Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-12-23
EARTHQUAKE IN
S0UTH AMERICA
Several Towns Along Argentina
Slope of the Andes Destroyed
-150 Dead Have Already
Been Taken from Buildings

Buenos Aires, Dec. 19.-Earthquake
shocks which on Friday afternoon
destroyed several towns along the Argen-
tine slope of the Andes mountains werc
the most severe experienced in this coun-
try since 1868. when half the city OF
Mendoza was laid in ruins Reports from
the area where the shock was heaviest
indicate great loss of life and property,
upwards of 80 bodies having already been
taken from the wrecks of buildings.
At Tresportenas. more than 100 persisted.
and at Costa De Araugo 30 more were
killed. 1t Is feared that more victims are
as yet buried under the ruins in each
town. At Tresportenas. La Vale and lie
Central not single house was left stand
ing and those not destroyed were left
IN a badly damaged condition. No esti-
mate Of the number of persons injured
has as yet been made.
Minor shocks continue throughout
the district, one particularly strong
tremor being felt yesterday afternoon
at $40 o'clock In the towns of San
Martin and Rivadavia The people are
reported as being panic stricken The
city of Mendoza was shaken. but did
not suffer any extensive damage.
In the towns Of Costa De Arauio the
seismic CONFUSION opened great crevices
out of which hot water is spouting.
The water from one of these geysers
reached height of about fifteen feet
and formed a pool in which two per-
sons We're drowned. Red Cross am
bulance has reached the village 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 Andean
Slope. and, as reports continue to add
H.,
sion is felt that the final figures will
be very high. Rescue parties have been
sent out from Meno2a but details from
the scene of the disaster are meagre.
rs telephone and telegraph wires are
badly disorganized.
The earth movement during the tremor
was from the northwest to southeast, and
n number of small shocks followed the
principal conclusion, which lasted thirty
seconds.
The latest reports from Mendoza. COM
ing in tonight. said that the shock at
Tresportenas had assumed the proportions
OF catastrophe. Three relief trains
have been rushed to the town, from which
20 dead and as many dying have been
brought out. At Costa DE Araujo. which
was virtually isolated. another shock of
The most violent character occurred at
eight o'clock this morning. The death list
was increased by these reports to 81 so
far counted in Costa De Araujo with SO
seriously injured.
At La Vale terrible scenes were wit
messed. The relief work was most difficult.
owing to the condition of the roads. which
had been broken up and covered with
water. The church there was laid in ruins
and the municipal buildings walls were
cracked and the structure was likely to
fall at any moment.
The seismograph at the Mendoza Inst
tute recorded three shocks on Friday, the
first beginning at 800 p. m. 1t was n sud
den and violent one, without the slight
movements usually preceding. This lasted
Is seconds. The second movement lasted
five seconds and the third ten seconds.
The vibrations. with lesser shocks, con-
tinued for so minutes afterwards.
Toxic, Dec. 1S.-The most violent earth
quake that has occurred since sesmo-
graphic observations commenced in
Japan took place Thursday evening at
Oil o'clock. The vibrations lasted two
hours and We're so severe that the in
struments We're unable TO give perfect
record. 1t is believed the convulsion took
place under the Pacific Ocean or In the
Cobb Desert. Central Asia.