Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-06-24

Sha:ns heading, the principal
and controlling unit of water sup
ply for the Imperial Irrigation sys-
TEN sagged and settled under the
renewed quakes. Further shocks
might break the headings and par
alyze the entire water system OF
the valley.
Elcentro Cal. June 24.-Ar earth
quake shock shook up the Imperial val
ley of California last night. killing. five
persons, caused damage estimated at
81, 900 900 in the valleys little cluster
or towns, and left almost unchanged
the great irrigation system which
transformed the valley from desert
to a fertile farming country
Ell Centre suffered more than any
other town. The five killed We're caught
in falling walls at Mexicali. just across
the border
Martial laws was proclaimed there.
The roar of the tremhler below the
border was the first warning the peo-
pie of the valley had. That was about
O'Clock The first shock was the most
severe. Two others followed.
Valley In Darkness.
Electric lights went out all over the
valley after the first shock and the
stricken towns We're in darkness. ex-
cept for the light afforded by blazing
buildings. The greatest confusion
reigned everywhere. Ranchers and
city residents who had homes, at din
nerrlast night. woke up today in open
fields beside roadways or Irrigation
bitches.
As far as can loa learned. the shocks
were scvcrest down at the border and
below the border and grew less and less
the farther north 1t came so that CAL
ipatrit and INLAND appear to have been
injured slightly: less than the towns in
the, south end of the valley. The
earthquake extended all the way to
Yuma. Ariz. The duration of the first
shock was about 30 second. This was
followed half an hour later by Sec
ond shock almost as severe as the
first.
Plate glass windows. flinrsy brick
walls and hollow tile structures We're
perial valley was Killed. The five re-
ported TO have lost their lives in Mex
| ica!i were killed when a wall fell.
Fifty deputies took stations about the
business district here and patroled the
town.
The fire truck patroled the streets
ready to extinguish any fires that might
spring up.
Hotel Is Rocked.
Telegraph and telephone company
| service were Immediately stopped. The
telephone company sci up a service
| board i'm the vacant lot back OF build
ing and messages were sent to Yuma
and there rcaNed to other points. The
| Barbara Worth hotel n four story
cellcnt shape. The decorative work of
l the interior fell tn the lobby but not Il
person WAS injured.
| The elevator kept running until cv-
! erybody was out.
| On either side Of the business streets
are ruined buildings some completely
| raZcd. others opened by gaping holes
Broken glass of the display windows
| covers the sidewalks. In the gutter are
| the bricks aud debris fallen from above
| The streets are closed to automobiles
| and pedestrians are warned to keep IN
tn. center of the street
| ON tho lawns In the residence district
are the cots of residents with only the
| sky as the roof. III the industrial dis
| trict the firemen are still fighting Il fire
| In Ei Centre the effect was electrical
| The motion picture thcaters were filled
| but were einptled in moment. men
| women and children filling the streets
| while the eartl was still in motion
! unde. the influence of the trcinblcr
Canal System Safe.
| The great irrigation system which
|
| mcnse farming region was spared. Nc
| reports have been received of damage
| any where along the levee system whicIl
protects the lands lying below sea lev
| el from the encroachments of the Colo
rado river. which supplies the water
| from the canals. The great fumes alse
| held
] The first shock came at sos p. M
| 1t was slow and prolonged A momcn,
| later came II short and sharp trembler
| An ensuing explosion in the warehouse
| of the Delta Mercantile company light
| ed the entire countryside. two-stor!
| structure cHved into Il drug store fillet
| with people All raced to the street
Every building was disgorging similar
| ly. In the residences. dishes. cupboard.
| and all movable furniture. We're tum
4 bled about. In the stores shelves wer,
/ overthrown, roofs caved. sides fell on
and, through the mass of wreckase
| frightened people rushed to open space.
| in the streets. Slight tremblers contin
ue1 most of the night Mrs. Mar.
Smith. matron of the jail. from whicl
the prisoners were hastily removed
| was struck by a falling brick ant
! slightly injured. At Heber. Pearl En-
cry spectator at motion picture show
suffered q broken foot.
l In Calexico the Daum building col
lapsed. and every window in the tow
was broken.
l At Hcber the First National banl
and the Heber hotel buildings wer'
badly cracked. A moving picture hous
| was wrecked.
Just outside of Heber on the rance o
/. A. Morgan. capitalist. lamp wa
overturned in the Morgan residence ant
the house destroyed.
The home of John Sets, nearby
fell to the ground. but the occupant
all escaped.
In Mexicali panic prevailed
Gamblers and the women who max
up a considerable portion Of the popu
lation of the place rushed into tn
streets. Piles of gold were left on TIL
gambling tables to be rocked off an
mixed up with the debris of the build
inEs. Martial law was declared there