The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-08-24
First Satisfactory Account Of One Of
the Principal Disasters Of
Modern Times.
The Surface of the Earth Boiled Like
Pot of Thick Mush.
Enormous Practical Difficulties Attend
Ing the Disposal OF 1000
C0rpses.

"A
from Naples, had been overwhelmed by an
earthquake Saturday evening. it was natu-
rally believed that the accounts would prove
exaggerated Uphappily the fuller details
which have come from eye-witnesses and
from other sources prove that the earliest It'd
ings wholly underestimated the extent Of the
calamity. In fifteen or twenty seconds Cas-
amicciola, town containing q resident pop
ulation of over 1900, but at this season
crowded with visitors, was converted into
heap Of ruins, and, though the number of
lives lost has still to be ascer,ained with 40
cur acy over 1000 persons are now believed
to be buried In the debris. Only five houses
are left standing, and at Lacco AMEND, out
OF population of 1,6C0 five people alone
escaped ALI the adjacent villages are In
IKE plight Forio the most populous place
in the island west OF Ischia, is completely
DESTROYED
The first shock of the earthquake was felt
at some time between half past and 10
o'clock Saturday night
THE EARTH BOILING
The first indication of the coming disturb
ance, according to the evidence of several
survivors, was by low, threatening, rum
bling noise, which pres emily burst forth into
one fearful roar, as though heavy artillery
was being continuously fired in the immedi-
were rocked about like boats on a bolster
GUS sea, and then were shaken into frag
mentR A few, bat only a few, inmate
reached the open atr before the crash came.
The vast majority lay buried in the
ruins. For fifteen seconds the earth
was tossed about with wild up
heavals in all directions, many
of the terror-stricken inhabitants flying
shrieking to the shore, where they were
overwhelmed In their fight and buried by
the falling tenements or the tremendous
quaint les of debris flying about The vio-
lence Of the shock once subsidized, nothing
could be heard but the shrieks OF the
wounded and terrified people. Every light
had been extinguished- A dense cloud of
dnst binding and sutfooating TO the sur
horl ors OF the situation, houses half shaken
continued TO fall upon the miserable people
seeking for shelter IRON the general ruin.
AT THE THEATBR-IN THE MORNING.
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 audi
ence exhibited any alarm. In the first mo-
ment there was no shrieking, although con-
sternation was depicted. on every face, but
as the opening shock was succeeded by 9TH
ers 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 places gave place to
groans OF agony as one after another
of the wounded fell. 1t was ter
dble time When the shocks ceased,
1 crept with hers out from the
wrecked building and made my way to the
shore. The dust was binding. Several
times fell over masses OF masonry and
wreckage, and again heard cries for help
from under the ruins At the seashore L
found others as terrified as myself seeking
to escape, and awaiting with terror any
further development OF the earthquake.
Seeing that matters remained quietwe went
back to help extricate and relieve the in
jured, but IL was not until morning, when
the officials arrived from neighboring towns
and the troops came from Naples, that
any adequate measures were taken to cope
with the difficulties surrounding us
Then the sappers, aided by wiling hands
from among the people, worked energetic
ally among the ruins carefully la ing out
and carrying away the dead, and placing
those still living under tho doctors care. It
was, however, SO necessary to proceed eau
uously for fear of injuring those beneath
the wreckage that only small progress could
be made, dnd at the same time our hearts
were almost sickened by the piteous an
peals for help Some were so damned in
that 10 took hours TO rescue them, and when
at length the'obstacles were removed il was
In many cases found they had succumbed
10 their injuries, while in n few instances
reason had given way under the fearful
strain. The clouds OF thick dust sui oca ed
many who wee not killed outright at the
first shock.
SCENES AT NAPLEs-THE DEAD.
The scene here to-day has been OF most
distressing character, Hundreds of persons
have arrived in the city in search of missing
relatives and friends, and make the morntul
round of the dead house s in n frenzied state
Numbers disappointed here have gone on to
Casamicciola, but all the dead bodies OF WIS.,
ttors recovered are brought to this place for
identification Bsats have been arriving
hourly throughout the morning packed
with the dead and dying. In one instance
the cargo consisted of twenty-four little
children. some of the infants all laid out in
the ir white shrouds. These were taken to a
hospital and placed in rows
Tuesday after noon, July 81, two steamers
arrived with fresh troops to relieve those
exhausted by prolonged fatigue and by the
terrible sLaGure Of their work here. Eight
hundred bodies dug out OF the ruins have
been buried in the old cemetery, and new
one has been consecrated for the occ asion
by the Monte CalvaIio 1t was soon found.
impossible TO bury the bodies separately, and
towards the last large pit was dug, forty
feet wide, and the bodies cast into it as they
were recovered
TeE KINGS PRESENCE.
The King arrived yesterday and made an
inspection OF the ruins, attended by Signors
DePretis Mancini, Genala, and several other
officials and Deputies. The crowd which
followed them was comparatively quiet and
self-contoined. and, in. general, the only
sound heard was the half-suppressed sobbing
of women, who, at the time, pressed for
ward, with outstretched arms, crying:
@Maestal Maestal" rs If they expected the
mere presence of the King TO bring immedi-
ate relief.
The exhalations were less offensive than
yesterday, thanks to lime and water that
nave been abundantly poured over the
ruins where putrefyng corpses are too
deeply buried TO he dug out This measure,
however, has created great indignation
among the bereaved, 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 victims the excava-
tions would be continued.
As he proceeded up hill, each turn Of the
road disclosing fresh spectacies of woe, the
King broke forth into Explanations of aston
ishment and grief, Signor Genala urged
him to turn back, on account of the diff
Guilty of the ascent, but his feeling reply
was: IF others GO so can Disaster
makes oil men equal"
Most narrowing incidents occurred en-
route The few survivors encamped among