Evening star., 1915-06-24

Ell Centric, CAL, June S4-An-
other slight earthquake shock was
felt here at $3.50 am. today. 1t
shook bricks from the Masonic
Temple and various other buildings
ruined or damaged by the series
Of shocks Tuesday night.
Ell CENTRO, Cal. June 24.-People ot
the various towns affected by series o
earthquakes during the last thirty-sia
hours began today the work of recon
structing wrecked and damaged buildings
which represented a property loss of ap
proximately s1,50O,0oO.
At Calexico. Mexicali, Heber and in this
city military rule is still in force. Streets
walls and scattered glass. All Of The
buildings declared unsafe were roped of
and soldiers kept the people out of the
danger zones.
The dead at Mexicali number eight
four Americans and four Mexicans The
number of injured is placed at score.
The four shocks felt yesterday occurred
between and IL :45 am. The quakes
are attributed to disturbances at Blacl
Butte, an extinct volcano at the head Of
have been most severe toward the south
OF lower California. Volcano lake ant
Laguna Salada, on the south side OF the
Cocopah mountains, were greatly dis
turbed- The levee at Volcano lake was
reported safe today.
Damage to Towns.
The damage in the different cities lie
placed as follows: Ell Centro, $780,
900; Calexico. $150.oo0; Heber. 100000;
Mexicali. $4,000. At Brawley, Holt
Vile and other smaller towns the total
damage is estimated at 100000 more.
Two more shocks were felt last night
following the two during the day and
out in three places last night, but the
damage from these and the shakes was
slight.
No assures were caused by any OF
the earthquakes, but the damaged
buildings were twisted and crumpled.
The damage to the vast irrigation
systems in the Imperial valley. which
supply 100000 acres, is considered COM
paratively slight and will be repaired
at once.
The intakes of the Colorado river.
near Yuma, and the headway at Sharps
are reported safe. although the Sharps
heading. from which branches spread
out into the valley, like the tines of a
pitchfork, and is a controlling unit in
the f1ve-million dollar Imperial valley
sagged- 1t is not thought that this
would endanger the water supply of the
valley unless further quakes are felt
The water may be shut Off at Han
river enters the irrigation system
southwest of Yuma. in order to repair
the damage to the waste way, but, ii ii
Is, engineers do not believe the water
will be shut off more than thirty six
hours.
Another Shock Would Wreck Works
Engineers report that another shock
as severe as the one which upset the
little cluster of towns in the valley un-
doubtedly would wreck the works
there.
A break reported in Alamitos canal
one of the waterways of the system
can be repaired without great damage
While scientists described the shocks
as the resultant of unknown forces,'
they appeared to agree that 1t lay
along the line of what is known as
the San Andreas fault in the earth.
formation. which was involved in the
north-central California earthquake OF
1906
Great devastation and complete ruir
probably were averted because of the
loose forma tion of the earth in the
valley and the great depth of silt
which took up the shock.
Surprised That Gates Held.
SAN FRANCISCO. June o4.-F. c
Hermann. former chief engineer in the
construction of the Imperial valley ir.
rigation system, said here today that
Sharpe heading. built Of wood anc
earth, could offer but little resistance
to severe earthquake shocks. He de
scribed the headings as the key to the
entire Imperial valley system. with its
battery of head gates. through which
at times 10000 gallons of water a sec.
ond tumbles. feeding four main canals
which carry water to the once arid
acres.
Mr. Hermann expressed surprise that
the battery of dams and gates had with
stood the shocks already experienced
Mr.. Hermann was Of the opinion taat
the auakes had a direct connection with
the mud volcanoes south of Calexico
which are almost continually active He
said there is live fault line straight
through the affected territory and that
there is a perfect crater in the Black
Buttes On the edge OF Volcano lake. south
of the Mexican line.
Describes Panic at El Centre,
PASADENA, Cal, June 24.-Dr F.. B.
Merchant. who is here today from El
Centre. told of the panic which seized
the guests in the Barbara Worth Ho-
tel there when the first earthquake
shock occurred Tuesday night. He
clung to a pillar in the hotel lobby, he
said. watching scores of people lighting
at tthe doors of the hotel for a chance
to escape into the street
After the shock had subsided he hur.
ried to the depot to board a train.
..The first shock lasted about forty
seconds" said DIR. Merchant. "It start.
ed as a tremor, grew lighter and then
increased in force. The shock broke
of a piece of the fire wall which crash.
ed through the glass roof of the cour,
of the hotel. The second shock oc.
CURED when our train reached I'm.
perial. The cars were shaken and an.
other panic ensued, in which men ano
women flung themselves through tht
doors and windows In an EFFORT to es.
cape"
Cycle Racers Slayer Acquitted.
NEWARK, y. j., June 24.-Dayif
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