The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-03-26

Catania. Sicily, March 26.-The
cruptions from the side craters OF
Mount Etna contilued today and the
fiery river. formed at the foot OF
Mount Castella2ze. moved slowly to-
ward Borello and Bellaso. consuming
everything in Its path.
The lavatic stream, winding In and
out over the uneven surface at the
mountain base, has covered % miles
OF country though not ten miles from
the sources In an air line
Throughout the night the summit
of Mount Etna appeared TO be ablaze.
but today cloud of black smoke en-
vcloped the peak, Prolonged rum
bllngs from the central crater and
frequent explosions from the side As
sures served ds effcctually as the
flood Itself TO hold interest
An carly morning visit into the
threatened region afforded spec.
taclc magnificent beyond descrp-
tlon. which could be thoroughly CD
joyed by the hundreds OF sightsecrs
1lockiDg throughout the vicinity.
The terror and real distress Of the
peasants in the neighborhood Is de-
pressing A paniS has seized them,
and. though they clung TO their little
homes until the food was almost
upon them they have now abandoned
all but their portable property and
driving before them their donkeyS
and pigs. the former loaded with
household goods, they are wandering
about with the single aim OF preServ-
ing what little has been left to thoms
On the hilltops little groups OF men.
women and children could he seen
looking back cadly at the sites Of
their former homes. now covered with
lava To A height of perhaps fifteen
feet Others, whose homes had not
been oyertahcn. clasped their cruel
fixes and images of the Madonna and
saints. and, with characteristic cries
and prayers. implored that their little
huls be spared Meantime the mol
ten mass crawled irrcsistibly forward
as If determined that nothing should
escape it.
AT times a storm oCAcInders oh.
scuTcd the volcano. and then, sudden
ly, a shift OF the wind forced back fhc
cloud and the sun bursting through
smiled down upoo the most fertile
country In the world
The summit of Mount Etua appears
to he Still covered with snow
The people OF the district have
been wrought 10 high pitch OF excite,
ment, and arc ready for miracles
though at the same time declaring
that thc evil eve Is upon them
AT a little roadside altar erected AT
81. Joseph. at point above .lcolosi.
women. priests and children had gath
cred TO implore mercy. AS they knclt
they saw in the distance the destruc-
tive flood advancing. AS il drew near
er the agitation among the group In
creased until some one exclaimed:
"A miracle has occurred. The lava
Will not strike the sanctuary"
The cry was taken up by the others
and then the chanting OF the nolan
choly Sicilian hymns was renewed.
Nearer came the lava, but when It's
heat had nearly suffocatcd the pray
ing ones, the stream was diverted.
With cries OF JOY al what appeared 10
he a miracle. the suppllcants sprang
TO their feet. A moment later the
course of the flood again changed,
and, sweeping down upon the wor,
shippers. permitted them barely time
to fec. while 1t engulfed and burned
the sanctuary.
Eruption Almost UneqUaIed
NicolosI. Sicily, March 26.-Paole
VinassI dc ReSuy, professor of the.
ology al the University of Catania.
who, with Prof Ricco. director Of the
observatory OF Mount Etna, had Il
narrow escape from death when
caught in storm of cInderS yestcr-
day. said:
Il believe the present cruptions
have few precedepts. That OF 1892
produced in five months 100000
square yards OF volcanic matter, while
In the last three days the flow has
exceeded 100000 square yards. |
don't anticipate the velocity OF the
lava stream will diminish sooD. as il
is not coming down in single mass.
but in several rivers.
"BorelIo is not In immediate dan
ger, AS tho flow In that direction has
ceased II is possible the lava may
yet pour into Nicolosi. but the caprices
of the phenomena are such as not
to permit OF assured prophecy. The
present disturbance evidently is con-
nected with the ferment OF the earth
which began with the earthquake OF
1908.