The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-12-22
Property Damage Will Also Be
Great in Argentina
HOT WATER GUSHES
FORTH IN SPOUTS
Severest Shocks Experienced in
Argentina Since Catastrophe
Of 1S69-People Panic Strick-
en-

BuenOs Aires, Dec. 19..-Earthuuake
! shocks which on Friday afternoon de-
stroyed several towns along the Ar
gentine slope Of the Andes mountains
were the most severe experienced in
this country since 1869, when half
the CITY of Mendoza was laid i'm ruins.
Reports from the area where the
shock was heaviest indicate great
loss OF life and property, upwards of
100 bodies having been already TAX =
Ell from the wrecks of buildings.
AT TrespOrtenas more than 100 per-
ished, and at Costa de Arauja thirty
more were killed. 1t is feared that
moro victims still are buried under the
ruins in each town. Only a few houses
remain at Tresportenas, La Vale and
La Central and they are in a badly
damaged condition. No estimate OF
the number Of persons injured has yet
been made.
Minor shocks continue throughout
the district, one par; icularly strong
tremor being felt yesterday afternoon
at $3.50 O'Clock in the towns of San
Martin and Rivadavia. The people are
reported a" being panic stricken. The
city OF Mendoza was shaken but did
not suffer any extensive damage.
In the town Of Costa de Araujo the
seismic convulsion opened great crew
ices out of which hot water is spout
ing. Tho w"..er from one Of these
Seysers reached height of about fif-
teen feet and formed pool in which
two persons were drowned. A Red
Cross ambulance has reached the viii
lage and Set to work to rescue any
sufferers who still may be alive in the
ruins.
More than 10000 persons inhabit
little villages along the Eastern An
dean slope and as reports continue TO
add TO the long list of casualties ap-
prehenSion is felt that the final figures
Will be very high. Rescue parties have
been sent from Mendoza but details
from the scene Of the disaster are
mcaser, as telephone and telegraph
lines are badly disorganzed.
The earth movement during the
tremor was from northwest to south
cast and number of small shocks
followed the principal conclusion,
which lasted thirty seconds.
The latest reports from Mendoza.
coming in tonight. said that the shock
at TrcSp had assumed the pro-
portions of "a catastrophe. Three relief
trains have been rushed to the town.
from which thirty dead and as many
dying have been brought out. AT
Costa de Arauio. which was virtually
ISOLATED. another shock of the most
violent character continued at S
o'clock this morning. The death list
was increased b. these reports TO
eiEhty-onc so Ear counted in Costa dc
ArauJ0. with eighty seriously injured.
At La Vale terrible scenes were
witnessed. Tho relief work was most
difficult owing to- tho condition of the
roads. which had been broken uD and
covered with water. The church at
La Nallc was laid in ruins and the
municipal buildings walls were
cracked and the structure was likely
TO fall at any moment
The seismoSraph at the Mendoza
institute recorded three shocks on
FRIDAY, the first beginning at d. IN.
It was a sudden and violent one.
without the slight movements USUALLY
preceding. This lasted fifteen seconds.
inc second movement lasted five sec
onds and the third ten seconds. The
Vibrations. with lesser shocks. con.
tlnued for th!rty minutes afterwards