Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-03-26
Stream OF Fire Has Covered
twenty-five Miles and It Is
Still Vending Its Way.
PEOPLE TERROR STRICKEN
Their Distress Dcprcssing--Arc Ready
For Miracics--Prcscnt Eruption
Almost without Precedent.

CatanIa sicily. March 26-Thc crup-
tions from the side craters Of Mount
Eua continued today and the fiery
river formed at the foot Of Mount 'us-
tellazzo moved slowly toward Borrelo
and Belpasso, consuming everything in
It's path
The lavatic stream. winding in aud
out over the uneven surface at the
mountain base has covered probably 25
miles, though It's head is not more than
10 miles from the sources iu an air
line. Throughout the night the SUM
NIT OF Mount Etna appeared to De
ablaze, but today a cloud OF black
smoke cnvelopcd the peak. Prolonged
rumblngs from the central crater and
frequent explosions from the side &C.
sures served as encctuaIly as the flood
itself TO hold In terror the popuiacc
for miles around.
An early morning visit into The
threatened region afforded a spectacle
magnificent beyond description, which
could be thoroughly enjoyed by the
hundreds OF sightseers hocking through
out the vicinity. The terror and real
distress Of the peasants Of the neigh
borhood Is depressing. a panic has
seized them and though they cluns 70
their little homes until the food vas
almost upon them they have now aoan-
doned all but their portable property
and. driving before them their donkeys
and pigs. the former loaded with hOuss-
hold goods. they are wandering abGut
with the single aim OF preserving Whist
little has been left To them.
On the hill tops little groups Of men,
women and children could be- seen look
ing back sadly 10 the sites Of their for
mcr homes, now covered with lava u
height OF perhaps 10 feet Others
whose homes had not been overtaken
clssped their CrucihXes images of the
madonna and saints. and with char
acteristic cries and prayers implOrcd
that their little nuts be spared. Mean
time the molten mass crawled IRE
sistibly forward as 10 determined that
nothing should escape H.
At times a storm OF ciuders 0bscured
the volcano and then suddenly a shift
OF the wind forced back tho cloud ana
the sun. bursting through smiled down
upon the most fertile country In the
world.
The summit of Mount Etna appears
10 be still covered with snow.
The people OF the district have been
wrought 20 a high pitch Of excitement
and are ready for miracles, though al
the same time declaring that the evil
eye Is upon them.
At % little roadside altar erected 10
ST. Joseph. at "a point above NiColosi.
two men. priests and children gathered
10 implore mercy As they knelt they
saw iu the distance the destructive
food advancing. As Il drew nearer
the agitation among the group in
creased until one exclaimed.
"A miracle has occurred. The lava
will not touch the sanctuary"
The cry was taken up by the others
and then the chanting OF the melan-
choly SiCHian hymns was renewed
Nearer came the lava. but when its
heat had nearly suffocated the praying
ones tho stream was diverted. With
cries OF joy az what appeared 10 be a
miracle the supplicants sprang 20
their feet A moment later the course
Of the food again changed and, sweep
ing down upon the worshipers. permit
ted them barely time TO flee for their
lives while Il engulfed and burned the
sanctuary.
The eruption Of Mount Etna, which
began on Wednesday and was still of
n threatening character early today,
decreased porceptibly as the day PRO-
crossed.
Toward night the rumbliugs ceased
and the side Craters emitted sand which
H. considered an indication that the dis
turbauce will not continue much longer.
The stream OF lava moving In the
direction Of Boreelo has diminished
while the low that threatened Nicolosl
has almost ceased
The weather in the vicinity is cloudy