The Washington herald., 1908-08-16
BUILDING UP RUINS
Valparaiso Receivers Slowly
from a Disaster.
FIRE LOSSES NOW SETTLED
Structures Not Beyond Repair Have
Been Put in Condition and Are
Have Been COmpIeted-GOvernm
Gives No Aid to individuals.

The reconstruction Of the city Of valpa-
raiso, Chile. which was almost destroyed
in the earthquake Of August Is. 1906. is
going on slowly, some new buildings
being already completed.
Consul Winslow has sent TO the Bureau
Of Manufactures the following statement
in regard to present conditions
The properly loss caused by the great
earthquake has been varsously estimated
from s1oo. o.o0o.Oo0 to Sl50.Oo0. 600. but the for
mer seems to be the nearest right. and Of
this fully 3 Per cent was caused from the
fires during the six days following the
earthquake
The property destroyed by FIRE was COW
cred by FIRE insurance 10 the value OF So
slZ50o. OF which S5,674.090 was written by
foreign companies and s.. s5s so by Chill
can companies Both the foreign and
Chilean companies have settled the losses
caused by the fires OF August % and q
on a basis Of from 30 70 % Per cent. This
was done because there was a period OF
about twenty-four hours from the 18th
TO the nth. when there was no ERE.
Ali the foreign companies have refused
to pay any claims for losses by fire dur
ing August l6 L. IS. or Il. but the Chilean
companies are settling their claims on a
basis OF from 10 20 % per cent on losses
sustained during the night OF the 18th,
and from 30 to 81 per cent for losses dur
Ing the other days. No insurance com
panies failed on account OF the losses. but
some Of them were very hard pressed
The foreign companies have been success
ful IN resisting every case brought against
them in the courts OF Chile so far There
Is no American insurance company doing
business IN Chile.
The government OF Chile has made no
provision for aiding individuals % rebuild
providing only for widening and straight
ening some OF the Nalpara Iso streets and
rebuilding the public buildings the appro-
pr;ations amounting 20 S7.s75llg- Neither
has there been any concerted action taken
on the part Of the interested Farrles 10
secure loans with which 20 rebuild But
Ettle has been done as yet in that portion
OF tie city that suffered most further
than 10 clear away some n the rubbish
and erect temporary quarters uatu such
time as provision can De made for re-
building a large proportion Of buildings
that we're not beyond repair have been
put !o shape. which has greatly relieved
the strain Most Of the temporary shan
ties have been removed from the streets
bouleva-,!s. and parks. and the people are
comfortably housed Warehouses. for the
storage ct merchandise are most needed.
for these suffered most. being located
near the waters edge. where foundations
were laid on made ground
No labor troubles have interferef with
the rebuilding OF the city other than
great increase Of wages. which are now
double what they were before the earth
quake. and the work in general has p-o-
gressed quite satisfactorily. conSi6ering
the financial situation
No additional building regulations. have
been made. either b. the general govern
Ee1t or by the city authorities. Other
than 20 change the building line on some
OF the streets. &c
The Chilean government has employed
MorteSsls Ge BeIlori. a noted French
seismo!oglst. % study the earthquake con
oitons in Chile and 20 give advice in
the matter of the reconstruction Of pub
lie and private works 60 as 70 best with