CITY WRECKED.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18422, 1 July 1925, Page 9

CITY WRECKED.

EARTHQUAKE, FIRE AND FLOOD.

SANTA BARBARA IN RUINS. TWELVE KILLED AND 300 INJURED. (Br CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) AND S.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) SAN FRANCISCO, June 29. A message from Los Angeles states that many wero killed and injured in earthquakes centring in Santa Barbara, South California. Some of tho finest buildings wero demolished, -railway lines were disrupted, and communications cut off. Eiro broke out in tha city, and a dam burst and torrents of water flooded sojno of the streets. The inhabitants were panic-stricken. Aeroplanes from San Francisco and elsewhere, and Red Cross trains are rushing to their relief. Later reports state that eight persons were killed and 300 injured. Telephone* communication has been re-established. Earlier reports, indicating a great loss of life, were due to tho fact that over ICO were missing and unaccounted for during the morning, when the confusion was very great, making it practically impossible to check tho dead und injured. All brick buildings in the town have been demolished by tho earthquake which swept the State.

FIRE FIGHTING. RAILWAY RUSHING TANK CARS. HISTORIC MISSION DEMOLISHED (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received June 30fh, 5.3 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, Juno 29. A message fnom Los Angeles containing further particulars of the earthquake states that the Southern Pacifio Railway is running all the availablo tank cars to Santa Barbara filled with water to fight the fire. The first tremor, which occurred early this morning, caused practically all tho damage, though it was followed by se-vero jolts every half-hour after that for tlire© hours.

The buildings demolished include the Santa Barbara Mission, a relio of the State's earliest days. State street, the leading thoroughfare, is undermined completely. The bedrooms of residences are exposed and furniture is scattered about. Santa Barbara is the centre of the resort towns clustering about the sea coast and is tho homo of a number of prosperous persons. Hundreds of curious tourists flocking to the scene for a glimpse of the ruins, wero checked by an emergency police forco. It is feared that the city will be a complete ruin if the fires menacing the wooden houses left standing aro not checked.

The city is without light and power. Women and children, with a few personal belongings, are huddled in croups imploring aid. Later. The damage in Santa Barbara is estimated at £10,000,000. Twelve are now known to bo dead. [Santa Barbara is a seaport on the Pacific Coast, and is the capital of the County of Santa Barbara, California. Situated about 80 miles N.N.W. of Los Angeles, its beautiful environment and historical interest have made it' a favourite Californian resort. The district has estensivo fruit-growing interests, and several collegiate institutions are situated there. The famous mission church of Santa Barbara dates from 1786. The population in 1920 was 20,000.] LIVING ON LAWNS. CONTINUOUS SHOCKS TERRIFY RESIDENTS. (EEUTSa's TELEGRAMS.) (Received July 30th, 9.5 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, June 89. A Santa Barbara message states that the death list in the earthquake was 12 and tho property lost is variously estimated at from 3,000,000 to 30,000,000 dollars. State street, the main thoroughfare, is described as a ghastly avenue of ruin. Portions of its most stately buildings aro tumbled down. Tho 'quakes continued throughout tho day, the terror-stricken 30,000 inhabitants living on their lawns. Describing the destruction of the big Arlington Hotel, Manager Richmond said: I have been through 50 earthquakes, but never one like this before. It just took the hotel and shook it back and forth as if it was a rag. It wa s precisely as if one was at sea in a storm. I did not believe that it was possible for a building to move with such force in so many directions so i limply. J Arlington Hotel is a total loss. VIOLENT LATER SHOCK. (eeutek's telegbajis.) (Received June 30th, 11.5 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, June SO. At-Santa Barbara earthquake shocks aro continuing. A violent tremble was felt early on Monday morning, the heaviest since tho shock which wrecked tho city. It is predicted that there will bo additional shocks on Monday evening. Bluejackets and Naval Militia patrol the heart of the business section, but there is no disorder.

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"WHOLE EARTH ROSE"

STREET HEAVED AND BUCKLED. TORRENT FROM GASOLINE TANK. (Si-DNEr "Sun" Service.) (Received Juno 30th, 11.35 p.m.) NEW YORK, Juno 29. State Street, Santa Barbara's main thoroughfare, extends from, the beach a distance of several miles. It is lined with buildings which range from two storeys to tan. Karly messages said that all these, buildings of brick and concrete had been destroyed. Tho greatest damage came tidal wave from the harbour which swept up State Street, which heaved and buckled, and as the water mains broke geysers shot np through tho pavement. First thero was a gentlo tremor which awakened even lato sleepers. They hurried into tho streets. Three minutes later, when everyone was out•of doors, the whole earth rose and seemed to shako itself in somo groat anger. It rose and then' settled spasmodically with ugly ierks. "We rocked and swayed like some turbulent ocean," said one resident. '•Minutes, that seemed hours, passed until tho climax was reached in a crash that could be heard for miles. Beautiful State Street was no more. Tho city was choked with a blanket of cloud and dust. The end of all seemed to have come, when a gasoline tank, holding 15,000 gallons, burst, the torrent running down the busiuess section until there wore puddles a foot in depth. Fortunately they did not ignite or there would" have been a terrible loss of life." Father John O'Connor, seismologist at Fordham University, ' said the earth's crust was sinking in somo places, and tilting in other sections, in North America, and was undergoing a swifter and more general realignment than ever before in history.