The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1906-04-12
OVER $50 PEOPLE
ARE KILLED
Church COIlapSes While People Are at
WORSHIP.
MANY OF THE VILLAGES DESTROYED
Towns Devastated by the Heavy Fall Of Ashes
as Well as by FlOo5s of Lava-Some Of the
Fiery Streams Have Stopped. and The
Situation Seems More Assuring-NspIes
Filled With the Homeless.

NaplS, (By able)-Monday was a day
of terror for the cities, towns and coun-
try about Mount Vesuvius Unconfrmed
reports place the number of dead at
over 500 and probably many more in
Jured. At midnight the situation ap-
pears more assuring, the lava streams
having diminished in volume and in some
directions having stopped altogether,
while a copious rainfull is cooling the
lava where it lies stationary.
Almost equally with the devastation
wrought by the lava is the damage done
by cinders and ashes, which in incrcdi-
bic quantities have been carried great
distances This has caused the practical
destruction of San Giuseppe, place of
5000 inhabitants. All but 200 of the
people had fled from San Giuseppe, and
these 200 assembled in church to at
tend mass.
While the priest was performing his
| sacred Office the roof fell in, and about
90 persons were badly injured. These
untortunates were for hours without sur
| gical or medical assistance. The only
| thing left standing in the church was
statue of St Anne, the preservation OF
which the poor, homeless people accepted
as miracle and promise of deliverancc
from their peril.
At Ouajano five churches and &c
houses fell under the weight Of ashes
and cinderS, which lie four feet deep on
bp L., H. f,ff = Il, -
about II persons were killed and many
were injured The village is completely
deserted by It's people After the cvacu-
alton of the place the barracks and pris-
ons fell in.
Reports from coast and inland towns
depict terrible devastation. San Giorgio,
Cremona, Portici, Resina and Tore del
Greco have been almost completely aban-
! doncd.
The inhabitants of Tore Annunziato
are prepared to leave at a moments
warning. Somma VeSuviana is another
village which has suffered severely
Naples, (By Cable)-The hope that
Mount Nesuvius was becoming calm was
diSSipated Sunday, when the volcano be
came more active than ever. The panic
has spread TO Naples Two strong earth
quake shocks which shattered windows
and cracked the walls of buildings were
experienced Sunday. The entire popula-
ton rushed TO the streets in terror, many
persons crying:
The Madonna has forsaken us; the
end of the world has come"
No trace remains of BOScOtrccase, 4
commune on the southern dec,ivity of the
mountain, where up to 4S hours ago TO-
900 persons lived; and Terre Annunziata,
on the shores on the Gulf of Naples, one
mile to the southwark, is almost sur
rounded by the invading lava, and has
| been evacuated by its $4,000 inhabitants.
The people were brought TO Naples by
| trains, street cars, military carts and
steamships. Similar means OF transpor-
tatiOn are being employed to bring away
| the people from Tore Del Greco. The
police and cabincers are guarding tie
abandoned houses, and several members
OF the government also are there
! A telegram received from the mayor OF
| San SebaStino, a village near the Observa-
! tory on the northwest declvity of VeSu-
| viuS, says the lava is approaching rapidly,
and that the people are terror-Stricken.
They have been for nights without sleep,
| he says, are destitute and beg that as
sistance be given them.
The work OF succor is hampered, owing
to delays on the railway service, which
is interrupted by rcd-hot stones, thrown
to height of 5000 feet, falling on the
tracks
AS yet it is impossible to count the
craters that have opened and from which
streams of lava have flooded the beau
tiful prosperous and happy land lying
on the southeast shores of the Gulf Of
Naples
The atmosphere is heavily charged
with electricity and now and then the
flashes of lightning are binding, while
the detonations from the volcano resem-
bic those of terrible explosions.