The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1909-01-14
Miss Hurford, Who Arrived
To-day, Describes How She
Was Thrown From Bed.
SAW MANY HOUSES FALL.
With Her Father and Charles
Moeller, of Brooklyn, She
Hurried From Italy.

The first American survivors N the
earthquake in Italy arrived In New
Yorl, to-day on the White star liner
Republtc. which sailed from Naples on
Jan. /. They are Alvin Hurford and
his daughter. OF Camden, H., and
Charles Mocller, Of Brooklyn Mr..
Hurford and his daughter went TO the
Mediterranean In the early winter In
tending TO travel through Italy and
Africa and til Holy Land. Christmas
found them al MesSna. whore they
met Mr. Moeler. who had arranged an
itinerary corresponding with their own.
Two days after Christmas the three
travellers with half dozen other
Americans left Messlna and crossed
the Strait to Calabra. They became
Interested in the little seacoast town
OF Paint and put up at the little hotel
there for the night of Dec. q.
Thrown From Her Bed.
-. about o'clock the next morn
Ing, 'Nsaid Miss Hurford to-day, "a was
thrown from my bed TO the floor OF
my room. The hotel rocked and
creaked Like ship at sea. l knew al
once that We were passing through an
earthquake. Fortunately my baggage
was not unpacked l caught up
travelling bag and my clothes and
rushed out to the street in front OF the
hotel There was Joined In moment
by my father and Mr.. Moeller. So far
as We know no one was killed in the
hotel. but several were injured
THE quaking and rocking continued
after we had gained the open air. 1t is
an awful sensation-impossible TO de-
heaving under your feet, Buildings
were being shaken down like ch.ldren's
houses OF blocks all around US. Huge
pieces of stone from upper floors and
cornlces Of buildings were crashing into
the street, Tie air was black with
dust. and the sound Of wild cries and
shrieks was terrifying
I'VE had read of earthquakes and We
knew that we ought to get TO some open
space where We would be out Of danger
from falling buildings Remembering
that there was n square or park close
TO the hotel, we made for II and found
1t crowded with people.
MANY OF the unfortuates were en-
tirey nude. None was fully dressed.
The torrent of Italian lamentations and
prayers was overwhelming.
Quake Victims in Rain.
"A drenching rain set in. In the
meantime we had clothed ourselves
and at daylight we made our way
along the water front to the north.
The tidal wave, which we had been far
enough inland to escape. had destroyed
everything along The beach.
Most of that day We struggled up
QonG the coast, gradually getting out
Of the earthquake zone. So far as We
could observe no measures had been
adopted looking to the rescue of the
injured. the removal of the dead or
the care Of the living The people were
either historical from fear or torpid
with sorrow. We reached Naples on
Dec. 81, just as the first ships Were
hlIlNllE llbiI 7l'Is Win lIlFlE lOduS
of injured and dying
Our experience had cured us OF all
desire for further truvel in that part
of the world Learning that the Re
public was to sail for New York, we
lost no time in engaging passage"
1869 Italians Arrive.
Although there were 1863 Italian
isteeragc passengers on the Republic
none of them had paSscd through the
'earthQuakc Very few appeared 10 be
interested in any degree in the terrible
disaster that wiped out SO many thou
sands of their cOuntrvmcn. They were
Engaged in their own affairs, and had
mo time to talk about anything but
their future prospects and hopes H.
this land of promise
The Republic passed through re
marknblc weather transformation last
TUESDAY The weather had been uni
formlv pleasant all he way from Na-