The San Francisco call., 1906-04-14
Volcano Ceases to Give Signs
of Life and No More Ter
rifying Rumblings Come
From Bowels of the Earth
PERIOD OF DANGER
rs FINALLY PASSED
ELIMINATION Of the Dead Is
Being Carried on by the
Soldiers, Who Dispose OF
All Bodies in Quicklime

All Bodies in Quicklime
NAPLES, April 13-The period of dan
ger has passed, and only desolation and
slowly declining panic remain. Mount
vesuvius has ceased to give any sign of
life. The volcano seems to have spent
itself In one enormous convulsion. Direc--
tor Matteucci, who heroically holds ais
post in the observatory, believes that the
eruption has ended and every outward
indication confirms this view. No more
rumblings come from the bowels OF the
earth, giving terrifying warning to the
inhabitants The volcano Is hidden behind
a thick curtain of smoke, which arises
from the crater and then spreads and
falls, enveloping vast circle in semi
darkness. Naples is just beyond the cir
sunshine, while the ugly, black pail hung
to the westward over a belt midway be-
tween Rome and Naples.
The following telegram from Dinector
Matteucci was sent this evening from the
observatory on the side of the volcano:
Last night and today the activity of vesuvlus
and the agitation at the surface Of the vol
cano sensibly diminished Electric discharges @
abundant. From the presumed formation of
the crater and other indications, and II the
lava at Boscotrecaz 1 predict with reserve
that In two three days volcanic calm Will
reign.
The publication of this assuring dis
patch has brought joy to the people, and
to-night's Good Friday services at the
churches, which were attended by large
congregations, took the form of fervent
thanksgiving for dangers past.
PEOPLE GROW CONFIDENT.
Conditions at Naples were so much
better today that the people were almost
incredulous of the tales OF terror told by
those who had escaped from the towns
villages and the country farther within
the zone of devastation. The weather.
was fine and the wind had shifted so that
the clouds of ashes from the volcano,
instead of enveloping Naples, We're car
ried In the direction of Caserta. The ap-
prehension of the populace gave place to
a smiling confidence in which there was
no reflection of the terror which had pre-
vailed for the past week.
But in other quarters there is no es-
Gaping from thes awful evidences of the
volcanoes fury. At Boscotrecaz the ex-
humation of the dead is being carried on
by soldiers, who owing to the advanced
stage of decomposition of the corpseS are
unable to work more than an hour at a
time The work is one of great financial
cost as well as of danger and arduous-
ness to those engaged in it. Many of the
bodies are merely shapeless. unrecogniza-
bic masses of flesh and bones, while 9TH
ers are but little disfigured. AS quickly as
possible they are buried in quicklime to
lessen as far as may be the danger OF
epidemic None but those engaged in the
work of recovering the corpses are per-
mitted In the vicinity.
DUKE OF ABRUZzI ARRIVES.
After the last great eruption, which oc-
Cured in 1872 the land covered by Gin
ders did not produce crops for. seven
wears. and the losses in this respect alone
averaged s2O,0O0, 600 yearly 1t is believed
that it will take ten years to bring the
land under cultivation again.
The people as a demonstration of their
gratitude for the sympathy which led to
the French squadron being sent here,
enthusiastically greeted the French sail
ors when they landed. The Duke of
Abruzzi arrived today in his motor car.
He had passed through the ash belt and
was hardly recognizable, being covered
with ashes and cinders- He will soon sail
ON his projected tour of exploration in
South Africa.
Professor Matteucci today climbed up
yesuvius to a point a long way above the
observatory at the imminent risk of his
life and ascertained that unless the con-
ditions changed radically there will be no
further discharge of lava at present. He
added that 1t was impossible to determine
the quantity of sand in the crater, but as
the cone had diminished considerably in
height and the showers of cinders thrown
out had been transformed into ashes, he
believed the end or the disturbance was
near.
Premier Sonnina- and Finance Minister
Sallandra, who have been supervising the
relief measures, left Naples for the capital
this morning. Nearly 5000 refugees are al
ready housed here and the number is rap
idly increasing. In fact, all the buildings
available for the accommodation of the
fugitives are crowded. and if many more
people seek shelter here 1t will be neces-
sary to place them in army tents. The
municipal and military authorities have
already taken steps to accommodate a
large number of people in this manner.
The crowding of refugees into Naples
has resulted in the almost stoppage of the
supply of food usually forwarded to the
yesuvian district, and consequently the
prices of food have risen enormously, and
the lack of meat and bread especially is
seriously felt in those districts.
The reputation of Neapolitans for lazi-
ness is in striking contrast with the fever
ish activity displayed everywhere here to-
day. The hours, even the minutes. seem
too short for what must be done. The
people rush here and there, horses gallop
about and even the dogs and cats seem to
be infected with the general spirit of
hustle
A curious phenomenon has been noticed
at Cape Postilipo. picturesque spot in
the northeast part of the Bay of Naples.
Owing to the great quantity OF ashes and
t.-&~ L