Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-04-23
Death and ruin IN
Mexico EARTHQUAKE
OVER 500 PERSONS MAY HAVE
BEEN KILLED BY SEISMIC
SHOCK.
DAMAGE THROUGHOUT
REPUBLIC is GREAT
Several Towns Reported Destroyed
Soldiers Searching for Victims
Fears for Safety Of American
Prospectors.

City of Mexico, April 17.-Advices
received by the Mexican Central rail-
way show the first estimates OF SUI
persons dead in the earthquake may
even be below the actual number 1t
Is reported now that TiXtala, between
Chilpancingo and Chilapa, was also
destroyed. An unconfirmed report
says the city of Atlixtac, too, was lev
eled. Throughout the states of Co.
lima, Michoacan, Mexico Pueblo, and
even in portions of Oaxaca the prop
erty destruction is said to have been
heavy. Federal reports show that sew
eral large prospecting parties of Amer
leans were in the interior of the state
of Michoacan, in the district lying
about the foot of the volcano Jorullo.
Apprehension is felt for the Amer
leans.
Soldiers Search for Bodies.
Soldiers are searching for bodies
in the ruins of Chilapa and Chilpon-
cingo. 1t is feared 400 or 500 per-
sons are dead in the two cities the
earthquake is known to have de-
stroyed.
The earthquake and its succeeding
lesser shocks were felt over $4,000
square miles of territory, an area of
400 miles wide and 600 miles long.
Within this area, it is feared, there
may be other cities that suffered from
the severest shock.
Chilpancingo is the capital Of the
state of Guerrero, and Chilapa is a
city of $4,000 26 miles northeast of
the capital. Both are in ruins as
a result of the most severe earth.
+ quake felt in that section for years.
/ The shocks still continue, but are
| slight.
| Reports 500 Were Killed.
The National Bank of Mexico re-
| ceived word from its Chilpancingo
| correspondent that 500 were killed in
| that city and Chilapa, but government
officials think the figure is excessive,
though they admit the destruction of
both cities.
They say the houses in the district
| were built to withstand seismic dis,
turbances, and are confident but rela.
| lively few persons were killed.
In Chilpancingo IL are known to
have persisted, among them being the
wife of Postal Inspector Leopoldo Pc.
pei Guerra and the child of Jose Ale.
man, the postmaster of the city. Jose
Lopez Martinez, manager of the
federal telegraph Office, was badly in.
jured.
Governor Appeals for Help.
The first shock in these cities was
felt shortly after 1880 p. m. April a.
when this city was shaken up, and
instantly Geographic connection was
stopped. 1t was. "a hours before the
telegraphic line to Chilpancingo could
be repaired and news of the disaster
sent to this capital
| An appeal for aid from the governo,
of Guerrero was the first message re
ceived here. The official said it was
| impossible to learn the loss of life ow
ing to the confusion and panic reign
ing among the people Chilpancingc
has a population of $1,000
The Catholic bishop of the state Of
Guerrero has his headquarters al
Chilapa and as no word has been re
ceived from him, fears for his safety
are entertained
City Cut Off, Volcano spouting.
No word has been received from
Acapulco, on the west coast, and i,
is believed that city, too, has suf
| fered.
Reports from Colima say the vol
cano Of Cclima is spouting forth with
unwonted activity and the people il
that section are in terror.
Messages from as far north as Sar
Luis Potosi ana as far south as the
city @ San Juan Bautista in the stats
OF Tabasco, report feeling The shock
| i'll varying degrees. But at no place
up to date has loss of life or great
destruction of property been reported
.except in th@sstate of Guerrero. !,
1t is difficult to get news from the
outlying districts, and governors Of
the states have ordered the militie
to reconnoiter the country and submit
. report of conditions found.