Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1920-12-29
HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE CAUSED
By Earthquake on Argentine Slope
Of the Andes Mountains.

the Argentine slope Of the Andes
Mountains were the most severe ex-
perienced in this couri Try since 1859,
when hall of the ci;y Of MENDOZA was
laid in ruins. Reports from the area
where the shock was heaviest indi-
cate great loss of life and property,
upwards of $50 bodies having been
already taken from the wrecks Of
buildings.
At Tresportenas more than 100
perished, and at Costa de Arauja 80
more were killed. 1t is feared that
more victims still are buried under
the ruins In each town. Only few
houses remain at Tresportenas, La
Valle and La Central, and they are
In badly damaged condition. No
estimate Of the number Of persons
injured has yet been made
Minor shocks continue throughout
the district, one particularly strong
tremor being felt yesterday after
noon at $50 o'clock in the towns Of
San Martin and Rivadavia. The peo-
pie are reported as being panic
stricken. The city Of Mendoza was
shaken, but did not suffer any extern
sive damage.
Red Cross Active.
In the town Of Costa da Araujo the
seismic convulsion opened great
crevices, out Of which hot water is
spouting. The water from one Of
these geysers reached height Of
about 5 feet and formed a pool, in
which two persons we're drowned A
Red Cross ambulance has reached
the village and set to work to rescue
any sufferers who may still 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
apprehension Is felt that the final
figures will be very high. Rescue
parties have been sent from Men
doza, but details from the scene Of
the disaster are meagre, as telegraph
and telephone lines are badly dis
organized.
The earth movement during the
tremor was from northwest to south
east, and number Of small shocks
followed the principal concussion,
which lasted thirty seconds.
Tresportcnas Suffers.
The latest reports from Mendoza,
coming in tonight, said that the
shock at Tresportenas had assumed
the proportions of a catastrophe. Sew
eral relief trains have been rushed
to the town, from which thirty dead
and as many dying have been
brought out. At Costa de Araujo,
. which was virtually isolated, another
shock Of the most violent character
continued at 8 o'clock this morning.
The death list was increased by these
reports to 81 so far counted in Costa
De Araujo, with so seriously in
jured.
At La Vale terrible scenes were
witnessed. The relief work was most
difficult owing to the condition of
the roads, which had been broken up
and covered with water. The church
at La Vale 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
Institute recorded three shocks on
Friday, the first beginning at 8 p. M
1t was a sudden and violent one, with
out the slight movements usually pre-.
ceding. This lasted Is seconds. The
second movement lasted five seconds
and the third ten. The vibrations
with lesser shocks, continued for 80
minutes afterwards
Convulsion in Pacific.
Toxic, Dec. 19.--The most violent
earthquake that has occurred since
the seismographic observations com.
menced in Japan took place Thurs.
day evening at OIL o'clock. The vi.
brations lasted two hours, and were
so severe that the instruments were
unable to give perfect records. It is
believed the convulsion took place
under the Pacific ocean or in the Go.
bi desert, Central Asia.
Earthquakes Toll Reaches 400.
| BuenOs Aires, Dec. 20.-The mum.