Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-10-17

earthquakes in the last three months. twice
once III July and once in August the shocks be
came 50 heavy that they practically depopalaIeu
the city for nearly week on each occasion
Seven scientists headed by Prof. Ramon Leon
of the seismographfc branch Of the National OBJ
servatory have just finished report on the
quakes and their causes They declare LhaI
GuadaIatara with its 10000 inhabitants, is built
In the crater Of giant volcano which was active
about 1900 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 GuadaIajara 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 that at least the inhabitants
abandon it Immediately. The center of the crater
is located a trife west of the main plaza and
practically under the state palace or capitol OF
the state of JaIisco.
Scientific measurements. soundings with dia-
mond 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 viii come with
in year, for they say that the volcano, whose
caldron is placed 300 feet below the surface of
the earth, is what is known as ripe for the eN-
pI5son. The report goes or to say that this is
the first instance III the history Of the world in
which a city has been located over the crater of
4 volcano and that the heat from the buried bowl
OF fire accounts for the warm climate of Guada-
Iajara which, while 5000 feet above the sea, has
the temperature all the year round of a coastal
resort, with practically no change between sum
and winter.
Increasing heat noticed in this part Of JaIfsco
for the past year and recorded by the local branch
of the government weather bureau first gave Pro
fassOr 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 giyen to the report
here. and government officials are seriously CON
sidering the removal Of the capital to Juanacat-
Ian ON the Santiago river.
The removal viii follow the taking away of
all the government papers, which have been
transferred to Mexico City already. The state
palace or capitol in Guadalajara Is one Of the
largest and most beautiful of all the buildings of
its kind in Mexico ard cost approximately 1000
zoe pesos. 1t fronts on the main plaza or public
square and occupies one entire end, being nearly
three hundred yards in length
Guaralaiara is the second city in the republic
ranking next to Mexico City in population and
above it in wealth. being second only to Merida
of two of the richest states in Mexico JaIisco and
Michoacan, and is commonly called THE Pearl
Of the Occident" while the surrounding territory
is known as the eranary of Mexico.
For these reasons the people who live here are
loath to leave the city. The Catholic church will
he especially hard hit if the removal idea is car
rfed cut. 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 Puehla and has in addition the distinction OF
having been completed in 1918 and of having
been almost destroyed by an earthquake in 1850
L was severely shaken in 1918, and cracked in
three places by the first series of the $40 quakes
af the past three months, in June 1912. The
towers are goo feet high Byzantine in construc-
ion and the structure occupies one of the most
valuable pieces of land in Guadalajarq
The most precious art possession of the entire
republic IS contained in the sacristy of the eathe
dral L is NurilIos painting Of the Assumption
2s the Virgin" and it hangs directly above the
entrance In point of color and freshness this
painting is better than any 1Iurillo now known
% the art world of Europe or America. while the