Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-04-21
THE CHIC VOLCANIC ERUPTION.

The most remarkable earthquake of mod
ern times occurred on the Island Of Chic,
an island of Asiatic Turkey, in the Grecian
archipelago, off the coast of Asia Minor,
few days ago, particulars of which have only
just come to hand through correspondence Of
the London Times The correspondent says:
have now made, from personal observa-
ton, and with the help of others, pretty
thorough canvass of the state of affairs
through this Island. The total number of
dead is scarcely less than four thousand, al
though some allowance may be due to the
fact that Immediately after the disaster, many
persons crossed to the mainland, and some of
those now reported as dead may be there.
The villages on the southern side of the
Island are completely wrecked-hardly
single house being left standing. The centre
of the volcanic action seems to have bean
near Menita, overlooking Megalo Bay, on
the east coast, where three hundred persons
perished out of population of 1900: At
Vannes, 26 perished out of population
of 600; at Philitia, so out of 25O; at kla-
monti 40 out of 1900; at Armilla, 40 out
of 600, and at Kinri, 130 out of 45o. On
the western side of the Island, at Mesta, many
houses fell, but nobody was killed. At Vesta
three fourths of the buildings were wrecked,
but only one person killed. At Lethi, 2S
persons were killed out of 500; at Argonlma,
40 out of 400, and at Anabstos, IL killed;
the latter is the most northerly town on the
west side, which suffered severely. The 9TH
er towns we're severely shaken, but are not in
ruins. The departmet of Chic and towns
southeast of it suffered most of all. Kaill.
massia is simply mass of ruins and it is diff
6cult to distinguish one house from another
I cannot conceive how any considerable mum.
Der of the population escaped, yet only 44S
pershed out of 1900. The neighboring vii.
iages suffered similarly-seven of the princi.
pal ones, containing $3.50 people, are believed
to have lost 1927 dead. At least nine-tenths
of the houses in the southern and southeast
ern portions of the Island must be rebuilt or
repaired. The population are now tenting
out and are in great need OF food and shelter.
The northern part requires help, but to Y less
extent Those severely wounded are nearly
all being brought up to Chios by men from
ships. The work Of clearing away the ruins
has begul here, but in the villages the peo.
pie are still panic stricken. Little can be
done as long as the shocks continue. Of the
200 persons, for example, who perished in the
Lopotamoi, only IS Of the bodies have yet
been recovered, and similar proportion in
other villages. About 10000 people are
camping in the southern half of the island,
with nothing but what they have on their
backs. Pretty good progress has been made
towards systematizing relief organization.
The people are further deuoralizcd by the
preaching of foolish Greek priest, who warns
them all to fee as the island is about to be
completely swallowed Np. The Archbishop
and Governor are seeking to allay the excite
ment, but many are still emigrating to the
mainland and the adjacent island. At Kali
limassia, IL German Doctor, who was in one
of the houses at the time of the disaster,
relates that the first warning he had was
seeing dishes on the table jump up and fall
on the floor. A few seconds later the walls
fell outwards.. From this and similar testi
mony, believe that in this district the 6rst
shock was nearly vertical, followed immedi.
ately by a. horizontal oscillation.