THE DISASTER IN CHILI.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8236, 14 September 1906, Page 5

THE DISASTER IN CHILI.

A TERRIFYING SCENE, NEWS BY THE MAIL. (Uy Telegraph). (Per s.s. Ventura at Auckland). VALPARAISO, August 22. Details of the damage caused in Chili 'iy earthquakes and fires are still coming to hand. In the city, from Plaza de la Plaza as far aa the Plaza in a seotion oalled Las Delioiaa four-fifths uf the houses were completely destroyer;, the remaining fifth being badly damaged. From Plaza do la Victoria down to the Cuetomhouße only about one-third of the houses sustained damage. The banks of the city, Customs offices, and warehouses were not damaged. With the exception of the Espiritu Santo all the churches in the oity were destroyed, as were the bospitals and theatres. At the first terrible shook the buildings collapsed, the walls falling with a tremendous noise. The inmates in many cases were unable to escape. The shook was followed almost immediately byafieroe storm, the wind proatratiug the walla that had been weakened. The second shock was hoarier thaa the first, and five minutes afterwards fires started in every direction. Immediately the whole town, which had been in daikuess a moment before, was illuminated by towering names. The firemen made a desperate fight, but there was no water, as most of the mains waro brokeu. The first shock lasted four minutes and a-balf and the second ts*o minutes. Moat of the houses were thrown down by the second shock. Viena -del Mar, three miles from Valparaiso, wih a copulation of over 10,000; Qdirihu, '225 miles to southward, with a population of 25,000; Santa Limacbe, 15 miles northwest, with a population of 6,500; Quillota, 25 miles north west, with a population of 10,000, and villages all around were destroyed. Senor Groz, one of tne refugees, relates that the first) shook in Valparaiso was very prolonged, and threw the entiie city into an inde suribable panic. People crowded into the streets and squares, crying and lamenting. The first shook also threw down a number of buildings; the second chock was more severe, and resulted in the crumbling of most of the buildings in the Almeudral quarter. Several persons became so panio-strioken thai they threw from the balconies and were killed. The scenes at the hospitals and prisons were distressing in the extreme. The prisoners tried to escape from the gaols, and the prison guards wore obliged to fire into the air to intimidate and quieten them. Immediately after the second shook the entire oity was plunged into terrifying darkness, which did not last long, for the soene of destruction was soon lit up by fires. The light of the flames in a sense oame as a welcome relief to the darkness. The people were in a state of terror, many believing the end of the world had oome. Among the buildings destroyed were the Victoria Theatre, the Bella Vista railroad station, and the Club de Reptembre. Must of the severe damage was done on the lower ground reclaimed from the sea. The Church of Espiritu Santo, and the Churoh La Marood, as well aa a !arge part of the buildings in Viotoria Street, were destroyed, and masses of material blocked the streets. The hills surrounding Valparaiso suffered slightly. More than 60,300 persons have taken refuge there. The portion of the oity where are the Customhouse and City Hall are not seriously damaged. A large majority of the houses are not fit for habitation. The water-pipes of the oity were broken, and water poured through the streets, resulting in a lack cf water for drinking purposes.