The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-04-20
VESUVuS IN TWO PERIODS OF MOST DESTRUCTIVE ACTIVITY
The Eruption Which Has
Lately Devastatedthe
Fair and Fertile Plains
OF Southern Italy.
fFrom the Last Coast Files Received in
Honolulu yesterday

Honolulu yesterday
NAPLES, April 1.-THE day opened
with the atmosphere oppressive and
yellow with ashes from Mount Nesuvi-
US causing a feeling of apprehension
regarding what the future may hold in
sfore for this city and its vicinity
'IAe volcano was completely hidden in
a dense mass of cinder-laden smoke, the
only ether signs of activity being fire.
quent and very severe decorations and
ieep rumblings.
From all quarters come reports of the
accumulation of ashes, the flight of the
terror stricken inhabitants OF towns
and villages, the collapse of buildings,
the insufficiency of the relief measures,
hunger and Encouragement. It is no
longer possible to reach the points
which have suffered most severely.
Even the soldiers detailed to guard the
ruins at Ottajano have been recalled,
and the town has been left to its fate.
The military forces have earned the
gratitude and admiration of the people
by their devotion to duty. Not only
are they credited with many acts of
heroism, but they have displayed I'M
firing perseverance in searching for
the living and the dead among totter-
ing walls, assisting fugitives to reach
places of safety, giving AID to wounded
and in burying the dead, and all this
while partly sufocated by the ash and
other undertaken winds blowing from
the volcano. No danger has been too
great for the troops to encounter and
no fatigue too severe.
So widespread is the catastrophe
caused by the eruption of Vesuvius that
it is estimated that it will require an
organized body of 100000 men and the
expenditure of many millions of dollars
to raze houses made unsafe for habita
tion by the accumulation of ashes and
-cinders on the roofs, erect temporary
huts OF refuge for the thousands who
have been obliged to flee from their
homes, clear the roofs of buildings that
may yet be saved and extricate from
the ruins of fallen structures and bury |
tho dead.
STREAMS OF LAVA.
Mount Vesuvius is colossal brazier |
and the town of Boscatrecase, on its /
southern declivity, has been trans |
formed into gray island of ruin by |
the ashes from the crater of the vol
cano. Torrents of liquid fire, resem-
bling in the distance serpents with gilt
coursing in ali directions, amid rum
blings, detonations and earth trem-
blings, while pail of sulphurous smoke
that hovers over all makes breathing
difficult.
The streams of lava are resistless.
They snap like pipe stems the trunks
of chestnut trees hundreds of years old
and blight with their torrid breath the
blooms on the peach trees before the
trees themselves have been reached.
The molten streams do not spare the
homes of the peasants, and when these
have been RACED they dash into the
wells, as though seeking to Stake their
thirst, and, after filling them, continue ;
their course down the mountain side
Everywhere in the vicinity of the
volcano pitiful scenes are witnessed,
women tearing their hair in their grief
and old men crying aloud at the loss OF
their beloved homesteads, while In the {
distance. in striking contrast, lie the
Mediterranean, the
violet -hued mountains of the Sorrento
nenins,1fa and the island of Capri IN |
the tranquil sea. II
ONE VAST DESERT.
The whole of the Vesuvius district /
as far as Naples, Caserta and Caster
Iamare is one vast Saharan desert ne
uorts tonight from all sides state that
the fall of ashes is not so heavy as IL 7
has been for the last few days, and f
that tho ashes are much finer and from s
this 1t is argued that the prospects are t
much brighter.
The blockade of local traffic con-
times. but service on the main lines OF
railway has been re-estabhshed, al
tbouch greatly disarranged by the IN
confusion in the stations,
where foreigners, not fully understand
ing the situation, inve1gh against the
DELAYS and discomforts to when thes
have been subjected.
This has been disquieting day IN
\anles The people, alarmed by what
,aS occurred. have deserted their shops
nj the manufactures are nearly all
.losed. The crowds are in temper for
INV excess. 1t would only require
,park to start con1agration.
KING AND QUEEN ARE TTRELEss.
The arrival of King Victor Emman-
leI and Queen Helena has done much
o restore calm. They have been re-
eived with great joy, especially when
he sovereigns left hospital after
-isit to the I'M ured there. One poor
woman exclaimed:
1II would consent to be wounded for