The state herald., 1909-01-08
CITY OF PELLARio HURLED INTO
THE SEA AND HUNDREDS
DROWNED.
FIGHT WITH LooTERs
AMERICA LEADING IN WORK OF
CARING FOR EARTHQUAKE
SUFFERERS.


Rome.-The entire population OF
Pellario was precipitated into the
ocean Sunday by a terrible earth
| quake, and many hundred lives We're
| lost.
A violent earthquake shock, running
north. southwest and east-northeast.
| lasting three seconds. and during
which the Stromboli volcano began
eruption, occurred on Stromboli island
| today.
The phenomenon was accompanied
by prolonged rumblings. The houses
on the island were badly damaged.
and the population fled 10 the streets
in n panic, but no one was hurt. The
weather is intensely cold on Stromboli
island.
All left alive in Pellario by the first
quake were hurled into the sea with
the bodies of the dead taken from the
ruins.
1t is believed that there was a Slip
ping of strata. causing a landslide at
the surface The sea rose in tidal
wave to meet the catapulted cliffs and
rocky reaches OF Pellario.
Within few minutes after the
first earth tremors the men, women
and children Of the town were strug-
Cling in the surf with horses, cattle
and dogs. Fortunately. the tidal wave
did not extend far inshore. and hun
dreds In the shallower part of the surf
We're able to scramble upon the dis.
placed cliffs and rocks.
How many perished will not be
wires are down and the survivors are
in the utmost terror.
The problem Of burying the dead
was a serious one in Pellario. and was
solved to some extent by this marvel
Gus catastrophe. Many Of the corpses,
however. are being washed ashore.
One of the most heartrending feat
ures of the disaster was the helpless
ness OF those injured in the first cata-
clysm. All OF thew were cast into the
sea. and few of them were In any con
dition TO struggle for their lives. AS
result, most OF them were drowned.
From Calabria and Sicily come
stories of ruthless pillaging and battles
between sailors, gendarmes and res
cuers on the one hand and the ghoul.
ish robbers ON the other.
Both at Messina and Reggie the
guards are having difficulty In pro.
tecting the survivors and the vast
treasure In the ruined buildings from
the bands OF fugtives that are swarm.
Ing everywhere.
Ambassador Griscom succeeded in
finding an Austrian Lloyd steamer OF
5000 tons. capable of carrying l.eO0
passengers. lie has chartered the
steamer for two weeks. and IL Is being
loaded with medical supplies and pro
visions. This will cost sl50.0O0. This
sum was cabled here today by the
American Red Cross.
II is expected that the steamer Will
sail from Civita vecchia. about fifty
miles from Rome. on Thursday. II will
be placed under the orders of the Ital.
ian government.
Ambassador Griscom today drew on
the State Department at Washington
for 100000. and paid the equivalent
TO the Italian Red Cross In two sums.
one OF $4,000 being made up OF con.
tfibutons from the American Red
Cross and the other $4,000 consisting
of contributions collected by the Chris.
tlan Herald.
In addition to supplies. the Ameri.
can relief vessel Will embark six doc.
,ers aud twenty nurses. three ~ the
latter being American girls from New
York who volunteered their services.
American energy has been strongly
manifested In the work looking TO the
relief Of the earthquake sufferers. Am.
bassador Griscom and the members OF
the committee have assumed personal
responsibility for the expenses OF the
expedition. relying upon the American
| public for funds.
The King and Queen have returned
10 Rome.
Official figures give the number OF
injured transported from the earth
quake zone TO various ports up to Sat
urday by the Italian warHhips at 10.
$40. by the English warshlps, 1909
by the German. 300. and by the Rus
| finn $50