Longbreach and Compton Wrecked

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7104, 13 March 1933, Page 7

Longbreach and Compton Wrecked

FIRST REPORTS OF DEATH AND DAMAGE

Received Sunday, 7.45 p.m. LOS ANGELES, Mar. 11

Motorists reported after driving through Longbeach that a tremendous blaze was seen near the centre of the Longbeach business district. To the north toward the oil district another blaze of lesser importance was seen. Motorists said it was understood the hospital at Longbeach had hccu wrecked. They said they saw people iying in the street.

An unconfirmed report was circulated in San Pedro that the terminals and plant of the Southern Californian Edison Company had collapsed and that perhaps 20U employees were caught in the wreckage. At Santa Anna the ’quake partly wrecked the courthouse, cit-y hall and new hall records, the courthouse annexe caving in.

At Huntington park five persons were known to be killed. After the earthquake tremors a number of public and private buildings took fire. The high school is in flames, also several industrial structures.

At Compton tliere were a dozen dead reported after a hurried survey of the ’quako wreckage. Every business building was wrecked or badly damaged. Compton is midway between Los Angeles and Longbeach. At Longbeach the business buildings are in ruins for three blocks, while another section lost their fronts. The farmers’ and merchants’ bank is a heap of ruins. Six hundred and twenty-five men from the battleships landed with medical equipment to guard property. The San Diego police report a message from Longbeach as saying:—“lt looks like all Longbeach is on fire at 8 p.m. Many firemen and citizens have been killed.”

Hundreds of motion picture workers rushed from the studios when the plaster rained on them. Some structures showed large cracks.