New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-18
gIeir 0rIeaits Republican.
S;EFIeI6L JOURNAL OF THE UNITED STATES
OFFICIAL JOURNAL Of NEW ORLEANS
The Great Eruption-Vesuvius.

The Great EruptiOn-Vesuvius.
This is a special to the st. Louis Repab-
Eiean;
NEW YORK, May 14.-A correspondent of
the London Telegraph, dated Naples, April
26, writes that for several nights before the
new crater burst, the mountain was so en-
chanting in its robe of flame that Naples
could not think of going TO bed. When
darkness fell on the night, the great cone
seemed suddenly to festOOn itself with
wreaths of fire from its summit. Three
craters were playing simultaneously 1t
was past three o'clock before / could turn
nv back on Vesuvius. The next night the
cone did not fulfill our eager antioipations.
Two of the three craters failed to take part
in the spectacle, but the third belched and
smoked with triple energy. On the third
night it had further diminished in bril-
Iianey, but those who were not absorbed
could discern indications of increased vol
canie energy. All through this Inflated
night prem0nitiOns Of the catastrophe fol-
lowed hard upon each other. What did
happen was an incident unprecedented in
the treacherOus history of Vesuvius. As
day was dawning fearful horror occurred
on the side of the mountain next the city.
OF late years access TO Vesuvius has been
greatly facilitated by a short railway which
skirts the bay and connects Naples with
Castelamare, town at an opposite corner
of ROsina, favOrite point for making as
cent from. 1t enjoys post of exciting dis
tinetion, lying in line of the great current
of lava. Thousands of visitors have as
cended the hill nightly from Rosina, driving
us as far as the observatory, and then walk
ing to the bed of last years lava. On Fri
day morning many such excursion parties
were assembled directly under the lava
They had begun to dispense with the first
indications of sunrise, but hundreds still
fingered Without a single movement to
warn them, the earth opened at their feet,
and the dead lava which they had been
treading on as a curiosity turned again to
molten fire. Those who were not engulfed
IN the chasm as it burst forth, attempted to
flee for their lives. Happily, the feet and
sure of foot were many. They reached
safety, but woe to whoever fell by the way
The earth they fell on was already at fur
mace heat and fresh waves of lava overlook
them. Ere they could rise again, a few
were miraculously delivered by noble eff
forts on the part of strOng-nerved men.
have been told by friend who was at
the very edge of the chasm when it burst
open, that the effect on the imagination was
as though the whole mountain had begun
to move from its basis. A carriage which
happened to be inside this circle was burnt
up in an instant, as if it had been spirited
away. onOrLly before Ine erupJlOn lazy
was seen in it, but nothing whatever has
been heard of her since. Throughout Fri
day CONSERVATION reigned in Naples. The
booming Of the underground artillery
sounded as close as if it were beneath our
feet. The flow of lava had increased, and
two enormous streams were rolling toward
the sea, as if they would sweep away half a
dozen villages in their course. Windows
ratified, and the strongest houses trembled
to their foundation. Smoke rising from
the crater was 80 mingled with volumes of
sulphurous vapOr, and blackened by the
ashes it carried in its furious ascent, that
there was far more danger from scOri8
than in lava, scattering themselves wher-
ever the prevailing winds carried them,
which was happily not in the direction of
Naples. They became brands for de-
struction of houses, vineyards, forests and
every form of cOmbustible property.
The Bourse in Naples had been closed all
day. No one attempted to think of any
thing but the awful noises under foot and
the conhagTatiOn which was spreading
among villages lying at the mercy of the
volcano. Poor San Sabastiano was nearly
reduced to ashes, and It's 1000 inhabitants
had to seek refuge nearer the coast, whittier
the lava and ashes were fast following
them.