Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-04-10
KILLED BY vEsUvrUs.
Hundreds of Persons Destroyed by
Eruption = Appalling Destruction
ofPrOpertY.

have already been found in the village
of San Giuseppe. Five of the bodies
we're discovered in the ruins of the church
which collapsed under the strain of the
heaps of ashes which f II from Vesuvius.
Sixiy injured persons we're found in the
streets of O.tsjano in addition to 200
eorpses which have been found. Great
numbers of people are missing from all
the villages in the neighborhood OF
| Vesuvius
From the Mediterranean to the Adri-
attic the whole southern portion OF Italy
is enveloped 10 darkness, and ashes are
continually falling from the black sky.
Mount Vesuyius is surrounded by black
vapors of smoke, is emitting ashes and
blocks of white hot stones which are
hurried upwards and then 60 crashing
down the sides. Great trees have been
uprooted and burned and vineyards have
been devastated. The people are fee
ing from the scourge, pOwerless aud
helpless, all their energy being gone.
Only the soldiers are working unremil-
tingly saving the people aud their fnrni-
ture, aud usefuily striving to arrest the
progress of the lava.
Signor Matteuci, the director of the
Observatory, unheeding the danger, re-
mains the sole Waterman of the erup-
ton, noting every change and ready TO
signal the slightest sign of decrease in
the flow of the lava, which appears un-
likely for some time.
The churches, barracks, and schools
OF Naples have been converted into shelf
ers for the refugees, harboring at present
about so, 900. A hurricane swept over
Naples during the night.
King Victor Emmanuel aud the
Queen are now going around the coast
10 a yacht, landing at villages and per-
sonally distributing money to the sui
erers.
The reservoirs supplying Naples with
water are threatened with destruction.
Pope Plus X. has telegraphed SO,
900 to Cardinal Frisco at Naples, which
he is personally distributing among the
needy.
Naples, April 10.-At the busiest
hour of the day, while the place was
crowded with people, the roof OF the
general market known as the MonteU-
liveo market collapsed, burying the
entire throng of stall. keepers and pur-
chasers in the debris.
Some of the people were able to make
their way out of the building without
much difficulty but at least 200 were
caught in such way as to make the
work of rescue extremely difficult. Up
to the present time, twelve corpses and
sixty-fve badly injured perrons have
been taken from the ruins.
The collapse OF the Tooi was due 10
weight of the ashes and cindeTs from
Mount Vesuvius which had accumulated
during the present eruption.
Immediately following the accident
the market aud the surrounding streets
became an inferno. Great crowds OF
people collected, and becoming frenzied
at The thought that friends or relatives
were buried in the Inins, fought to thy
to rescue the victims of the accident.
The screams of the injured ones, buried
beneath the collapsed roof, added to The
horror and increased the fury Ct the
would-be rescuers. The corpses that
have been taken from the ruins are bad
Ily mut;lated aud in some cases are al
most beyond recognition.
All but 200 villagers had fed when
showers of rocks aud ashes began falling
on the little tOSn. The people rushed
to the village church and while crowded
into the structure, the roof gave way I'M
der the weight OF ashes
In all forty.nine have been found in
the village and it is believed that others
who escaped from the church injured
have probably since died from their
wounds.
Two hundred corpses have been found
in 0ttajano and the immediate vicinity,
and sixty injured persons were picked up
in the streets of the villages. Large
numbers of the villagers are missing.
Somma Vesuvius has also suffere
severely. The village was made up for
the most part of low, hat-rooied houses.
These were unable to bear the weight Of
asaes that sifltd down on them steadily
and many collapsed. 1t is feared that
many people lost their lives in the ruins
of their homes.
The soldiers who are palrolling the
whole threatened district continually are
finding bodies of persous who evidently
were struck down 10 their flight, having
sunk exhausted, or being overcome by
the poisonous fumes that filled the air.
In some Instances death WAS eau sed ty
falling rocks.
Fully 500, 900 persons have been
driven from their homes and in the lren-
zied rush of this great crowd to places of
safety, it would be too much to expect
that this completes the number of casu-
alties.
The number Of fatalities reported in
the last few hours has increased alarm.
ingly. Over 500 deaths are known to
have occurred as the result of the erup-
tion, and when the full story is
written, if it ever is, this number is
likely To be much larger. Great num-
bers Of persons from all the villages
tEresteued by the volcano are missing
and it is impossible 10 the confusion
which reigns throughout the country to
try TO account for Them. Many persons
have also been injured, aud as il is al
most impossible TO supply medical as
sistance, numbers Of these will undoubt-