National Republican., 1883-08-15
OASAMICCIOLA.
A Comparatively Full Account Of the Recent
Disaster There
Enormous Practical Difficulties Attend
ing the Disposal OF 1000 Corpscs.
Chicago Tribune Spccio, Letter.


quake Saturday evening, it was naturally
believed that the accounts would be exag-
gerated. Unhappily the fuller details which
have come from eyewitnesses and from other
sources prove that the earliest tidings wholly
underestimated the extent Of the calamity.
The first indication of the coming disturb
ance, according to the evidence of several
survivors, was by low, threatening, rumbling
noise, which presently burst forth into one
fearful roar, as though heavy artillery was
being continuously fred in tho immediate
vicinity. In the next second tho houses were
rocked about like boats on boisterous sea,
and then were shaken into fragments.
few, but only few, inmates reached the
open air before the crash came. The vast
majority lay buried in the ruins. For hfteen
seconds the earth was tossed about with wild
upheavals In all directions many OF the terror
stricken inhabitants flying shrieking to the
shore, where they were overwhelmed In their
fight and buried by tho falling tencments or
the tremendous quantities of debris lying
about. The violence of the shock once sub
sided. nothing could be heard but the shrieSs
of the wounded and terrified people. Every
light had been extinguished. A dense cloud
of dust, binding and sufiocating to the sur
viyors, hung over the scene To add to the
horrors of the situation, houses half shaken
continued to fall upon the miserable people
seeking for shelter from the general ruin.
survivor who was present at the theater
says: Although we heard the rumbling as
though of thunder, it was not until the
earliest shake of the building that the au-
dience exhibited any alarm In the hrst mo-
ment there was no shrieking although con-
sternation was depicted ON every face, but as
the opening shock was succeeded by Others
still more violent wild cry of despair broke
from most of those present. The lights were
extinguished, debris and rafters fell upon
and all around us, and the cries of horror in
many cases gave place to groans OF agony as
one after another of the wounded fell. 1t
was terrible time. When the shocks ceased,
1 crept with others out from tho wrecked
building and made my way to the shore.
The dust was binding. Several times l fell
over masses of masonry and wreckage, and
again l heard cries for help from under
the ruins. AT the seashore / found others
as terrified as myself seeking to escape,
and awaiting with terror any further
development of the earthquake. See
ing that matters remained quiet we went
back to help extricate and relieve the injured,
but it was not until morning, when the Off
cials arrived from neighboring towns and the
troops came from Naples, that any adequate
measures were taken to cope with the difficult
ties surrounding us. Then the sappers, aided
by willing hands from among the people,
worked energetically among the ruins, cares
fully laying out and carrying away the dead,
and placing those still living under the doc
tors care. 1t was however, so necessary to
proceed cautiously, for fear Of iniuring those
beneath the wreckage, that only small pro-
gress could be made, and at the same time our
hearts were almost sickened by the pitSDus
appeals for help. Some were so jammed in
that 1t took hours to rescue them, and when
at length tho obstacles were removed it was in
many cases found that they had succumbed to
their injuries, while in a few instances reason
T..l
clouds of thick dust suffocated many who
were not killed outright at the first shock.
The scene here to-day has been Of the most
distressing character. Hundreds of persons
have arrived in the city in search of missing
relatives or friends, and make tho mournful
round of the dead houses in frenzied state.
Numbers disappointed here have gone on to
Casamicciola, but all the dead bodies of visit
ors recovered are brought to this place for
identification. Boats have been arriving
hourly throughout the morning packed with
the dead and dying. In one instance tho
cargo consisted of twenty-four little children,
some of the infants all laid out in their white
shrouds These were taken to hospital and
placed in rows.
Tuesday afternoon, July 81, two steamers
arrived with fresh troops to relieve those eX-
hausted by prolonged fatigue and by the ter
rible nature of their work here Eight hun
dred bodies dug out of the ruins have been
buried in the old cemetery, and n new one
has been consecrated for the occasion by the
Monte Calvario. 1t was soon found impossible
to bury the bodies separately, and toward the
last large pit was dug, forty feet wide, and
the bodies cast into it as they were recovered.
The king arrived yesterday wednesday,
and made an inspection of the ruins, at
tended by Signors Depretis Mancini, Genala,
and several other officials and deputies The
crowd which followed them was compare
mi Of In N pl in
the only sound heard was the half suppressed
sobbing of women, who at the time pressed
forward, with outstretched arms, crying:
"Maesta Maesta' as if they expected the
mere presence of the king to bring imme-
diate relief.
The exhalations were less offensive than
yesterday, thanks to lime and water that
have been abundantly poured over the ruins
where purifying corpses are too deeply buried
to be dug out. This measure, however, has
created great indignation among the be-
reaved, who still hope to find their loved ones
alive. The Duke of San Donate made urgent
representations on the subject to the king.
Signor Genala assured the duke that where
there seemed any chance of rescuing live vic
Tins tho excavations would be continued.
As he proceeded up hill, each turn of the
road disclosing fresh spectacles of wo, the
king broke forth into exclamations of aston
ishment and grief Signor Genala urged him
TO UurD DICK, on account OF UD6 OF
the ascent, but his feeling reply was: If
Others go so.can l. Disaster makes all men
equal"
Most narrowing incidents occurred en- route
The few survivors encamped among the vine
yards met the king with piercing cries for
aid, accompanied by the most frantic gestures.
The king asked Signor Genala whether the
rescued property of the wretched islanders
was respected The minister replied that
unhappily in many instances this had not
been the case. Yesterday eight rascas caught
plundering among the ruins had been ar
rested and sent to Naples. Strict measures
had been taken to prevent any one coming
from that city without permit of the au-
thorities
From Forio the king proceeded to Lacco
Ameno, the upper part Of which township is
almost entirely destroyed. Here n thrilling
incident occurred A fair haired strapping
Englishman, Mr., Louis Nesbit, was enthusi-
astically pointed out to the king by the pop
ulation as their savior he having by his ex-
ertiOns rescued number of lives. The king
shook Mr.. Nesbit's hand, and expressed in
glowing terms his appreciation of British
pluck and kindheartedness. All the *ninis-
ters then shook hands with Mr.. Nesbit, whilst
the venerable PREMIER Signor Depretis, actu-
ally kissed his forehead. The people around
meanwhile cheered Justify for "Sor Luigi"
After the closest aud most complete in
quires am able to state, on the highest of
fetal authority, that there were only twelve
English in Casamicciola at the time of the
disaster. Six of these are among the killed
Mrs, Durde and her son, Mrs. and Miss
Robertson. Mr.. Green "a retired Indian
judge, aud Charles Barf, aged 10, son Of the