Norwich bulletin., 1911-06-08

Mexico City, June 7.-Sixty- three
were Killed, seventy-hve wounded and
property worth $4,000 (gold) was
wrecked today BY an earthquake which
shook the Mexican capital and inject
ed q note of tragedy into what was
TO be a day of rejoicing over the ar
rival of Francisco l. Madero, Jr
More Dead May Be Found.
When the work of searching the
ruins is completed 1t is possible that
the list of dead will be somewhat in
creased, for, hiding here and there
throughout the city are doubtless many
wounded who. With traditional fear of
the authorities and government hos
pitfalls. are anxious 10 evade discov-
cry. The property loss estimate is
based on calculations made by owners
and contractors. Little of the loss is
covered by insurance.
Shocks for Fifteen Minutes.
1t was 4.36 O'Clock when the first
shock was felt. According to the me-
teoroIogi caI observatory. the greatest
intensity was reached at the end OF
the first minute, but the instruments
continued to record shocks for four
teen minutes more. The disturbance
was vacillating and almost free from
trepstory motion.
Half of Dead Are Soldiers.
More than half of the dead account
ed for were soldiers. They We're
artillery barracks 3 San Cnsna. north
of the Mexican Central station.
Six Killed at Power Plant
Another place where the earthquake
was unusually deadly was the city
power plant OF the street car company.
There six persons were killed and six
were wounded. Two others We're found
1n the debris This debris consisted
partly of steel rails which had been
stacked in the iron and wood depart
ments. The victims were inha bitants
of shacks built alongside the structure
Killed by Falling Walls.
With these two exceptions the death
list was made up of single cases or
fn few instances of two ana three
persons caught beneath falling walls in
insubstantial buildings.
Most Serious Shoc< in 20 Years.
Although the shock was plainly felt
in all parts of the city. few realized
the magnitude Of the catastrophe un-
fil later in the forenoon. because the
casualties were confined to a compar-
stlvely small area. Being accustomed
10 earthquakes which are usuali,-
harmless, the populace were slow to
realize that this was the most serious
shock the capitol has suffered in 90
years.
American Property Escapes.
No personal property of Americans
was damaged and with the exception
Of one Chinese killed, no foreigners
were injured.
Dozen Women Killed.
In the barracks where the soldiers
were killed twelve women also lost
their lives. They were the wives of
srtillerymen. These women had the
privilege of spending the night within
the walls of the barracks an old
structure. 1t was unlike many of
the older edihces of the city as its
walls were comparatively thin.
Barracks Collapsed.
seventy-two soldiers were sleeping
in the house. approximately S5 We're
ouartered on the first floor, the re-
mainder on the second. The. outer wall
fell away and the roof. crashing down
on the sleeping men on the second
floor, hurled them through the ceiling
les Of thirty soldiers have been recov-
cred. Three are missing and sixteen
are wounded, few severely.
The Work of Rescue.
Those who escaped began the work
OF rescue at once without spreading
the alarm for some time. Women,
" nose soldier husbands were in the
pile, stood by waiting in groups, while
children clung to their mothers dresses
ana stared euriously at the gruesome
sight Ambulances later carried the
wounded to the military hospitals and
Engineers Crushed by Wall
Three blocks from the barracks, the
yards or the Mexican Central, at which
Nadero had been scheduled to enter,
presented another spectacle of the in
tonsity Of the shock. There, a long
wall separating these yards from those
OF he Mexican railway was thrown
down. An engineer, who was lying
by It's side, was crushed to death. A
warehouse of the Mexican Central was
mostly wrecked One wall and a por-
tion Of the building collapsed. About
one-th1rd of the roundhouse was torn
Gown. No casualties We're reported
ftierc.
Victims Mostly Poor People.
The police reports of the quake to-
Gay and tonight did not record the
deaih of any person of prominence.
The victims were those whose homes
T-sre in cheaDly built houses or shacks
In most cases the walls which fell had
little pow sr OF resistance.
Santa Maria Quarter Suffers.
The worst OF the shock was felt
only in the northwestern ard western
parts of the city. The most damage
done was in the quarter known as
Santa Maria although cracked pave
nlents and broken walls mark its
Roma, occupied largely by Americans
in this section, however, little damage
was done and no deaths have been re-
ported.
The Pavements Cracked.
Cracks show here ana there il
pa%ements throughout the area affect
ed and now and then the asphalt is
buckled into ridges from three to fivs
inches high. The water mains of thu
city were not injured and the ligh
and power companies suffered 1ittl.
Inconvenience in operation. Some dam
age was done to street car tracks, bu
not enough to Interfere with traffic
except one line.
Twisted Track Delays Trains.
In front of the Mexican Central sta
tion the track wss twisted enough tt
delay operations for few hours. Tn,
projection of the front wall OF Belen
prison was thrown into the street. bu
no great damage was done.
Old Churches Cracked.
Two of the capitals old churches ant
the National palace show effects o
the shock Long cracks appeared il
all OF them In the palace key