The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-01-05
MEXICO SHAKEN BY
SEVERE EARTHQUAKE
TEN STATES FEEL TREMOR AND
SEVERAL VILLAGES ARE
DESTROYED

MEXICO CITY-(By A. P.)-Ten
states were shaken by an earthquake
Saturday night, which destroyed at
least two villages and caused many
deaths in Vera Cruz
The states in which the earthquake
was felt are Mexico, Puebla, Vera
Cruz, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Morelos, jail
isco, Ilaxicala, Hidalga and Quetetaro.
Reports indicate the disturbance of
Mount >Orizaba, volcano about 70
miles west of Vera Cruz, Teocelo, a
village about 35 miles northeast of
the volcano, was virtually destroyed
as was Coutzlan, small hamlet in
the same neighborhood
Many casualties are reported in
both towns and many persons are re-
ported killed in the suburbs of Oriza-
BAN, city ten miles south of the
volcano.
Many Fatalities Reported.
MEXICO CITY.-(By the Associat-
ed Press. )-Scoresaof persons have
been killed in violent earthquake
which occurred IN many parts of
Mexico Saturday night. The center
Of the disturbance is believed to have
been near the volcano of Orizaba.
Incomplete press reports Indicate
that the state of Vera Cruz suffered
more than any other section, al
though seismic disturbances were felt
throughout the entire republic. ,Ad-
vices from Cordoba say that thirty
dead have already been accounted for
in San Juan Coscomatepec, where
many houses were destroyed. There
are unconfirmed reports of similar
castrophe in Huatusco
At Jalapa fifty victims of the earth
quake have been counted, including
dead.
Lack of communication with the
other small towns and villages in the
region of the disturbance makes even
an approximate estimate of the cas-
ualties impossible.
The earthquake caused great alarm
in the large cities.
Marine disturbances have occurred
off Vera Cruze City, and there were
some casualties there, although the
number is not known, with consider
able destruction Of property.
From San Juan Coscomatepec it is
reported that the shocks still con-
tlnued Sunday
Information secured from the gov
ernment observatory at Tacubaya
show that there were three distinct
shocks, the strength of which decen-
tralized the instruments. The first
shock which occurred at 9:45 o'clock
Saturday evening lasted five minutes
the second, at 1925, was very brief,
but of terrific intensity, and was ac-
companied by terrifying subterranean
noises. The third shock at I1:OI
o'clock was not discernible except by
the siesmograph.
The panic in the capital among the |
ignorant classes was indescribable.
Many of the people fled from their
homes and flocked in the churches
The Indians in the suburbs hurried
to the shrine of the Virgin of Guada-
lupe.
From Toluca, Cuernavaca and
Puebla come similar stories of panic !
Slight damage was done to homes.
Panic reigned in various cities and
villages in the state of Vera Cruz,
where the people left their homes and
spent the night in the streets.
The damage in Mexico City was
limited to cracks in the larger build
ngs. No one was injured
While the government observatory
has not decided what caused tn. /,
shocks, reports received from Cor
doba, state of Vera Cruz, assert that
they are due to the volcano Orizaba.
The two, huge volcanoes near Mex
leo City have shown no signs of dis
5urbAnces.
The shocks were felt heavily among
the towns along the ridge valley of
Mexico City, while the capital, which
IS in the center Of the valley, was not |
affected severely.
Late reports received here say that
The death list in San Juan Coscoma-
,epec was augmented as a result Of
The collapse of the church tower,
which crashed in upon crowds gath
cred inside the edifice to pray, fol-
owing the first shock.
Vera Cruz City is without water,
while the lighting systems of Orizaba