The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-20
EARTH SHOCKS ROCK ARGENTINA.
 HUNDREDS KILLED
Villages of Andean Slope Are FIattened-Dread Getting < Full Report of Loss.ss.sssse'
 Life and Pf
By Assoeiated Press

BuenoS Aires, December 18.- A severe earthquake shock, which on Friday afternoon de- stroyed several towns along the Argentine slope of the Andes mountains, was the most severe experienced in this country since 1869, 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 I50 bodies having been already taken from the wrecks of buildings.
 At Tresportenas, more than 100 per- sons perishedi at Costa de Araujo 90 more were killed. It is feared more victims still are buried under the ruins in each town. At Tresportenas, La Valle and La Central, not a house was left standing. No estimate of the num- Der of persons injured has yet been made.
 SHOCKS CONTINUE
 Minor shocks continue throughout the district, one particularly strong tremor being felt yesterday afternoon at 5:30 o'clock in the towns of San Martin and Riva Davia. The people are reported as panic stricken The city of Mendoza was shaken, but did not suffer any extensive damage.
 In the town of Costa De Araujo the quake opened great crevices out of h fOh hot fny iS CrA tirSS Q Q r from one of the geisers reached height of about 15 feet and formed pool in which two persons were drowned.
 A Red Cross ambulance has reached the village and set to work to rescue any sufferers who still may be alive in the ruins.
 FEAR REPORTS
 More than 30, 900 persons inhabit little villages along the eastern Andean 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 Mendoza. but details from the scene of the disaster are meagre, as telephone and telegraph communication is badly disorganized.
 The earth movement during the tre- nor was from the northwest to south east. and number of small shocks fol- lowed the principal tremors, which lasted 30 seconds.
 The latest reports from Mendoza, coming in tonight, said that the shock at Tresportenas had assumed the pros portions of catastrophes Three relief trains have been ruahed to the town from which 30 dead and as many dying have been brought out At Costa De Araujo, which was virtually isolated another shock of the most violent char acter occurred at o'clock this morn ing. The death list was increased by those reports to S1, so far counted in Costa de Araujo with so seriously in- jured.
 TERRIBLE SCENES
 At La Valle terrible scenes were wit messed The relief work was most diff ficult, owing to the condition of the roads, which had been broken up and covered with water. The church at La Valle was laid in ruins the municipal buildings walls were cracked and the structure was likely to fall at any mo- ment.
 The seismograph at the Mendoza in- stitution recorded three shocks on Fri day the first beginning, at 3 o'clock a. m. It was a sudden and violent one, without the slight movements usually preceding. This lasted b sec onds. The second movement lasted five seconds and the third 10 seconds. The vibrations, with lesser shocks, con tinued for 30 minutes afterward.