NEWS FROM VALPARAISO by Ed. W. Thomann

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Oct 31, 1906

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 32, No. 42.

NEWS FROM VALPARAISO.

By Ed. W. Thomann

Valparaiso, August 22, 1906. SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Mountain View, Cal.

August 16, at 8 P. M., a fearful earthquake visited Valparaiso. The shock was probably stronger than the one in California, but the fire did not do so much harm as in San Francisco. It is likely that there are over 2,000 dead in Valparaiso alone. The day before yesterday 750 were buried. Thousands of people are homeless. Many, many heretofore wealthy people are now so poor that they have nothing to eat except what the authorities are distributing.

Martial law is ruling. Many robbers have been shot down, and many terribly stabbed. After 6 P. M. no one is allowed to walk in the street. At night any one found in a suspicious place is shot down, if he can not show a special recognition from the authorities and justify his being there.

Food is coming from south and north and is distributed quite freely. Water is not wanting, tho people have to go in some places more than a mile to get it. Most of the people are living in tents and shelters built of whatever they can find. Many are

building little huts, because nearly all houses are dangerous to live in, and the earth trembles nearly every day a little. The heaviest and largest buildings have suffered most. The principal part of the city is nearly all in ruins, and it is said that there is not a house in the whole town that has not suffered.

And our people are alive and have suffered comparatively little. The house where we had the office was burned down, but not before many things could be taken out. Brother Steele, who lived there, saved nearly all his things and also the account books and some other things of the office. But the boxes of books were too heavy to be carried away in a moment. The department where we had the printing paper was not burned, so we have still a good supply of paper for the Señales de los Tiempos. Books that had not reached the office, but were in the custom house, are probably safe, so our loss is not so very large.

We consider it providential that we did not buy a press for our paper before this earthquake. The Lord surely has cared for us. We are very thankful to Him for His tender love. My wife and I were in Serena, about two hundred miles farther north where the earthquake was not so strong. I am of good courage. ED. W. THOMANN.