Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-23
Crushed Under Church Walls.


 stricken at the violence of the seismic dis turbance, and some little time elapsed be- fore they recovered enough presence ot mind to attempt to remove those covered with the debris of the church. Finally, however, force was organized, and the work of rescue began. Hardly person in the church escaped without injury. Thirty were taken out dead amid the wall. ing and sobbing of their relatives and friends. Houses were thrown down in other parts of the village, and the money loss is great. Some of the villagers are practically ruined.
 At Malesina houses tottered and fell as though built of cardboard. Hundreds of their occupants were caught before they had time to do more than attempt to es- cape. In this little village 60 persons were killed, some of the bodies being crushed out of all semblance to humanity. In some cases entire families-fathers, moth CTS and children-Were taken out of the ruins dead.
 At Martino 39 persons were killed. Here, as at Proskina, the parish church was the scene of the greatest number of fatalities, the walls of the structure being thrown from their foundations and toppled upon the worshipers. The others who lost their lives were killed by falling houses.
 It would be almost impossible to describe the scene in these villages. The people ap- pear to be stunned by the severity of the blow that has fallen upon them, and many of them are completely apathetic. Others who have lost loved ones are nearly crazed with grief, and many heart rending scenes have been witnessed as the dead were ten derly removed from the masses of wreck age that once represented dwelling houses and places of worship.
 I,, %l,o .oi, 1f klO fofn were less numerous, but the damage to property is immense. The offices of the Austrian. Lloyd and other stearsships com panies were partially destroyed. The Church of St. Elias on Castella hill, has been racked beyond repair and is tottering to it's fall. The domes, walls and mosaics of the famous Byzantine church of Daphne are very seriously injured.
 Total Number of Deaths Unknown.
 King George, in the royal yacht, started last night for the maritime districts that have been devastated by the shocks. He will be accompanied by the minister of the interior and other officials, and together they will decide upon the measures that must be taken to alleviate the distress among the people.
 The reports that have thus far been re ceived show that very many of the deaths occurred in the churches. Last week was Passion week in the Greek church, and re- ligious services were held every day and evening. The services were very largely attended, and, several churches falling, this in measure accounts for the large loss of life. A majority of the victims were women and children.
 The government will be compelled to adopt extraordinary measures to help the poor in the districts affected. Steps to this end have already been taken, and the state authorities are giving quick response to the calls that are being made upon them.
 The total number of deaths thus far re- ported is 16O, but there is scarcely any question that this number will be aug mented when the more remote villages are heard from. As this dispatch was being sent from Athens sharp shock was felt that for a time caused consternation among everybody in the telegraph office.