Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-04-20
QUAKE DESTROYS
MEXICAN CITIES
ChtlpancingO and Chilapa Are Re-
ported in Ruins.
MANY ARE DEAD End INJURED

City Of Mexico. april II - Heavy
earthquake shocks continue on the
west coast Lac news from the area
of greatest destruction in the recent
earthquake shows that the devastation
was greater than at first supposed.
Besides the destruction OF Chilpan.
cingo and Chilapa. II is now reported
that TiXiG. between these two cities.
containing about the same population
AZ Chllpancirgo. was also leveIled.
Messengers from the coast who
reached Chilpancingo also say that the
towns Of Ayutla and Omctopcc have
been destroyed. The former place is
about 50 miles southeast Of Chilpan-
cingo in the state of Guerrero. and
some 20 miles west of Acapulco It Is
one OF the most historic towns in the
republic. for it was here that the
'plan of Ayutla" was conceived which
caused the revolution. made a real re
public and developed the the talents
OF a young officer named Porfirio Diaz.
Owing 90 the remoteness Of this
point and 20 the fact that wire and rail
communication is very poor news from
the stricken district comes very slow
IS. Only one wire is working to Chill
pancingo and that rather spasmodi.
cally The telegraph office is accept
Ing messages only ON condition that
they viii DO scnt subject to delay.
Thousands of messages ere now on
hand at the main Office of the federal
telegraph. ara 10 is said that CONNER.
Cial business BE- IS hours behind
A dispatch to ia Pals. a daily paper.
which is 1e organ of the Catholic
church in This city. from the bishor
OF Chnapa. confirms the report OF the
widespread destruction fin that vicin-
ity. Fourteen are reported % have been
killed in one house and the number Of
wounded IS given as SO.
In TiXta IL SIS reported that - bodies
have been taken from the ruins and
that twice that number of wounded
are being cared for ia temporary
structures erected In the open coun-
try. An operator at Chnpancingo says
that the four men in the Office have
been working without relief for As
hours and exposed TO Indictment
weather. He reports that the state gov
eminent has provided tents for the
homeless and has taken other means
70 provide for the comfort OF the in
habitants.
Up 20 Tuesday the shocks continued
with more or less severity near Chill.
pancingo. completing the work Of de
struction and destroying many OF the
most important public buildings Of the
city. The new municipal palace was
badly shattered. Its predecessor was
lovolled by an earthquake four years
ago. The hospitals. schools and the
jail are In ruins. Prisoners from the
jail We're placed under guard by the
rlroics and are now incorccrated In o
barracks. Tho hospital patients are be
ing cared for Ia "a temporary structure
erected in che open country.
Up 60 this tImc tho number OF deaths
reported is IS and the wounded 90
But in view OF later reports Il is
thought that these figures viii fan far
short OF the real number OF fatalities
These. IL is feared. will never be ac
curatcly known. as many OF the dead
are of tho poorer classes living 10
small settlements. II Is reported that
Acapulco was partly submerged from
the great waves which dashed over the
breakwater. Although no breath OF
wind was stirring on the night of the
first shock when the earth began 10
tremble. the sea was dashed into a fury
and as the shocks continued the har.
bor took on the appearance OF ty.
phOon-swopt ocean. Just how much OF
the port has been submerged Il not
known.