Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1902 — TWENTY KILLED IN PHILIPPINES [ARTICLE]

TWENTY KILLED IN PHILIPPINES

Earthquakes on Island of Mindlnao Cause Serious Loss of Life. ALL THE DEAD WERE MOROS No Americans Are Reported as Having Sustained Injuries—Mountains and Streams Are Considerably Disturbed and Much Damage Has Resulted. Information was received at the war department from General ChafTee at Manila that a series of earthquakes had taken place on the island of Mindanao. Twenty persons were killed by falling walls, the victims all being Moros. The Americans in the vicinity escaped, and the dispatch says there were no reports that any of the soldiers occupying that portion of the island affected sustained any injuries. Streams Are Disturbed. The upheaval occurred in the country adjacent to the Lake of Lanao, In the Moro section of the island, near Camp Vickers, which 1b now the headquarters of the American forces stationed in Mindanao. General Chaffee’s cablegram says the mountains and rivers and other streams were considerably disturbed, and much damage was done. The extent of the damage, however, was not reported. It is presumed here that the seismic shocks occurred about Aug. 22, though the date is not mentioned in the dispatch. First in Years. This is the first serious earthquake reported from that country during American occupation of the Philippines. The most important previous seismic disturbance in Mindanao was the one that partly destroyed Palak, Kota-Batu and the village on the banks of the River Mindanao in 1872. This phenomenon closely followed the eruption of the volcano of Makaturin.