The Democratic advocate., 1883-08-04
Four Thousand Lives Lost.

The town of Casamacciola, on the Island OF
Ischia, near Naples, was almost entirely de-
stroyed last Saturday night, by what was at
first thought was an earthquake, and several
othes villages suffered great damage, whilst
the loss of lives is estimated at 200. Casa
macciola was a popular summer resort, and
noted for its mud bath cures. In the summer
thousands of persons go their for health and
recreation.
The Hotel Piccola Sentinella sank in the
earth and buried many of its inmates. Some
of the inhabitants of the town escaped to the
sea at the first shock, and made their way to
Naples with the news of the calamity The
centre of the area of the shock was the same
as that of two years ago, but the radius was
wider. The shock was felt at sea, and, ac-
cOrding to some accounts, even at Naples.
A gentleman who was staying at the Hotel
Piccola Sentinella, and who escaped with his
life, relates that he only had time to secure
some candles for use in the darkness of the
ruins before the collapse of the building. A
person who lived near the now ruined bath
ing establishment says he escaped from the
place amid falling walls and balconies, the
terrified people shouting, ''To the sea-
The ground opened in many places, while
in other places there was no movement.
Water gushcd out of springs. Several boilers
in the bathing house burst. The theatre,
which was wooden structure, was literally
torn open, allowing the audience to escape.
The stories told by survivors are horrible.
Many Romans having villas at lschia are
known to have been lost. The dead are fear
fully mutilated. In some cases corpses are
plainly discernible through the ruins, but
they cannot be extricated. 1t is surmised
that some persons are still alive in the cellars.
A correspondent telegraphed on Monday
that Judging from reports already at hand the
calamity,will infinitely exceed the Chios earth
quake in 1881.
Among the dead are Prof Palma, the Ba-
roness Direseis, Commander Zapputi, the
wives and children of Signori Cecere, Sicili-
ami, Ali and Mariana. 1t probable that the
Marchioness Pacca Laurati is also among the
dead. Two thousand soldiers digging in the
ruins saved 1000 lives up to midday on Sum
day, and exhumed "a persons alive on Mon
day. Eight hundred more troops were sent
to the scene on Monday night.
Prof Palmieri, director of the meteorolog-
ical observatory on Mount Vesuvius, states
that the disaster was not due to an earthquake,
but to the subsdence ofthe ground.
The scenes occasioned by the accident are
heart-rending The hospitals at Naples are
crowded with wounded survivors, and the
dead houses are filled with bodies of the vic
Tins The bodies of several Neopolitan la
dies have been recovered from the ruins.
Five houses only remain standing at Casamac-
ciola. Cries for help can be heard coming
from the ruins. Sappers are hard at work
endeavoring to rescue the persons who are
still alive. Boats from the island, filed with
dead bodies, are arriving at Naples constant
ly.
Many women and children are among the
victims. Most of the corpses which have
been recovered are so discolored by dirt that
even after they have been washed the features
of the victims are nnrecognizable All the
members of the police force at Casamacciola
were killed.
Many of those injured in Ischia will be
crippled for life. The dead at Forio number
800, at Laccoameno 500 and at Fontana Ser
rara 200. Twenty-four children perished in
the Misericordia Asylum.
The latest estimate gives the number of
victims at 1000.