New-York tribune., 1909-07-31
CHILP4NCINGO IN RUINS
-MANY LIVES LOST.
acapulco Half Shattered The Cap
itaI Severely Shdken-Ameri-
can Colony Escapes.

to-day by a series Of the most severe earth
shocks felt in the region for the last quarter OF
century. The earthquake severe in Mex
leo City.
Reports telling OF the loss Of life are n1eagre,
but the official figures thus far given show four
teen persons were killed and more than a score
mOrtally injured
Word comes from c. POyros. an American
commercial traveller at ChiTpancirgo. State OF
Guerrero that that city destroyed and the
inhabitants are living in the open, suffering
from the elements. The loss Of life is not def
nitely known The shocks continue at ChiIpan-
cingo tonight, with subterranean rumblings.
flashes Of lightning and hail
Acapulco in Guerrero. partly razed- but
the extent of the damage Is not definitely
known. as communication with that part Of the
republic is not well established
According 10 the observatory records. the first
shock of the series was felt at 4:1j o'clock this
morning the oscillation being from the east ID
the southwest 1t was severe, causing the bells
of the many cathedrals Of Mexico City to toll.
breaking crockery and in some instances level
ling walls.
The inhabitants Of the capital had hardly re-
covered from their first fright when a second
and more severe shock caused an Outpouring OF
nearly all of the residents TO the streets and
open pIazas.
This movement was Of a twisting character,
and lasted with marked severity for ninety
seconds The tall buildings OF the capital
swayed and in some instances cracked. the
pavement opened in places. and in the poorer
quarters number Of houses collapsed
A PANIC IN THE CAPITAL
As far as can be learned from police records
six persons lost their lives in Mexico City and
it's envirOns result of this second shock
Two were men of the lower class. the others
being three women and a child Four persons
are now in hospitals and 1t is said that they
cannot recover.
The second shock frightened the inhabitants
so much that no one ventured indoors again
until daybreak-
The large American colony escaped un-
scathed There were some slight cOntusiOns re-
ported among them from falling plaster, but no
serious injuries reported They. with the
entire native population. remained in the plszas
or squares until daylight gave them courage 20
enter their dwellings.
The poems were greatly frightened. For days
these humble folk have been predicting disaster
because The snow on the peak OF the volvanO
Popocatapetl visible from this city, has been
melting An old Aztec legend says that when
the SHOWS on this volcano disappear so will the
city at its base
The property damage in Mexico City is slight.
Some of the cathedral walls were cracked. and
scores Of adobe walls were sent TO the ground
but the main business part Of the capital
showed no signs of the severe shaking which IL
had undergone.
Officers Of the observatory say that Mexico
City rests on an old lake bed. the made ground
acting spOngy. jelly like mass which neu-
traIized the severity OF the shakings-
All electric currents in Mexico city were shut
off during the first shock. and the city in
darkness save for the frequent flashes Of light
ming
INDIANS VAIL IN THE SQUARES.
The waiIing and praying of the Indians in the
public squares added to the weirdness Of the
situation. and impressed the half clad. shiverirg
hordes of frightened men, women and children
who stood out in the drizzling rain waiting for
the coming of daylight
When the sun shOne people returned 20 their
homes. having sufficiently recovered from their
fright 70 sit down 20 breakfast They had hard
Iy begun this meal when third shock sent them
a gain scurrying the streets This a lighter
shock than the first two. bur of sufficient inter-
sity and duration to destroy the appetite. No
further shocks have occurred in Mexico City to-
day.
When the Federal Telegraph Company at
tempted to orx this morning IT was found that
the wires 10 the west coast were down No
communication with the State Of Guerrero. The
centre OF the earthquake region Of Mexico. could
be established
After hours Of EFFORT wire was opened by
the roundabout way OF the Isthmus OF Tehuants-
pee. The first message came from the port Of
Acapulco to the director Of teIegraphs. II read:
Acapulco is in ruins. The loss Is tncalcu-
liable"
Communication was then lost. Sccn after 2
O'Clock another wire was opened up direct to
Acapulco by way OF ChiIpancingo. A message
said that the lower half OF Acapulco had been
and that four bodies had been taken
from the ruins. Later message from Chill
pancingo said that three deaths had occurred
there. and that the number of injured was not
known The barracks. the National Palace and
the hospital at Chipancingo were 50 damaged
as TO be untenable.
EVERY HOUSE IN ACAPULCO DAMAGED
The Associated Press's Office in Mexico city
received reply early tonight to a message di-
rected TO the American Consul at Acapulco.
The consul said that the shocks still continued.
though with Isssened intensity. Three bodies
had been taken from the ruins. The churches.
the custom houses and ali the hotels in the
place were rendered uninhsbitable. while not a
house in the city escaped damage OF some kind.
All buildings along the waterfront were lew
eIIed The arst shock at Acapulco occurred >f
4:1O O'Clock in the morning. and the people.
knowing by experience what 10 expect fed to
the open. They had hardly got out when a
series Of six severe shocks threw the more un-
stable buildings 20 the ground.
There was no tidal wave but the consul adds
that the shocks were more severe than those OF
1907. which inundated part OF the city HIS
says that American killed
Injured As TO the total number OF injured. hs
declared that the police had not made count
Not many OF the wounded will die The peopis
are suffering greatly because the repeated SHOCKS