A severe earthquake took place at Mexico City on Wed-
nesday, a few hours before General Madero's triumphal entry into it. The oscillations, which moved from north to south, began at 4.35 in the morning and lasted for six minutes. They were so violent that fissures opened in the streets, and many buildings were wrecked. A fortunate feature of the disaster seems to have been that the walls of the houses fell outwards instead of inwards, "leaving the rooms," as Reuter's correspondent says, "looking like pigeon-holes." The casualties are estimated at 63 persons killed and 75 injured, and of these the greater number occurred in the artillery barracks. The city was plunged in darkness owing to the failure of the power stations, and for some time there was panic, while the superstitious, according to the Times, regarded the disaster as a judgment of God for the expulsion of ex-President Diaz. With daylight, however, the alarm subsided, and immense crowds lined the streets for the reception of General Madero.
Previous page
