Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-31
Foundation Saves City.

Officers of the observatory attest that
Mexico City rests on an old lake bed, the
made ground acting as a spongy, jelly
like mass, which neutralized the severity
of the sEakings.
All electric currents in Mexico City
were shut off during the first shock. The
city remained in dense darkness save for
flashes of lightning which intersperSed
the shocks.
The walling and praying Of the In
dams in the public squares added 10
the weirdness of the situation and left
an unforgett;lble impression the
minds of the half-clad. shivering hordes
of frightened men, women and chill
dren who stood out in the drizZling
rain waiting for the coming of day
light.
When the sun shone the people re-
turned to their homes. having suffi-
GENTLY recovered from their fright to
sit down to breakfast.
They had hardly begun this meal
when third shock sent them again
lighter shock than the first two. but of
sufficient intensity and duration to de-
stroy the appetite.
No further shocks occurred in Mexico
City yesterday.
When the Fedora, Telegraph Company
attempted to work yesterday morning
it was found that the wires to the west
coast were down. No communication
with the state or Guerrero, Tue center
of the earthquake region of Mexico.
could be established.
Damage at Other Places.
After hours of effort wire was
opened by the roundabout way of the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The first mes
sage came from the port of Acapulco
to the director of telegraphs.
1t read:
Acapulco is in ruins. The loss is in
calculable''
Communication was then lost.
Shortly after o'clock another wire was
opened up direct to Acapulco by way of
Chilpancinso. A message said that the
lower half of Acapulco had been de-
stroyed and that four bodies had been
taken from the ruins.
Later a message from Chilpancingo as
serted that three deaths had occurred
there and that the plumber of injured
was not known. The barracks, the ma
tional palace and the hospital at Chill
pancingo were SO much damaged as to be
untenaDtable.
Early yesterday the Associated Press
office in Mexico City received reply to
a message directed to the American con-
sui at Acapulco. The consul declared
that the shocks stiH continued, though
with lessened intensity.
Three bodies had been taken from the
ruins. The churches, the custom houses
and all of the hotels in the place were
rendered uninha bitable. while not house
in the city escaped damage of some kind
All buildings along the water front were
leveled.
The first shock at Acapulco occurred at
4:1O o'clock in the morning. The people,
knowing by experience what to expect,
fled to the open They had hardly got
out when a series of six severe shocks
of tripoditory and oscillatory character
threw the more unstable buildings to the
ground.
No Tidal Wave.
There was no tidal wave. The shocks
were severer, however. the consul adds
than those of 1907 which inundated a
no American was killed or injured
AS to the total number of injured, he
declared that the police had not made
count Not many of the wounded will
die The people are suffering greatly be-
cause the repeated shocks compel them
to live in the open in the rainy season
A message from Puebla. the third Next
can city in size, reports severe damage
as result of this mornings shocks NJ
Tillizo. a guest of the Hotel Jardin. died
of fright.
Reports from Vera Cruz. Oaxaca. Tia
cotalpam, Silicayoapam, Duzman Nero
teon and Pachuca indicate property dam
age but no loss of life
At the department of public works last
night 10 was said that the quake had
greatly damaged the water main and that
Mexico City's water supply would be
curtailed for few days.
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