The San Francisco call., 1908-03-28
AND
FIRE DESTROY A
CITY IN MEXICO
Chilapa Is Wiped Off the Map,
Hundreds Perish and Thou
sands Are Homeless
Early Shocks Cause Inhabitants
to Leave Houses and Save
Many Lives
Smaller Towns Are Also Razed
and Considerable Damage
Is Done at Capital
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL

SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL
CITY OF MEXICO, March a.
Chilapa. city of about $4,000 inhab-
itants in the state of Guerrero, was
wiped off the map by the earthquake
last night Not building was left
standing. The loss of life is believed
to be heavy, while thousands of peo-
pie are homeless and destitute.
Wire service with the stricken city
was cut off by the earthquake, but re-
ports which have reached here from
Zumpango and Chilpanzango, the
nearest telegraph points, fully con-
firm the stories about the destruction
Of the city and loss of life.
runner from Chilapa reached Zum-
pango late this afternoon and reported
that the city was completely destroyed
and that the people were terror strick-
Hundreds have fed to the surround
ing country.
FRIGHT SAVES MANY LIVES
The runner said that several slight
shocks were felt yesterday, but little
attention was paid to them, as earth
trenors were not unusual in that sec
tion. Late in the afternoon a severe
shock was felt, which caused hundreds
of people to fee from their homes
and seek safety in the streets and
open spaces This fright Is what pre-
vented greater loss OF life when the
shock came that destroyed the town
about o'clock last night.
A few minutes after o'clock the
earth gave one great convulsion and
every building in the city toppled over
or collapsed. Fire broke out imme-
diately and completed the work of de-
struction. The people were so panic
stricken that practically no effort was
made to combat the flames. Scores
of people were caught in the buildings
or in the falling debris. The exact
number Of dead probably will never
be known.
CITY Is HARD TO REACH
The telegraph office and the rail
road station in Mexico City have been
besieged with people all day anxiously
inquiring for news from the stricken
city, but little information could be
from railroad, and Ii can only be
reached by tortuous mountain roads
and trails. The city was an important
trade center, and the population was
composed OF thrifty people.
AS usual, the Mexican authorities are
attempting TO minimize the extent of
the disaster The panic in the stricken
districts seems to be greater than it
was there year ago, when 500 lives
were blotted out, several towns and
cities partly destroyed and hundreds of
persons injured. That the loss of life
is not so heavy as a year ago is prob
ably due to the fact that the people
had been warned by the slight shock
at noon yesterday.
SHOCKS BREAK CABLE
GALVESTON. Texas. March z7.-The
Mexican cable broke twice. During four
slight earthquakes affecting the east
ern coast Of Mexico. the cable connect
ing with the land wires to the City of
Mexico at Vera Cruz stopped working.
During the afternoon the cable worked
In fits and starts. and the brief mes
sages, some of them badly disconnected.
told of the destruction wrought by the
quakes in the interior OF southern
Mexico.
cablegram tonight says the City of
Mexico experienced six shocks within
"a hours, but that the damage in the
capital is not great, although more than
200 buildings are reported to have been
cracked by the seismic disturbances.
The smaller towns and settlements
around the Mexican capital report loss
of life and terrible destruction of prop
erty.
SMALLER TOWNS DESTROYED
Chilpancingo, city OF 5000 inhab-
itants. 100 miles below Mexico City,
was practically destroyed early this
morning. Every building in the town
was severely damaged, and many of
them totally destroyed by a series Of
quakes shortly after o'clock. No
loss of life is reported. but many were
injured.
At Chilapa the loss of life is reported
at between 200 and 800.
Conception, TetililIa and Coatepec.
three small settlements OF less than
1000 inhabitants EACH, were destroyed.
but no lives are reported lost. Com
munication with a dozen small towns
and settlements was cut or early last
night, and at the capital it is feared the
loss of life will be many hundred, and