Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-04-14
MattuecI Braves Volcano.

royal observatory on Mount yesuvius
To-Day Climbed up Vesuvius to a point
q long way above the observatory at
imminent risk Of his life, and ascer-
talned that unless, conditions change
radically there will be mo- further dis
charge OF lava at present Hefbelieyes
Inc end OF the disturbance Is near
k1nk Victor Emmanuel and Onaer
Helena expect to return to Rome IA.
day - 4. 4 \
Scientists ascribe the cessation az
the eruption to the blocking of tha
chimney Of the volcano by the al.
lapse OF the crater They predict TIA
mountain will remain in repose for a.
least year, perhaps for several
years, but that fine sand may be emit
ted for some time yet.
900 Square Miles Dese,zted
It is difficult to convey an adeuuata
idea Of the full extent Of the devaata.
ton wrought by Vesusyius In the last
eight days. First of all 900 souare
miles OF fertile lands, covered with
farms, gardens. vineyards, have been
overwhelmed by masses OF lava, and
cinders, and ashes.
This strip Of territory. ten miles
wide and thirty miles long, ten days
ago was garden Of rare beauty and
fertility. 1t contained score OF VII
lagos and thousands of happy. peace.
ful rural homes. Today 1t il blotted
out. 1t is wilderness. as dreary az
any In the desolate lands Of Sahara.
In all this waste there is no sign of
life or vegetation. The people have
abandoned 1t.
King Views the Tragedy.
Every day that passes gives new
evidence Of the magnitude OF the ca.
tastrophe. Thursday's visit of King
Victor Emmanuel to Ottajano reveal
ed new tragedies. At certain point
his majesty was obliged to abandon
his motor car, and went forward on
horseback amid constant danger, his
horse floundering through four feet Of
ashes, stumbling into holes, blinded
by the fall OF cinders, and the target
for falling basaltic masses.
In the presence of the king 129
more bodies were extricated from the
ruins Of Ottajano while ashes and red
sand were falling as If they were de-
termined not to relinquish their VIC
Tins. The dead at Ottojano are said
to number 550 The king was deathly
pale.
Royal Rebuke for Priest.
To priest who came to him, he
said: How did you escape?"
Il placed myself in safety" replied
the priest.
What do you mean?" asked the
liking.
"Realizing the dangers was the
priests reply, II had left for NoIa."
| The king flushed with anger.
What" he cried, "you a minister Of
God, were not here to share the dan.
ger of your people and administer the
last sacraments! You did wrong"
DesoIate Districts Described.
Rooert Underwood Johnson. ascot
ate editor of the Century Magazine,
has made tour of inspection Of the
4 devastated district, passing entirely.
around Vesuvius. He writes:
Since the Chicago fire have seen
nothing SO terribly impressive. Twenty
years will not repair the damages, in
Guiding the destruction of four whole
villages. With a change of wind or
slightly greater propulsion Of the seis-
mic force, the same fate might extend
to other segments of the circle Of
which Vesuvius is the center.
i Arriving in Rome two hours late
by train, | joined party OF two ItaI-
4 ian gentlemen and two English
i ladies, including Miss Under
wood, the Rome correspondent Of the
London Standard. We caught train
from Tore Annunziata, three miles
this side of Pompeii and two miles
| from the southern end Of the wedge
of lava, which destroyed Boscotrecase
1--WE had magnificent view of the
| eruption, eight miles away. Rising at
an angle Of fifty degrees, the vas,
mass Of tumult roundness was beauti,
fully accentuated by the full moon,
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