Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 317, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1920 — MANYDIEIN EARTHQUAKE [ARTICLE]

MANYDIEIN EARTHQUAKE

EARTHQUAKE ROCKS MEXICOONE WAY OF GETTING .. RID OF THEM. Mexico City, Jan. 4.—The villages of Teocelo and Couztlan, in the state of Vera Cruz, were virtually destroyed by an earthquake last night and heavy casualties have resulted, according to late press reports received here. Mexico Qity, Jan. 4.—-Scores of persons have been killed in a violent earthquake which occurred in many parts of Mexico last night.—The center of the disturbance is believed to have been near the volcano of Orizaba. ... incomplete press reports indicate that the state of Vera Cruz suffered more than any other section, although seismic disturbances were felt throughout the entire republic. Advices from Cordoba say that 30 dead have already been accounted for in the village of San Juan, Coscomatepec, where many houses were destroyed. There are unconfirmed reports of a similar catastrophe in the village of Huatusco. At Japala, further north, fifty victims of the earthquake have been counted. ' Lack of communication with other small towns in the theatre of the disturbance makes even approximate estimates of the casualties impossible. * The earthquake caused great alarm in the large cities. Marine disturbances have occurred off Vera Cruz city and there were some casualties there with considerable destrutcion of property. From San Juan, Coscomatepec, it is reported the shocks still continued Sunday. ~ ~ . 'lnformation secured from tne gQVemment observatory at Tacubaya show that there were three distinct shocks, the strength of whi«h decentralized instruments. The firat shock, which occurred at 9:45 o’clock Saturday evening, lasted five minutes. The second, at. 10:35 p. m., was very brief, but with terrific intensity and was accompanied by terrifying subterranean noises. The third shock, at 11:01 o’clock was not discernable except by the seismograph. I The panic in the capital among the ignorant classes, was indescribable. • Many of the people fled from their homes and flocked to the churches. . I The Indians in the suburbs hur- ■ ried to the shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe. ' . _ From Toluca, Cuernavaca and Puebla came similar stories of panic. Slight damage was done to the poorly constructed homes of the poor I people. Pani cteigned in various cities and villages in the state of Vera Cruz, where the people left । their homes in’spent the night m the streets.