Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-08
Guides
pepto:Nansar'
Tonic and Blood EnrIche,'
CH|NA'S EARTHQUAKE
GIVEN SCAET NOTICE
MANY THOUSANDS DIED

the past four years it is to be eX-
pected that some have not had tie
attention which they deserved. This,
however, does not explain how all
earthquake, even in the farthermost
parts of China, occurring in Deem
ber 1920, which is thought to have
destroyed around 100000 lives and
devastated 10000 square miles OF
territory attracted no general no.
tice and today is not found in some
of the supposed authentic lists of
earthquakes.
The Sunday School Times of Oct.
q devotes a column in comment on
It's original report of this event and
the strange oversight of this among
those whose purpose it is to chroni-
Gle such events. Quoting from the
Times:
Last April the National Geo
graphic Society announced an illus
trated lecture, in Washington, ID. c. :,
OIL the great China earthquake, by
one who had personally gone over
the territory. The Editor of The
Sunday School Times attended that
remarkable lecture and heard the
story from the lips OF an actual OBJ
server. In its issue OF May, 49,,
the National Geographic Magazine
had published the photographs that
we're shown in the lecture. with a
detailed account of the earthquake,
nnder the striking title, where the
Mountains Walked" Ipton Close
Josef W. HalD and Elsie McCor-
mick were the authors OF this arti-
Gle, and the copious and impressive
Illustrations are from photographs
made by the Hayes-Hall kansu
Earthquake Relief Expedition. Mr..
Hall visited the earthquake area
under the auspices OF the Interna-
tional Famine Relief Committee and
brought back one of the first ac-
counts Of the devastated country.
This authentic account more
than confirms what Mr. ID. NJ. Pan
ton gave III his remarkable pamph-
let -Four Sore Judgments" from
which The Sunday School Times
Quoted in its editorial of September
10. The London Times. like The
sunday School Times, evidently gave
accurate information about the
china earthquake, as quoted by Mr..
Panton. And the American Review
OF Reviews publishes in its October
issue (lJ23) the statement that in
The China earthquake from 10000 to
lSO.UVO lives We're estimated to have
been lost -
"A striking incident, included in
MI Panton's pamphlet and given in
the National Geographic Magazine,
is the following:
Tales as strange as any that
Roman historians have told of
Pompeii are recounted by WISH
tors to the devastated country.
AS three-fifthS of the dead are
Mohammedan, the non MoSlem
Chinese claim that the earth
quake was a visitation front
Heaven against the disciples of
the Prophet. Somehow, the
Mohammedans have failed TO
deny this accusation with their
usual vigor and have suddenly
become surprisingly humble.
one of the most dramatic
episodes of the disaster was the
punal of Ma the Benevolent. q
famous Moslem fanatic, and 800
or his followers. Just as they
mao met in conclave to proclaim
d molly war. The cave in which
they had gathered was sealed by
terrific avalanche. while the
group knelt on their prayer
mats
by some miracle. the watch
man at the entrance to the cave
escaped with his life. but the
U'hers We're buried so deeply
mat, despite months Of digging
over an area of u mile. the Mos
ielnS have failed to recover the
podies Of their leaders,
~ cther striking statements in the
Nd'lohat Geographic MagaZine's ac-
count are as follows:
Inc most appalling sight Of all
was was the Valley of the Dead, where
seven great slides crashed into a gap
nl tle hills three miles long. killing
Setv living thing in the area eX-
Fept Ihree men and two dogs.
=, Inc loss of nearly two hundred
,.nousand lives and the total destruc-
o uGn OF hundreds of towns and cities
s sa,is Tor reconstruction work on
staggering scale. Seven thousand
1 I,en nave been employed by the
sa niteu International Famine Relief
as ns'ety III releasing damned streams
e..u mus preventing disastrous over
Tvs hoMs. Their work and that of their
ave foreign uperintendents, now
rog successful completion. is a
'o..aance OF adventure in itself. e
.o; Likely no other earthquake in
nhentihc annals ever changed the
pnysical geography Of the affected
legion to the extent of the Kansu
cataclysm. mans"
die. Inc region is one of seismic
assurance, but local archives, pur-
rro oS to register the events of the
oaS'. TOUR thousand years. record
why TWO earthquakes approXimat