The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-04-12
DEAD MAY NUMBER
TWELVE THOUSAND
Loss OF PROPERTY ALREADY
EIGHTY MILLIONS.
SCENES OF HORROR AT NAPLES
Eruptions Are Increasing in Intensity
and City is Threatened, Trans
Portation ParaIyzed and Peo-
pie Panic Stricken.

~'''S Se'fSNSis
Naples, April 1.-THE eruptions OF
Vesuvius today are increasing in Vi
olence, and scientists who are watch,
ing the situation say the worst is vet
to come. The dead, according to the
most reliable reports, number fully
twelve thousand and the value Of pro-
perty already destroyed vii. reacn
eighty million dollars. The destruc-
tion will equal, if not surpass, that o.
the eruption which destroyed and
buried Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Lava Again Flowing.
Lava is again on the move down all
sides of the mountain. II is believed
this city is in greatest danger Peo-
pie are positively mad and business
at standstill. The poorer classes
are fighting madly for places in the
churches to PROSTATE themselves at
the affairs.
All shipping is preparing to leave
the harbor. The number of vessels is
wholly inadequate to take the people
away, Hundreds of tourists are ma
rooned and unable TO leave. Every
householder has been ordered to clear
the ashes from his roof to prevent
collapses and fire. The passage OF
wheeled vehicles is prevented by the
drifts of ashes.
Railway Trains Abandoned.
Engineers refused to take out rail
way trains because of the darkness.
AS a consequence. all traffic is sus-
r. aGtd. The volcanoes calm is over
and the explosions are incre asing in
numfer and intensity. Many new
craters are forming ana instruments
record most severe subterranean agi-
-tation. This information comes from
Matteeuci, the intrepid scientist, from
his post on the side of the mountain,
He adds that he thinks the worst Is
yet 20 ,ome.
Destruction is Terrible.
| A refugee from Sarno who has just
reached safety says the town was com
pletely destroyed and few If any OF
the ten thousand inhabitants escaped.
This town contained the old castle,
factories and sulphur baths. Many
invalid tourists were stopping there.
The inhabitants have completely
abandoned Ottajano. At Tore An
nunziata affairs are resuming a nor
NAL condition, but the election or
sand is expected to drive the populace
away. 1t is estimated two thousand
lives were lost here.
Five hundred are known to have
been killed between Ottajano and San
Giuseppe. The lava nas reached
Pompeii. Poggio Marino is buried
under ashes. ottajano was enveloped
in black smoke. Entire families per-
ished in the town and terrible scenes
occurred when refugees returned in
search of missing relatives whose bod
les are unrecognizable. The Gene
terry at San Giuseppe presents a tragic
spectacle, people vainly searching
there for missing relatives among
heaps of dead.
All Hope Abandoned.
All hope for the people who insist
ed on re ansiniDg in their h1E,es near
Vesuvius is abandoned. Refugees tell
of scores buried alive and slightly in
jured who are doomed to death by
suffocation. In many places entire
families were found in death, kneellng
about a humble shrine, or slain at
prayer by deadly gases. The terrible
beauty and magnificence Of the erup-
ton at night is beyond the powers Of
human tongue to describe.
Night Brings Gloom. .
AS evening approaches the gloom
overspreading the city increases. Ret
ugees are parading the streets bearing
lighted candles and crosses and chant.
ing prayers.
The prisoners in the city Jail mutt
MED this morning, owing to the
fright, and succeeded in breaking op-
en- some doors inside the building.
Tney were finally subdued by guards.
Somma Crater this afternoon is
belching enormous quantities of wat
er. Many soldiers and fremen have
been sent here from home. At least
fifty thousand people here are home
less.
"Fools Rush In Where"
London, April IL All steamship
companies here are busy with book
ings for Naples. Tourists. and espe.
cially Americans, are rushing into