New-York tribune., 1906-04-13
M4GNITUDE OF DISASTER.
II. L. Johnson Describes Tragic
Scenes an the Lara Zone.

Naples. April l2.-The following description of
the conditions surrounding Mount Vesuvius is by
Robert Underwood Johnson. associate editor of
The Century Magazine"
I had the unexpected opportunity to realize the
magnitude OF the disaster by personal observation
cago fire have seen nothing terribly impress
siye Twenty years will not repair the damage, in
With change of wind or slightly greater pro.
extend 10 other segments of the circle of which
Nesuvius is the centre.
Arriving from Rome two hours late by train, I
joined party of two Italian gentlemen and two
English ladies, including Miss Underwood. the
We caught a train for Tore Annunziata, three
miles miles TINS side OF Pompeii and two miles from the
Boscotrecase We had a magnificent view of the
of fifty degrees the vast mass of tumult roundness
was beautifully accentuated by the full moon
south in low black clouds Of ashes and cinders,
reaching to Capri; At Tore del Greco we ran
feet above, the soidity of which was soon revealed
guards added TO the effect, but greatly relieved
the sulphurous darkness
We reached Tore Annunziata at 3 in the morn
ing ing There was little suggestion of disaster, as
We truGged through the sleeping town TO the lava,
superb view OF the volcano, gray-brown mass,
monstrous CyclOpean face. But nothing in my
thoiogy gives suggestion of the fascination of
above but in its descent filed with the mysterious
lnalignance Of Gods under world.
We reached the lava at a picturesque, cypress
planted cemetery on the northern boundary Of
eectualy cried out to arrest the crushing river Of
flame which pitilessly engufed the statue of ST.
70 stay IT, as at catania: The Veil of St Agathe
IS said to have stayed similar stream from Mount
14ltna- We climbed on the lava. 1t cool above.
but still alive with fire below. We could see dimly
brown, which had closed the streets, torn down the
houses invaded the vineyards and broke. Cooks
better rr6n3 id3 ~ q Inc sgTrOundings obtained
church and a few houses inland in sea Of dull
brown lava; North and east rose a thousand
patches OF blue smoke, like swamp masma. All
was a dull and desolate Stag with nowhere the fa-
In terrible contrast with the volcanic evidences
neghborng cemetery W We afe bsst eseas nsno in
before sunrise, when the great beauty Of the scene
massier. rising three times the height of 1'eu Ve
E IuSc Each portion had a concentrc motion and
new aspects. The south edges, floating toward tha
sea. showed exquisite curved surfaces due TO The
OF the side of Greek sarcophagHs AS a Yellow
uuat hangs over Naples and hides the volcano
eeward this spectacle of Changing md MAY iron
6Til1 6eingty; Ny companions left for Naples after
u | had not thought of further experiences except
ent After three hours of sleep Went t 70 5it the
sfternon TAPeetlng to return TO Naples by the
[, [Me" olk, who gave such alarming account Of
Monday in The S5 Gartn tne traIn coming through on
me passengers in the crowded cars were hesieged
by screaming excited refugees amid rsip 81 in sTu
ders that concluded return by the north first
visiting the eastern wedge OF destruction, which
1S ~SS central at San Giuseppe. With Mr. Bowen /
s le.t Fonpeil IN car expecting to strike the edge
lava at San usenD mss TS F6u surprise TO find no new
stroyed In different ways namely bv rain cinders
lay everywhere in a mass which had broken
t iledtly every root within the of thirty miles
feet a minute, had no Difficulty I'm escaping
> A. Boscotrecase the carabnerie drove the people
petore the fiery avalanche. but the fiimsily built
cders ana ashes askng the roofs e Or erongy
'u4it NdllS All saturday The wedge of the
% JTIo t rhug aestr0yed extends ten miles at least
rich, ard thickly populated country of vineyards
oIuers I OF ihe color or chocolate with milk, while
above 10 the west, the volcano in full activity is
same fate, and you viii get an idea of the desc
Iate impression Of the scene. tragedy colossal and
for such calamity to be reaiized The King the
Duke OF Aosta and Premier sonnino have been on
,ne GROUND. For The present the roads are almost
Two miles below San Giuseppe we struck cinders.
row road for the refugees Our wagon driver
begged off from completing his contract to take
so the rest Of the journey to the railway at Palma
eight miles. was made laborousy foot for
temporary shelters mad been built by the roadside
hddled with their bedding aWetng w4neH the coI mere
Ct supplies. which the army had begun distrib.
einders from the stronger roofs and floors into
heaps from three TO six feet deep along the road
SIDE. Many two-Wheeled carts, loaded with sal
wage drawn by dOnkeys pushed by peasants
N'ie making Inelf way along, the with
bundles on their heads carrying poultry In
me me square of San Giuseppe an encampment
oi Soldlers, with low tents. Near q DESTROYED
,,n9iTch N coarse yellow linen shrouds were the
OF thlrty-three Of the l05 persons who there
losl tilelT lives. The peasants were sad but un-
oiilpalnlllg IN fact for excitable people they
were "oIderfully calm. AS evidence OF the thrift
ana self-respect OF these during the AFTERNOON
we were not once asked for aims ~
At Palma, whore we succeeded in catobins .raiD
TOT naples, We heard great cheering looked hack |
a,n9 sd" mat The general anding the 6strtct
aH ,si aINea ana the people We're running to greet
lnls representative OF the governments ecti, os
sistance 70 the stricken region This is a sad Is
IoT southern Italy the second terrible disastar |
,%iLmn few months To judge from what |
from inc peasants. there is likely to be
sibstaIllai increase in emigration 10 tho TrpJtad
Is not yet - "HcH the ehd |