Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-03
THE EARTHQUAKE AT ISCIIIA.
Something About the Island and The
Ill-Tated Town

miles and lying in the Mediterranean about
fifteen miles from Naples 1t is of volcanic
origin. Its coasts are steep and rocky.
Near its center is the volcano of Epomeo,
1000 feet above the sea- Its first eruption
was in 1901. There are also twelve smaller
volcanoes. The interesting valleys are of
extraordinary fertility, producing corn, wine
and fruits in abundance. The Castle OF Ischia
stands on high isolated rock o! volcanic
tufa and ashes.
The inhabitants of Casanicciola arc prn-
clpally peasants, who cultivate the grape.
The town has nearly five thousand inhabi-
tants, and it is also much patronizcd by tour
lists and invalds, who 60 there TO take the
waters Its baths are largely frcquented by
sufferers with lung disorders and skin dis
cases, and there are always throng of visit
ors at the hotels Bellevue and La Gran Seu-
tinella. la the days of the Roman Empire
the baths were iu high rcpute, and their
fame has descended to modern times. In
the summer season invnlds from all countries
take the boats from MAJ les which run sew
cral times a day, and land at a little harbor
distant about mile from the town and
thence proceed on donkey back to Casamic-
ciola.
The town is the smallest one on the island
OF Ischia, but it is the favorite resort. Fiorc,
the largest town. has population of 5000.
Then comes Ischa with Gl00 and Casamic-
ciola with between 1000 and 5000. The
view from the mountains is especial finey.
In March, 1881, Casamiccola was partially
destroyed by an earthquake. The shock
lasted seven seconds. 1t was accompanied
by noise like subtcrrauean thunder. Then
came the crash Of falling houses, mingling
with the shricks of victims. Mothers were
found with infants still clingng to their
breasts. AT the Villa Cammetti two girls, who
were playing on doorstep, were struck
dead by the falling architrave. Two hun
dred houses were thrown down and many
others were damaged and made uninhabit-
able. The loss of life was not nearly so
large as on this occasion, but more than q
hundred men, women and children persisted.
About three hundred people were injured.
Another earthquake occurred at Casamic-
cola in February, 1928. AS the morning
broke Vesuvlus sent forth smoke, flames and
stones, but the springs in the Campagna gave
no indications, as they usually do, before an
eruption. Their temperature remained un-
changed although seven hours previously
slight quakings occurred at several places in
the Kingdom of Naples. Su idenlv, at fif-
teen minutes after ten n. m, three loud cX-
plosions were heard on the coast Of Casamic-
cola. as If they came from beneath upward,
or from the interior of the Epomeo volcano
outward. In three seconds the fatal undu-
latory shock came, laying part of the town
in ruins and killing n number OF people
other Famous Earthquakes.
Casamicciola is in one of the two great
earthquake zones, the other district being the
western portion of South America. In no
century since the earliest recorded history
I,na Itn1t
ing from frequent and severe earthquakes.
In Sicily. IN 1903, 10000 people persisted in
one earthquake. During the reign of Tibcr-
ius, 10 A. d., 100, 900 people lost their lives
in one day in consequence of an earthquake
The earthquake attended with the most SER
ious results in the destruction OF human life
was that of SEQ, when 250, 900 human beings
persisted, according to Gibbons figures. An
tioch, which had previously been DESTROYED
at least twice, and several other Syrian cities
were completely destroyed, and the shock ex,
tended into Italy, where great damage to
life and property resulted. In G3 Hercu-
laueum and Pompeii were destroyed by an
earthquake, this being 10 years before the
burial Of those cities by the eruption of
Vesuvius The city of Judea was destoyed
IN 81 b. G., when 10000 people lost their
lives
The most famous earthquake of history
was that at Lisbon, Nov. |, 1866, when 3d.
OOO people were buried alive and 80, 900 more
were killed. Calabria, Messini, and II num-
Der of smaller villages were destroyed Feb
8, 1888, and some 100000 lives were lost. In
1926, Murcia, Spain, was destroyed, $500
houses being thrown down and a couple of
thousand people being killed Lima and
its harbor, Callao, in Peru were destroyed
in 1885, and again In TAG, and thousands
persisted. Arequipa, Peru, was wiped out
of existence in 1868, $4,000 people being
left homeless, and several thousands los
ing their lives In the same year
were destroyed, and not one OF their 10, 900
Inhabitants escaped, or could ever be found
afterward. Catocachy was also obliterated
| from the face Of the earth, and a
| lake now covers the spot where it stood. In
that earthquake the United States war vessel
| Wateree was carried from the harbor OF CAL
lao two miles inland. The famous Garth
quake which devastated and depopulatei
Callao in 1889, continued at intervals for
four years. 1t took but three minutes for an
earthquake 10 make the entire city of Port
Royal, Jamaica, a complete wreck in 1892
and even less time for the destruction of San
Salvador in the West Indies, March 10,
1873. The city OF Mendoza, in the Argen-
| tine Nepuouc, was uestIoycu anu ls,Uou
people killed by shock Of but u moments
duration In March, 1861.
| The mountain which rises In the middle OF
Ischia has had bad character at long inter-
walls since history began. The classic name
| of the island was marine or Enaria and the
ancients located uneasy Titans, Typhoeus
| Iapetus aud Others under the mighty mass of
the mounteins. One Of the ancient poets thus
describes IL
Apparel procul marine, Qus tursiIc MICRO
FnmanteIn prenit lapetuIn, ilammasque reLsli
ore ejectantem.
Slrabo and Pliny, who were nearly con-
temporary with Christ, refer to its volcanic
character, and 1t Is said that three colonies
had been driven of the island by tho earth
quake0.
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EnterprlsIng local agents wanted in this town