapa and Chilpancingo. In govern
mont orioles the report - not credited.
It 10 admitted that both cities were
leveled to the ground, but it 10 not
thought that the death list will even
approximate 500. owing to the fact
that the honses are built Of stone in or.
der to resist earthquake shocks.
The federal authorities have been ap-
pealed to BY the governors Of the dis.
triots Of Barvos and Chilapa for tents,
a. the inhabitants are now living In
the open.
The governor Of Guerrero has dis.