Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-04-21
xYExRIBLE CALAMITY.

p&r<suuusvs e the Recent Esrthsuske %
Ae HnenA - ocse-Thsssasas - Peepss
XIrYo6- 0veps Dessisssisa Asees shs
E uso6nen sssvivers "a
81 In = now believed that throughout the whole
bIand, wh1uhs contained s0,v0o inhabitants,
6p0o or xhD5 were killed and IS per cent oft tho
,suryfvors wounded. The French. British,
United states and Austrian gun vessels In the
harpor are doing all In their power TO assist
the authorities in the work of relief.
Only ten OF the inhshi; ants of Chcsme wcro
killed, but many houses are In ruins ana a.
on people are without shelter.
A correspondent, at setp feacsrsPnA under
date OF tho eth. q follows: ~ - Az
81 have Just arrived here from Constantine
pie, and find picture Of dcsoiation sub m 10
rarely witnessed. md townlooks hSif Il had
been terribly boDibardcd. Hundreds OF houses
are transformed into shapcfess mass OF
ruins, under who lie buried an unknown
number OF victims. A majority Of tho rc-
main ng houses are already cracked and roof
less, and may fall ut any moment. Nearly ev-
cry building In the town suffered more OF lcsa
1.-The inhabitants wander about, anxious 10
search for missing relatives or lost property,
but afraid to risk their lives In tie periious
work OF clearing away the rubbish Many who
are willing To expose themselves TO danger are
prevented by friends OF by the police.
Fear, grief and despair are depicted on
nearly every face. Nearly all have some
sad or tragic tale to tell. The first shock
was felt sunday afternoon. about haif-pnst one
o'clock Immediately houses began to fall.
Wild shrieks were heard on every side. Then
followed an awful silence OF some minutes.
The terrified survivors gradually vcntcred
into the narrow lanes and reached the open
spaces. shortly afterwards another terrible
shock completed the devastation. All night
shocks succeeded each other nj short inter
walls, and each one was preceded by dull
sounds like subterranean explosions Since
that frequent shocks have been felt. A few
moments ago, while writing the present dis
patch, 1 distinctly heard an explosion. and felt
the earth trcmble; but, rs l am under canvas,
1 have nothing to fear. rn ..a..|s %
THE old Gcnocse Fortress. containing about
400 houses, inhabited by Mus sulmans and
Jews, suffered more than the rost OF the town.
The ground there sunk about half q met or. and
nearly all the houses were Immediately de-
stroyed, and several hundred persons must
have persisted. IL f. known that about thirty
Mussulman women were assembled IN one
house. not one OF whom escaped. Tho south
ern part OF the island Is said to have suffered
more than this town. ftff
81 visited Chcsme this afternoon. Only about
ten inhabitants were killed, but many houses
were I'm ruins and many more diiapidatcd.
The Mayor assured mo that threc-fourths of
the houses are In n dangerous condition. The
inhabitants are afraid To live In those which
are uninju led. for every night since sunday
frequent shocks have been felt Nearly all
prefer to camp out. As the weather Is iine
the hardship in this respect Is not great. Il IL
said that throughout the district not less than
$1,000 people are without shelter. In Knstro
the work OF extrcating bodies and attending
the wounded Is progressing satisfactorily. but
the sitting oior I'm the vicinity OF many OF the
ruins proves that tho former operation IL far
from complete. On the other hand. some
wonderful escapes have occurred. ono WIN
an was buried under ruins fifty-two hours. and
Mt last was rescued. having given birth In tho
meantime to child. The child Is dead. bui
the mother Is doing we'll"