Evening star., 1915-06-24

Ell CENTRO, Cal, June A.-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 of
the various towns affected by a series of
earthquakes during the last thirty-siX
hours began today the work Of recon-
structing wrecked and damaged buildings.
which represented a property loss of ap-
proxmately $1,500,00O.
At Calexico. Mexicali, Heber and in this
city military rule is still in force. Streets
were rapidly cleared of the debris Of fallen
walls and scattered glass. All of the
buildings declared unsafe were roped off
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 4 and II As am. The quakes
are attributed to disturbances at Black
Butte. an extinct volcano at the head of
Volcano lake. The tremors appeared to
have heen most severe toward the south
Of lower California. Volcano lake and
Cocopah mountains, were greatly dis
turbed- The levee at Volcano lake was
reported safe today.
Damage to Towns.
The damage in the different cities is
placed as follows: Ell Centric, $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
| those of Tuesday night. Fires broke
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
pitchfork. and is a controlling unit in
irrigation system. was shaken and
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
Ions heading, near where the Colorado
river enters the irrigation system.
southwest of Yuma, in order to repair
the damage to the waste way, but, II 1t
is, engineers do not believe the water
will be shut off more than thfrty-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 it lay
along the line of what is known as
the San Andreas fault in the earth's
formation. which was involved in the
1906.
Great devastation and complete ruin
of the irrigation system it was stated
probably were averted because of the
valley and the great depth of silt,
hich 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 hero today that
Sharpe heading. built Of wood and
earth. could offer but little resistance
to severe earthquake shocks. He de-
scribed the headings az 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 quakes had 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