Daily public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1892-191?, 1912-10-19


earthquakes in the last three months. twice
once in July and once in August the shocks De-
came so heavy that they practically depopuiaIeu
the city for nearly week on each occasion
Seven scientists headed by Prof. Ramon Leon
of the seismographc branch of the National Cd
servatory have just finished a report on the
quakes and their causes. They declare that
Guadalajara with it's 900 inhabitants is built
in the crater of giant volcano which was active
about / 500 years ago. Below the CITY, they add
is the center of this crater, in which new crater
has formed likely to break out at any time
They warn the residents Of Guadalajara that be-
meath them is an enormous caldron OF molten
stone and burning coal and sulphur combined
with gases which come from still further down
in the bowls Of the earth. The report urges that
the city be moved or that at least the Inhabitants
abandon it Immediately. The center of the crater
is located a trihe west of the main plaza and
practically under the state palace or capitol of
the state of Jalisco.
Scientific measurements, soundings with a dia.
Tnond drill and experiments with the gases which
have been pouring through cracks in the earth
in the city are given, with detailed results Of the
study. Professor Leon and his associates deduce
that as surely as science can forecast the city
viii be destroyed by this buried crater, which
they say is enormous, though they admit that
they cannot with accuracy foretell when the vol
cano will burst forth.
They infer that the destruction will come with
in a year, for they say that the volcano, whose
cadron is placed 300 feet below the surface Of
the earth, is what is known ripe for the ex-
plosion, The report goes on TO say that this is
the first instance in the history Of the world in
which city has been located the crater of
a volcano and that the heat from the buried bowl
of FIRE accounts for the warm climate Of Guada-
lajara which while 5000 feet above the sea, has
the temperature all the year round of a coastal
resort, with practically no change between sum-
,mer and winter
\ Increasing heat noticed in this part of Jalisco
for the past and recorded by the local branch
of the government weather bureau first gave Pro
fessor Leon the idea that subterranean fires were
responsible for the climate. Then came the earth
quakes, the opening OF assures in the main streets
OF the capital Of the state and the escape Of
large volumes of sulphur laden gases from these
assures
Fullest publicity is being given to the report
here, and government officials are seriously con.
sidering the removal Of the capital to Juanacat
Ian the Santiago river.
The removal will follow the taking away Of
all the government papers, which have been
trarsferred to Mexico City already. The state
palace capitol in Guadaajara is one of the
largest and most beautiful of all the buildings OF
its kind in Mexico and cost approximately 1000
600 pesos. 1t fronts the main plaza or public
square Pnd occupies one entire end, being nearly
thrc, med yards in length
Guaralajara Is the second city in the republic
ranking next to Mexico City in population and
Yucatan, in this respect. It is the market place
Of two Of the richest states in Mexico Jalgco and
Michoacan, and is commonly called the Pearl
OF the Occident," while the surrounding territory
is known as the granary of Mexico.
For these reasons the people who live here are
loath to leave the city The Catholic church will
be especially hard hit If the removal idea is car.
rted. out The cathedral which Is one of the fin.
est In Mexico, contains more gold and silver orna.
ments than any other church save the cathedral
OF Puebla, and has IN addition the distinction of
having been completed in 1918 and of having
been almost destroyed by earthquake in 1880
IT was severely shaken In 1918, and cracked In
three places by the first series Of the $40 quakes
81 the past three months, in June. 1912. The
towers are 200 feet high Byzantine In construc
tion and the structure occupies one OF the most
valuable pieces OF land in Guadalajara
The most precious art possession of the entire
republic Is contained In the sacrsty OF the cAthe
dral 1t is Murillos painting Of the ASSUMPTION
OF the Virgin" and it hangs directly above the
entrance In point of color and freshness this
painting is better than any Murillo now known
to the art world of Europe America, while the