The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1909-08-05
QUAKE KILLS SCORES
MEXICO SHAKEN BY MOST VlO.
LENT TREMOR IN rs
YEARS.
SEVERAL CITIES DEVASTATED
Six Dead In Capital and Many Injured
Residents Of American Colony
Escape Death-People In Panic,
Pray in Streets.

Mexico City, July 31.-Central Mexi-
co from the Atlantic to the Pacific and
from Querato, on the north to oaxaca,
on the south, distance covering moro
than one thousand square miles, was
shaken by a series of the most severe
earthquakes felt in the region in the
past quarter of century.
Reports telling of the loss ci life
are as yet not complete, but the oifi-
cial figures show that scores were
killed outright while many were NOR
tally injured The towns of Acapulco,
Chilipa and Chilpancingo, in the state
of Guerrero have been partially de-
stroyed.
Reports from the towns of Vera
Cruz, Oaxaca, Tlacotalpam, Silicayoa-
pam, Duzman, Meroteon mad Pachuca
indicate more or less property dam
age, but no loss of life.
Communication with this part of the
republic of Mexico has been imperfect
ly established.
Damaged Seven Years Ago.
Acapulco, noted for its great land.
locked harbor, is the chief port of call
for steamers plying between San
Francisco and South American ports.
Its population is about 5000.
Chilipa has a population of $500. IL
is about IS miles from Acapulco. Chill
pancingo is about 20 miles from Chilli
pa and has a population of $500. The
towns were badly wrecked by an
earthquake in January, 1902.
According to the observatory rec.
ords, the first shock was felt at 4:15
in the morning. 1t was severe, caus'
ing the bells of the many cathedrals
of the city to toll breaking crockery
and in some instances leveling walls.
The inhabitants of the city had hardly
recovered from the fright occasioned
by the phenomena when a second and
more severe shock caused an outpour.
ing of nearly all of the inhabitants to
the streets and open plazas. Tall
buildings swayed and in some in
stances cracked, the pavement opened
in places and in the poorer sections
of the city houses collapsed.
Six Dead In Capital.
So far as can be learned from police
records, six persons lost their lives
in Mexico City and its environs as q
result of the second shock, including
three women and a child. Four others
are expected to die.
The large American colony escaped
unscathed There were some slight
contusions reported among them from
falling plaster, but no serious injuries
were reported.
The property damage in this 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 capita
showed absolutely no signs OF the Sc
we're shaking which it had been given
Indians Pray In Streets.
The wailing and praying of the In
dians in the public squares added t
the weirdness of the scene and paint
ed an unforgettable picture on th'
minds of the half-clad, shiverinl
hordes of frightened men, women anC
children who stood out in the drizzlinl
rain waiting for the coming of day
light When the sun shone the people
returned to their homes, having suffi
eiently Recovered from the fright q
sit down to breakfast They ha'
hardly begun this meal when a thir,
shock sent them again 'scurrying t
the streets.