The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-08
San Salvador Destroyed by
Earthquake and Volcano.
City of 10000 Untenable; All
Inhabitants Fled.
7 NEARBY TOWNS ALSO RAzED
U. S. Minister Dispatches News
of Terrible Disaster.
Quake Two Hours, Then Vol
canO Belched Lava and Ashes.

San Juan Del Sur. Nicaragua, June
S.-San Salvador. the capital of the
republic of Salvador, with a popula-
ton of more than $4,000 has been to-
tally destroyed, according to a dis
patch from San Miguel, Salvador Few
details of the disaster have been re-
ceived other than it was the result of
an earthquake and volcanic eruption.
A dispatch from Tegucigalpa, Hon
duras, says that. in addition to the
wiping out of San Salvador the towns
of Quetzaltepeque Nejapa, Suchichoto,
Paisnal, Armenios and Mejicanos also
were destroyed. Mejicanos was sub
urb of San Salvador.
At $3.50 o'clock this morning there
was still no communication between
San Salvador and Tegucigalpa.
The town of Santa Tecla also has
been destroyed. according to this re-
port. Residents of San Salvador are
camping in the streets and parks At
the time the report was sent it had
been raining heavily for five hours.
The disaster is supposed to have been
caused by an eruption of the volcano
of San Salvador at the foot of which
the city is situated
Flames Add to Terror.
| Washington, June Dispatches
from American Minister Long, at San
| salvador, sent at 3 o'clock last night
1 while the volcano of San Salvador was
eruptfng, said part of the town had
| been destroyed by fire but that IL was,
under control. Great damage was
done
The dispatch said that about s:s5 n.
! M yesterday severe earth shocks be-
gan ana continued until about s:45,
inc 6ncry -
AT about S:45 the volcano of San
Salvador began to belch forth fire and
smoke, apparently on the side toward
IQuetzaltepeque. There was later one
very severe shock but the tremors of
the earth continued with decreasing
violence. At the same time, there was
a steady shower of dry ashes falling
| over the city.
| United States Legation Wrecked.
The report says damage to the
American legation building will render
| it uninhabitable, but that all records
| are safe. 1t adds that all other city
property appeared practically untena-
BILE.
| One important central business sec
ton had been destroyed by fire which
at the time of telegraphing seemed to
| be under control No deaths were re-
ported in the minister's dispatch being
known at that hour.
1t is quite possible that either vol
canic eruption, fire or earthquake
nigh. have wrought greater damage
after the ending of his dispatch.
Had Previous Earthquake.
| The city of San Salvador had a pop
| ulation of $4,000 at the last census.
| 1t is situated on small stream which
| flows into the Pacific ocean and was
founded in 1925, being only three miles
| distant from the volcano of the same
name The city contains a national
university, the national palace. a
cathedral, national library, botanical
gardens, and is a center of the indigo
| trade.
San Salvador was greatly damaged
by earthquakes in 1854, 1872 and
1879.
| Quake Recorded in u s.
| Washington, June S.-Seism ographs
| of Georgetown university at 7:57:30
last night recorded a severe earth dis
turbance about 1000 miles from
Washington. The disturbance ended
at 9:25 p. m. 1t was thought the
quake was in the same region as that
recorded several days ago.