Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-07-17
Four Severe Earthquake
Shocks Felt Friday Throw
ing City and Its Suburbs
Into Great Excitement.
PEOPLE RUSH OUT OF
DOORS; SEEK SAFETY
Prisoners in County Jail Yell,
Shake Cell Bars and
Scream to Be Taken Out:
Man Has Leo Broken.
10y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEasEp wiRal
BULLETIN.

LOS ANGELES, Calf, july l6
"A sharp earthquake shock. the
fourth since 1910 today, was felt
here at 8:13 tonight. There was no
damage reported.
Los Angeles, Calf, July TO-
Three severe earthquakes here to-
day threw the city and its suburbs
into excitement, indirectly caused
number of injuries to men, wom-
en- and children and slightly dam
aged several buildings, chiefly old
ones, but none to great extent.
While the shocks seemed to CEN
ter in Los Angeles, some of them
were felt more than thirty miles
away, but, as in this city, no ma
terial damage was reported from
any other southern California city
or town.
An unusually warm morning pro-
duced from some citizens the re-
mark, Good earthquake weather
1t was said in jest and none were
more surprised than those who
made the remark when the first
temblor came at 1910 in the
morning.
II felt much as does the sudden
stopping of a street car. operated
by an inexperienced motorman.
only that the temblor produced the
I unpleasant sensation multiplied
many times.
Excitement Follows Shock.
Z Excitement, in many cases hys-
terical, followed the first shock and
mad hardly ealmed down when at
1927 in the afternoon came the
second. followed two minutes later
nv the third. These two were
sharper than that of the morning.
When the agitation of the citizens
became prolonged and 1t was some
time afterward before it was case
Of business as usual.
Courts and other public places
were scenes of near panic, some
people running for the open air,
some fainting, some stopping 10
pray. Many gathered at street in
tersections, waiting to see what
would happen. Others who felt
they must be on the way walked
down the middle of the streets
with watchful eyes on the build
ings. Many sought Pershing
Square, in the heart of the down
town district, as a sanctuary, and
remained for hours. Pictures
were jolted from hooks. mortar
1arred from brick walls and plas-
ter from ceilings; cracks appeared
in some of the older structures, a
water main was broken, a few
copings and chimneys fell, part
of an embankment collapsed,
throwing dirt and brick into the
street, and plate glass windows in
some Of the down town depart
ment stores were broken. While
the excitement was at its height
rumors of horror travelled fast,
hut when 1t had subsidized there
was not one report of any extern
siye damage done to any cstab-
Iishment, while the worst injury
recorded was broken leg,l caused
when a brick fell from the top
of a building and struck an eld-
erly man.
Prisoners Excited.
Perhaps the greatest clamor
came from the prisoners In the
county and city jails. =
In the former four hundred (!
prisoners felt the morning shock
with comparative calm, but be-
came wildly excited at the first
of the two in the afternoon. They
yelled, shook the bars of their
cells and screamed to be taken
out. The turnkeys were trying to
quiet them when the third tremor
came. The resultant uproar last
ed an hour.
The prisoners in the city jail
were less excited although the
building was slightly damaged. old
cracks in the walls widening and |
plaster falling from ceilings. A
matron Of the woman's depart |
ment became hysterical and was |
carried home. Hysteria also over
came others of the women officers |
Of the police department.
For hours the receiving hospital |
maintained by the city was crowd
ed with women and children. most |