Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-04-14
LIVE OVER A VOLCANO
Eighty Thousand Persons in Peace
ful Homes Dwell Upon Vesuvius.


NAPLES. March William T. Cur
tbs in the Chicago Record-Herald.) y
The volcano Vesuvius rises on the
mainland about fifteen miles from the
City OF Naples and about five miles
from the coast. 1t is encircled by a
railway at the base. and up to the
height of 1900 feet Is covered with
cities. villages farmhouses and vine
yards. At least 10000 people live
in the midst of continual danger. to
which they seem entirely Indifferent
II seems strange that section ex-
| posed to such constant peril should
be so densely populated. and thou
sands among those who brave it must
have witnessed the terrible destruc.
ton from the disturbance of 1872.
/ There were loud warning to all who
occupy the great amphitheater within
the range of volcanic catastrophe.
Last May the machinery of the rail-
way that carries people to the crater
was partially destroyed, but little lava
was thrown out.
From every window of the white
houses which glare in the sun can be
seen the floods of lava which have
so often poured from the crater of the
monster and forced their way down
to the sea, burning aud burying every
thing In their track. Yet the peas
ants continue working in the vine
wards within a few yards of the signi-
fcant streams producing that popular
wine with the blasphemous name. La
crtma Christi (tears of Christ.) The
lava is intensely fertile. which is one
reason for the Indifference to the dan
ger. The material thrown out from
the bowels of the earth is composed
of elements especially adapted for
growing of grapes. But the volcanic
soil is equally productive of other
crops.
The greatest security however. is
assured by San Gennaro. the patron
saint of Naples, who has repeatedly
averted earthquakes and relieved the
anxiety of the frightened people The
remains of this saint repose in one of
the churches. where there is also
crystal vial containing a quantity of
his blood. Upon certain anniver-
saries the priests take this crystal
from the deposltary. and. in the pres
ence of thousands of people, as many
as can crowd into the church, a mir
acle is annually performed which indi-
Gates whether danger is to be appre-
hended during the coming year from
the volcano and whether the crops
are to be good or bad. The sacred
relic is first conducted at the head of n
procession to different sections of the
CITY. in order that as many people
as possible may share in the adora-
tion. At the end of the march high
mass is celebrated by the bishop or
archbishop or some prelate of distin.
guished rank while the crystal vase
stands upon the altar. Then at the
close of the service comes the mo-
mentous test. The bishop holds the
sacred vessel with both hands above
his head, and II the blood melts and
grows warm the people are frightened
aud when 1t boils, as 1t sometimes
does, they fall upon their knees with
means and walls of anguish and
i'"' ~ anu 'hNitdi inc
of the saints. Frequently this boil
ing occurs. and the result is similar
to that of a religious revival among
Protestant communities. Crime and
vice are repressed; the contributions
collected at the churches are larger
and the people behave themselves in
an exemplary manner until the dan
ger is over, in order to conciliate the
saint-for San Gennaro controls the
volcano, and no eruption can take
place without his consent.
AS sort Of an insurance certificate,
an image or picture of San Gennaro is
to be found in every cottage on the
volcano. within reach of the danger.
and pious peasants will tell you how
often the good saint has ayerted from
their vineyards torrents of fire which
had crawled to a point where 1t seem
ed that not even divine power could
avert destruction. So great is this
faith that the thousands of people CON
tinue to live conscious of security
upon the ground where thousands be
fore them have perished 1t Is true
that there has been no great loss Of
life of recent years, put Pompeii and
Herculaneum were entirely destroyed
and 5000, 1000 and 1000 people have
lost their lives on three different oc-
casions within the last two centuries.
The eruption of 1894 was the last in
which many lives were sacrificed al
though in 1872 twenty people were
killed by their own folly. being led by
curiosity too near the point of danger.
Pompeii and Herculaneum were
destroyed on the oath OF August in the
year 70, when the country was de-
vastated far and wide and buried un-
der showers of ashes and vast streams
of lava. 1t was then that the pres
ent cone of the mountain was formed.
Previously it was long low ridge, not
more than 1000 feet in height. Now
the peak extends nearly $500 feet
above the sea and has increased from
$500 feet since 18i5 and from 4,255
feet since 1863. 1t is gradually grow
ing, although with every eruption a
few feet Of the crater is usually
knocked OFF Last fall the height
was reduced 2i2 feet.
The great naturalist. Pliny, who
was also a naval officer, was in com
mand of the feet In the harbor of