Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-10-08
Panama ROCKED /: j .
BY EARTHQUAKE !. n: I'll "A (:
Cities Are Badly Shaken by
Heavy TrembIers.
MANY Va FLEE :; TO T } s IRE E $
People Believe That Great Waterway
al Has Suffered From Shocks But
Definite Information
5G2%2 rs Lacking.

Colon, Oct 3-This city was rocked
by q severe earthquake late Wednes-
day night. The disturbance lasted q
full minute. B.
Houses were rocked and the entire
population was aroused. Thousands
filled the streets and remained there
in fear of the collapse Of their
houses. The earthquake was the heav-,
lest within memory. A second light
er shock occurred at IL: 40 o'clock.
"The Gatun locks was on every
7body's lips, but it was impossible to
learn whether any damage had been
done there. s.3 81 355}*t
Last Friday the first tug passed
through the Gatun locks from the At.
lantic to Gatun lake. The disturb
yance begun with . slow, oscillatory
movement which gradually became
more marked. Houses swayed, clocks
stopped and articles OF furniture were
thrown to the floor. ri
z Many Of the residents became half
panic-stric and women rushed
from the homes with children in their
arms. R a; ri; ~
So far no damage Of any serious ma
ture has been reported. $;}
Gatun locks, three in number, are
designed to lift vessels eightyhve feet
from the level OF Limon bay, the At
lantic entrance to the canal, on which
Colon is located, TO the level Of Gatun
lake. They are seven miles from
Colon si,s. e III s. 4 & H
III Twenty four miles beyond Gatun
locks and across the lake Is the begin
ming Of Culebra cut. n, Il. VI
Panama, Oct. 33Two earthquakes
Of an intensity much more severe
than any disturbance since the Amer
leans took possession Of the canal
zone, occurred at midnight Wednes-
day. They were felt from Panama
City to Colon. !. Il VS. s5. 5g
The first shock, as experienced In
I the capital, was slight and was quick
~ followed by one Of longer duration
which shook buildings to their founda-
ton. The church bells were set to
ringing, doors were thrown wide open,
and residents were brought tumbling
out Of their beds. "a
The first movement lasted about Ave
seconds 1t occurred about II: 20
o'clock. The second movement was
Of ten seconds duratio
( The people at midnight were gath
cred In the streets. Jamaicans. who
went through the disaster at Kingston.
and Italians. who have had similar
experiences In their home country,
were particularly alarmed. re 35s II,
Ys According to the seismograph there
were two slighter shocks, bpt these
we're practically unnoticed. The gem
ieral movement appeared to be from
west to east. Those familiar with
earthquakes said the movement was
more OF an upheaval than a vibration
from side to side.
There has been no severe damage
to buildings and no damage to the
canal is so far reported.
Since the suspension of the steam
shovel operations. the Cucaracha slide
has extended completely across the
cut to the seventy-three foot level 80
that when the water is admitted to the
probable lake level OF 60 feet on Octo-
Der 10, 1t cannot pass this barrier.
It is now proposed 10 ditch through
the Cucaracha slide, and the resulting
rush of water is expected to carry
away a large portion Of the obstacle.