Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-04-11
vEsuvIUs STILL ACTIVE.
Two Thousand Persons, it IS Believed.
Have Persisted $50, 100000 worth
ofProperty Destroyed.


Naples, April 1.-THE eruption OF
Mount Vesuyius, which has already cost
hundreds of lives, driven thousands OF
persons from their homes and wrought
untold havoc aud destruction, Is again
in full blast. The violence OF the
volcano seems to exceed that OF previous
DAYS and the alarm among the people OF
the entire region is consequently very
great.
With the temporary lull which came
for short time yesterday, when the sur
fering victims of the eruption had an
opportunity to catch Aeeting glance OF
the suH through clear sky, the hopes
of the populace were aroused to believe
that the worst was over and that IN
few days, at the most, the volcano would
quiet down 10 its normal condition.
Now that the physical gloom has re-
turned, shutting out the sun FROM view
and filling the air with poisonous fumes,
the hopes Of the people have naturally
sunk again.
The violence of the volcano seems 10
be increasing The showers OF ashes
are falling thicker than ever, and they
are falling over a widely extended area.
The town of 0ttsjano has been COM
petely abandoned by the former inhsbl-
tatnts and the lava, ashes, and saad
have been given free hand To work the
destruction of the remaining houses
and devasiate the surrounding country
in their own way. At Tore Annuh-
ziata, on the other hand, Affairs are re-
Stunning their normal condition, 30 far as
is possible after the destruction which
has been wrought. At BoscO-Trecase
lakes OF lava have formed in the village
and in the surrounding country.
Many tourists are arriving here IN or
der to witness the spectacle Of the most
active eruption which has occurred in
many years.
As additional reports in regard to the
disaster arrive the number of casualties
steadily increases. II is now estimated
that al least 1000 lives have been lost
AS the direct result of the eruption. AL
ready 800 bodies have been found aud
every hour adds to the number. The
damage to property aud the loss caused
By the devastation of great tracts OF fer
tile lands, where the vineyards have
been permanently destroyed is estimated
at FULLY $50, 900. 900.
News received today tells of the havoc
wrought at Sarno, an Industrial centre
to the eastward of the volcano. The
town has been overwhelmed by the Gin
ders and lava. The village OF San Gen
marc has also been wrecked by The
streams of lava, which have Invaded the
hamlet. The lava is now attacking the
town of Tore del Greco 20 the south
west of the volcano The houses there
are slowly being destroyed, collapsing as
the burning food reaches them. Many
deaths are reported To have occurred at
both Sarne aud San Gennaro.
At SOmma the cinders and ashes lie in
the streets six feet deep, and at San Giu-
scope debris from The volcano reaches to
the third story of some ofthe houses.
Over 100 bodies have already been re-
covered from the ruins of the church
which collapsed aud the market house
in this town.
One of the saddest features of the ca
tastrophe is that the suspension of rail
road traffic makes it impossible To bring
the bodies of victims to the city for
Identification. 1t will be necessary to
bury hundreds of bodies in the small
villages in nameless graves.
The unearihiDg of victims who have
been covered by the rain of ashes and
cinders, or who were found in ruined
buildings, show that most of them died
deaths OF agony, as terror and pain are
depicted on their features now set 10
death. The attitudes of others, some of
whom were found knecling in prayer,
show that they were killed by the deadly
fumes from the volcano.
The rescue work is being pushed as
rapidly as possible, but the difficulty
Of moving from place 10 place, and even
OF forcing a passage through the streets
of the various towns, because Of the
depth of the ashes, makes progress very
slow. Some terrible sights have been
presented to the rescuers and in other
instances they have been able to bring
timely assistance 10 persons who were
just on the verge Of collapse or death.
Reports brought by members of res
cue parties aud 10y soldiers who have
been engaged in this work are CHASTITY in
the extreme, but even their tales fail 10
adequately depict the situation, and it is
probable that the real story of the hor-
rors suffered by the volcano victims will
never he told
Naples, April 1.-The lava is again
on the move on all sides down Vesuvius
and it il believed this city is in serious
danger
Advice received report that at SOM
ma fifty h'uses and portions Of three
churches have collapsed. The town hall
al,o is threatened with destruction.
Refugees who continue to arrive in
the city say that the Houses in Ouajano,
which suffered severely from the How OF
lava, and the showers OF ashes and Gin
ders, are still falling Ia all the other
towns and villages in that neighborhood
the buildings are either in ruins or are
lettering
Repors from Castellammare, fifteen
miles southeast of this city, which stands
at the foot of the hill on which was To-
Gated the Stabia, near which the elder
Pliny lost his life in the eruption of A.
d. 70, say that railroad trains arrived
there at frequent intervals all last night
and this morning bringing thousands of