Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-06-23
REIGN OF TERROR
In MEXICO BORDER
[Continued from First Pagel

of at least five persons and consid-
cradle property loss by fire last night
in several cities of the Imperial Valley,
covering several hundred square miles,
were received here to-day. Telephone
and telegraphic communication was
interrupted and information from the
stricken district is meager.
The greatest damage was at Calex-
leo, on the Mexican border line, where
the loss of life occurred.
Early reports from there stated that
the town had been destroyed by fire,
but telephone employees at FL Centre
who talked over a wire reported that
the fires were confined to three build
ings.
Many buildings in Calexico were
shaken down. The operators in the
telephone building fed after the first
shock. which occurred at 7.30 p. M,
and was followed by two others, at
$40 p. m. and $40 p. m.
Two shocks were reported from
Yuma. Ariz., at the same time and
San Diego and San Bernardino also
were visited by two slight shocks.
Heber, railroad town five miles
west of FL Centre. was reported de-
stroyed by fire. At Imperial several
buildings were cracked and the wall
of one fell in, but no injuries resulted
The telephone operators there also fled
from Jnelr DullQ1nR.
In FL Centre the motion picture the
aters were emptied in a moment, men,
women and children filing the streets
While the earth was still in motion.
The first shock came at sos. 1t was
slow and prolonged. A moment later
came a short and sharp tremble An
ensuing explosion in the warehouse of
the Delta Mercantile Company lighted
the entire countryside. A two-story
structure caved into a drug store
filled with people. All raced to the
street. Every building was disgorging
similarly. In the residence districts
cupboards and all movable furniture
was tumbled about. Slight trembles
continued most of the night.
In MeXicali a panic prevailed. Gam
blers and the women who make up a
considerable portion of the population
of the place rushed into the streets.
Piles of gold were left on gambling
tables to be rocked off and mixed up
with the debris of the buildings.
Ell Centre, Cal. June 2s.-Late re-
ports indicate that Imperial Valley
was rocked from end to end last night
by series of earthquake shocks. More
than score of persons are reported
dead. Buildings in every city in the
valley have been damaged. Calexico
suffered severely from fire. Damage
Al bAiS lllIudhe ulSITlCI is eBTl-
mated at more than S1,OO0,00O.
Five person sare reported dead In
MeXicali. No dead are reported from
the other valley points.
Practically all the dead were said to
be at Mexicali. the little adobe town
consisting principally of saloons, gam
bling halls and other resorts not per-
mitted on the American side that lies
across the street from CaleXico.
OF Volcanic Origin
The seismic disturbances, it is be-
heved, originated somewhere in the
old volcanoes of the Cocopah noun
tains, the granite backbone of Lower
California. To-day the cluster of little
cities in the Imperial Valley are partly
in ruins. Buildings were rent asunder.
The roar of the quake below the
border was the first warning the people
of the valley had. That was about 8
o'clock. The first shock was the most
severe. Two others followed
After the first shock the stricken
towns We're in darkness except for the
light furnished by blazing buildings.
The greatest confusion reigned every
where. Ranchers and city residents
who had homes last night found them
selves to-day in open fields beside
roadways or irrigation bitches